01x04 - as*ault! Twin Drive

[bunniefuu]

Kai-kun!

What is it?

Oh, never mind.

Sorry, I think I got the wrong person.

Hi there, welcome back.

Manager Nitta?

You seem to be having fun.

Yes, I am!

But before, you seemed oddly dejected.

Like you'd been stood up by your girlfriend!

W-Wait, that's not it at all!

Kai-kun wasn't here, so I...

Now that you mention it, he hasn't
been here for a couple days, has he?

Well, you can never tell with him.

But why do you want to see him so badly?

I want to have another
Vanguard Fight with Kai.

The first time I fought with Kai, I
had a feeling he was holding back.

Because I'd never played before...

But since then, I've had numerous fights,

learned how to play Vanguard,
and it's gotten more fun!

Plus maybe, just maybe, I've gotten better.

So I want to face Kai once
again with my newfound power!

Your eyes are really sparkling, Aichi.

Everyone is like that in the beginning.

It's always fun and engrossing... Losing
is the farthest thing from one's mind.

Would you show me your deck?

Uh... Okay.

Is something the matter?

Okay, let's do this.

After school tomorrow, come to the shop.

There'll be something nice
waiting for you there, I bet.

Something nice?

Yes! Make sure to come, okay?

as*ault! Twin Drive!

Somethin' nice!

Aichi, what's the "something nice"?

I asked you because I didn't know!

We're here!

Okay then, what's this nice thing you got?

Why don't you share some of it with me, eh?

Please keep quiet while inside the shop.

I see you came, Aichi.

Yes.

Manager! What's this "nice
thing" you got for Aichi, huh?

To find that out, I'd like you
to have a Vanguard fight first.

A cardfight?

Yes. After that fight is over, I'm sure
you'll begin to notice something nice.

Then fight me, too!

I think you're good already, Morikawa.

It's Aichi who needs to see it...

What are you talking about?

So yeah... I was planning
on playing you myself,

but there's this sudden meeting
for the local shops...

In my place, I'd like you to fight Misaki.

"Uwah!" is my line!

Me? Fight this guy?

Yes.

Shin, you can't just tell me to...

Ahem... Please call me "Manager".

Whatever! You know, right?

You know I've never had
a Vanguard Fight before!

But you're always here manning the shop!

I just help out here with
Shin's shop, that's all.

I have no interest in cardfights.

"Manager"?

What will I be able to see in this fight?

Were you just teasing me?

You'll know if you try.

I'm not teasing you.

Uh, oh! I'm going to be late for the meeting.

Please use this deck.

But...

I'm sure you'll be fine, Misaki.

And? What are we going to do about here?

While I'm having a Vanguard Fight,
who will watch the counter?

Oh, yeah...

In that case...

We'll use the Sub-Manager!

Seriously?

Howdy!

Oh?

So the manager said that?

That's why we've got the
two of them like this.

Then, what's that guy doing?

Can't you tell?

Actually, no.

I'm sure you can only see the nice
thing the manager mentioned if you win!

So I'm praying!

Aichi... lose!

How dare you hog the nice stuff to yourself!

Ouch.

So it's this kind of deck...

I wonder what Shin is thinking, though?

He's totally buying me another 2
or 3 outfits in exchange for this.

She's never had a fight before,

so maybe I should go a bit easy on her?

Let's begin.

Right!

Sorry, let me shuffle again...

S-Sure.

She's not used to handling cards...

Please cut my deck.

Picture it.

Right.

Vanguard, stand up!

Lozenge Magus.

Stardust Trumpeter.

I go first.

I ride Oracle Guardian Gemini.

Using the effect of Lozenge Magus,
he moves himself to the rear guard.

Yup, she's green! Awkward...

We're in the middle of a fight!

I'm sorry...

It's your turn.

I ride the Little Sage, Marron.

And call Wingal and Flogal.

I combine Flogal's power with
Wingal's, and attack Gemini!

Check for a damage trigger.

Next, I attack Gemini with Marron!

Check for a drive trigger...

Got it!

Drive trigger!

From Epona's effect, Marron's
power gains 5000 additional power.

And the effect of a critical
trigger increases damage by 1!

I took 2 damage then, yes?

Then I can also check for triggers twice.

First check for a damage trigger...

Got it. Draw trigger.

Draw trigger?

The effect of this is that I
can draw a card, I believe.

Now, checking the second damage trigger...

Another draw trigger.

Triggers that grow the size of your hand?

Is that actually helpful?



No mercy for the greenhorn, huh?

I must not be praying hard enough!

Aichi, don't you dare win!

Uh...

Shut up!

Righto...

We're sorry.

It's my turn.

I ride Maiden of Libra.

And I call two Silent Toms.

I attack Marron with Silent Tom.

Then I guard with Flogal.

No, you can't do that.

Huh?

It's Silent Tom's skill.

A grade 0 cannot guard his attack.

Sorry 'bout that.

There are attacks you can't guard against?

Misaki might never have fought before,
but she knows how to use the cards.

I can't let my guard down!

Not bad...

That's the way, girly! Get Aichi good!

I said shut up! We're fighting here!

S-S-Sorry!

I still have the upper hand,

but I have to do something
about those Silent Toms...

My turn!

All right!

Stand up, my avatar!

Ride Blaster Blade!

Blaster Blade Counter Blast!

I retire a Silent Tom!

That's one. Only one more.

I continue by calling Flogal and Gallatin!

I attack Maiden of Libra with Gallatin!

I guard with Oracle Guardian Nike.

I'm not done yet!

Blaster Blade borrows Flogal's
power, and attacks Libra!

Drive Check!

Check for a damage trigger...

Draw trigger.

I draw a card because of the draw trigger.

It's about time...

I give Flogal's power to
Wingal, and attack Silent Tom!

All right! All the Silent Toms are gone!

Don't count your chickens just yet.

We're only getting started.

That's...

The beautiful Goddess, shining radiantly!

Ride CEO Amaterasu!

Amaterasu? A grade 3?

She had one of those?

The strongest cards in all of Vanguard!

Grade 3!

You sure love your grade 3s...

Heck yeah! They're the
strongest, just like me!

Sure, whatever.

Grade 3?

I activate Amaterasu's skill.

I lay my soul on the deck,

and check the card on top.

Check the top card?

With this, I can look at the topmost card and
decide to leave it on top or move it to the bottom.

Is there some point to that?

You'll understand soon.

I don't need this one.

I call 2 Oracle Guardian
Wisemen, and a Gemini.

I attack Blaster Blade with Wiseman.

I guard with Epona!

I add Gemini's power to Wiseman,

and attack Blaster Blade.

Check for a damage trigger...

Good. I got a heal trigger!

Elaine's effect allows me to recover


No, you can't.

You can only do that when the number of
cards in your damage zone is more than mine.

I can't recover!

She knows about the cards
and how fights work.

Even though this is her first fight...

I'm sitting at the counter
every day watching the shop.

I'd have memorized them even without trying.

And if I didn't, I wouldn't be
able to serve the customers.

I see. So that's why you
know so much, Misaki.

But I still have an effect left!

Blaster Blade's power is +5000!

Now she can't attack carelessly.

I attack Blaster Blade with Amaterasu.

Huh? But, why?

Check for a drive trigger.

Twin drive.

Twin drive?

Grade three cards have an
ability called "twin drive".

They can check for a drive trigger twice.

First check...

Second check...

No triggers...

Phew...

Amaterasu has a certain ability...

When you have 4 or more cards in your
hand, her power increases by 4000.

Ah! She's got 5 cards in her hand!

I see, so that's why those
draw triggers mattered...

It was to activity this
ability of Amaterasu's!

It's too late to realize it now.

She's rackin' up the damage!

Amaterasu... Yup, grade 3s are awesome!

I ain't gonna lose!

I change Wingal for Flogal.

Then, I retire Flogal and call Gallatin!

I attack Amaterasu with Gallatin!

I do not defend.

One more point...

Okay! I give Flogal's power to
Blaster Blade and attack Amaterasu!

I guard with Chocolat.

Skill activated.

I drop an Oracle Guardian from my
hand, which nullifies the attack.

Attack nullified.

Chocolat goes to the drop zone.

Check for a drive trigger...

Drive trigger activated!

From Epona's effect, power is +5000.

I give Wingal's power to this
Gallatin, and attack Amaterasu!

Guard with Chocolat.

But...

It's time to finish this...

I activate Amaterasu's skill.

I charge a soul, and check the deck.

I don't need this one.

I call Miracle Kid and Cocoa.

Cocoa can check the deck, just like Amaterasu.

I'll leave this one.

I give Miracle Kid's power to
Wiseman, and attack Blaster Blade!

I guard with Epona.

I'll guard, no matter what you throw at me!

I power Wiseman with Gemini, and attack.

I guard with Epona!

I power Amaterasu with Cocoa,
and attack Blaster Blade!

Amaterasu!

Oh, no!

I used up my entire hand!

Check for a driver trigger. Twin drive.

First check.

This is the card from before.

The card she left on top
after checking with Cocoa!

The purpose of checking the top card
and deciding whether to leave it there,

is to enable you to anticipate
getting a trigger.

Drive trigger activated.

Nike's effect adds +5000 to Amaterasu's power.

And the critical trigger's
effect adds +1 to the damage.

Second check.

No trigger.

However, now Amaterasu's power is 21000.

This is the power of a grade 3.

Yes... A deck with no more
than grade 2s like yours,

will never win against it!

It's over.

Aichi lost...

Grade 3s... Amazing.

I don't have anything like that in my deck.

Lost to Misaki, I see?

Yes...

And?

Did you see something?

Yes... I saw that I still
have a lot to learn.

The world of Vanguard is much
more vast than I thought.

That's the nice thing I
wanted to show you, Aichi.

Everyone is the same:

When they start Vanguard, they only
know their own little sliver of it.

But if they stay that way, they
never get any more skilled.

You'll never defeat Kai like that.

Well, I'm glad you saw something nice.

The vast world of Vanguard, huh?

Tch... Whatever.

I know that all too well.

What did you think it was?

Me? Something like...

Showing me a grade 3 that
even I don't have yet!

Boasting, are we?

If you want to know about the
cards, I'll teach you anytime.

You mean as long as he comes to
the store as a customer, right?

Thank you very much!

Grade 3s...

And all those cards I've never seen before...

I want to know more about Vanguard,
and get even stronger...

So that one day, with Kai...

It was your first fight, Misaki.

Yeah, but I'm always watching
them from the counter.

Wow... I'm just happy being with everyone.

I bet there are lots of strong
people out there I haven't met yet!

There's a powerful grade-schooler, you know.

Oh, really?

I'd like to meet him.

Wait, is that grade-school kid
fighting Izaki right now...

Next time: Whirlwind! Kamui,
the Grade-School Fighter!

Picture it... Myself becoming stronger!