Chapter Text
Warm sunshine shone on the avenue, quietly illuminating the storefronts.
The street rarely saw much activity at this time of the afternoon, but nonetheless a handful of people were spending their time there.
A girl was looking attentively at the books on the display window of a bookstore. A couple was quietly chatting about trivial matters in a nearby café. Happy tunes came from a little kid strolling with her guardian. An elderly man was sighing at a travel agency’s ads, perhaps remembering past adventures.
A calm atmosphere permeated the whole street.
In the midst of all stood a flower shop.
Indigo and pink hydrangeas and various lily compositions gave color to the outside stands, while letting passersby glimpse through the glass door and windows into the myriad of other plants and blossoms kept inside.
The awning, casting a shadow, bore the same script as the top of the storefront, with the name of the place: A Burst of Colors.
A white-haired, middle-aged woman pushed the door to exit the shop, and a bell chimed. She turned to the florist standing behind the counter inside and smiled.
“Great work on the bouquet, darling. I’ll be sure to come again.”
The one inside replied with a simple nod, which widened the woman's smile.
After seeing her figure disappear through the window behind a tall, exotic plant, the young florist sighed. Just one last pickup and he would be done for the day, hoping no more customers came bothering through that glass door.
As soon as he finished formulating that thought, a notification popped up in the register’s tablet. His boss.
The daisies and the asters needed trimming.
Of course they did.
Plants only needed trimming during his shifts.
The blond-haired florist went around the counter and reluctantly moved towards the door on the right, entering a section of the shop resembling a greenhouse.
Sunlight shone from large window panes on the ceiling, even though the place was supposed to be inside a larger building.
The main hall was adorned by all sorts of greenery: rows of small herbs, bushes, potted weeds, shelves of unsprouted flora, small trees, bamboo, and much more. On the sides there were openings leading to smaller greenhouse-like rooms, each containing flowers, selected and allocated on the boss’s whim.
The young florist strolled past those rooms. Sunflowers, delphinium, and other tall-stemmed flowers stood out from one of them.
The next one had lavender, catmint, rosemary and salvia.
Another one, a bit less noticeable, only contained small colorful flowers. If one were to give them more than a quick glance, they would notice that the petal colors were not quite normal. The hue shifted from purple to blue, then back into violet, changing again to pale pink. Rows of buds, not in bloom yet, shimmered with similar mutating shades.
But alas, that was not where the florist was directed, and he only stopped when he reached the room where the daisies were kept.
Before entering he took a small, wheeled tray with shears, tape and other tools, and pushed it towards the room. After positioning it on an empty corner, he glanced towards the flowers his boss wanted him to trim, and after locating them, he moved their table near the tray.
He picked up the first pot, and with shears he cut the largest, unusable stems. Then with a smaller pair of scissors he methodically removed all spent buds, one after another. After everything was in order, he placed it back on the table and fetched the second pot.
His hand hovered above the shears.
He took a long look at all the other flowers he needed to tend to.
“Why do I even bother with these,” he murmured. “It's gonna take forever.”
After that, he decisively removed his gardening gloves, and brought his hands near the stems.
Small sweat droplets formed on his fingers, and then fell towards the green buds.
Boom.
A very small, controlled explosion did in a few seconds all the work it usually took several minutes for him to do.
“There. Much faster.”
Katsuki Bakugo proceeded to detonate away all imperfections from the daisies, and started on the asters.
He was being particularly careful, because he wasn't really supposed to use his quirk while gardening. His boss had already scolded him once because they couldn't sell charred flowers, but he figured with enough caution he could hide it well.
Halfway through the asters, the shop bell chimed, causing him to lose concentration for a split second and burning a perfect blossom.
“Ack! A customer,” he muttered. And then louder, so that the person could hear it: “Be there in a second!”
Katsuki quickly put back the incinerated flower, picked up his gloves, and hurried back to the shop front running through the greenhouse. He paused for a second to prepare his best customer service smile, which wasn't so different from one of his usual glares, and got to the counter.
His “smile” immediately vanished, and he froze.
Standing near some daffodils was an elderly man. His silver hair was tied in a short tail, spectacles reflecting all the colors around. He directed his gaze to Katsuki.
“This is a really nice place. But I never guessed you would end up working here, young Bakugo.”
Katsuki’s mouth was dry.
His body tensed.
He recognized that voice.
He obviously recognized the old gentleman, who was now observing a vase with vines hanging from the ceiling.
For a second, he couldn't breathe properly.
His brain could not process the situation.
Kagemoto.
He quickly got back on track, and shock gave way to hostility.
“If this is a joke, it's in really bad taste. Who the fuck are you.”
“Even though it won't make much sense to you, I really am here,” gently replied the antiquary.
“Are you telling me I'm dead? I figured hell would be worse than this.” barked back Katsuki. “Anyway, if you won't tell me anything, I know someone who definitely can.”
He took out his phone, and started a video call. After a few seconds, a green haired boy responded.
“Kacchan? Aren't you working? Do you need anything?”
“Deku! A poser just stepped into the shop. Use your eyes or something and tell me who's the jokester, so that when the police come around they can identify the body.”
He then turned the phone camera, pointed towards the client.
“Uhm… K-kacchan… That's just Kagemoto.”
“Huh? The fuck you mean just Kagemoto? This fucker-”
“A-anyway, I have to go now, if there isn't anything else…”
The video call closed. Izuku hung up on him. The sheer disbelief broke Katsuki. He looked at his phone, which now displayed Izuku’s contact address.
“Wha-? How dare he… Huh?”
He then remembered the other person standing there, and looked at him in the face.
“You are…”
“Yes. I really am here.”
Kagemoto completed his sentence, but Katsuki's incredulity persisted.
“B-but how? How is it possible? You… you definitely died.”
“Well, this is not canon.” Kagemoto affirmed with no hurry at all. “And I am dead, but it doesn't really matter.”
“Not canon? Huh? What the hell does that mean?”
“Well, put simply, the original author never intended to make such a situation happen, so another one took it upon themselves to do it.” continued the antiquary.
“I… kinda get it? Am I dreaming? Is all this fake?” asked Katsuki.
“This is most definitely real. It's just… different. Another perspective, let's just say.”
The realisation suddenly dawned on Katsuki. Even though it was impossible, standing in front of him was the real Kagemoto.
The shadow of a tear began forming in his eyes.
He moved one foot, then another, awkwardly getting near the antiquary.
An uncharacteristic Bakugo Katsuki Hug™ followed.
They both stood in silence, in the early afternoon quiet.
Katsuki prayed that nobody saw him.
After an interminable period of time that just felt right for them, they both let go.
“Uhm… I'm sorry for calling you names earlier, I guess.” The boy apologized.
“It's okay. It wouldn't be you if you didn't.” Kagemoto smiled back.
“So… Why did you come here? Wanted some flowers? We just got some nice white orchids.”
A small grin passed through Katsuki’s face, followed by the dreadful thought of having to prepare even more flowers.
Kagemoto chuckled.
“I'll get to the point. In the main story, we really never got to duel properly. So I wanted to pay you a visit to see how you're doing.”
Then, from somewhere inside his coat, he extracted a familiar looking, metallic device. Angular housings, reinforced joints, segmented plates folded inward over a central core. Every line spoke of purpose. He wore it, the plates repositioned themselves, and the Duel Disk started emitting a faint hum.
“Sam lent me this, so I figured we could… have a friendly bout.” He then paused, to observe the boy's reaction.
Katsuki grinned, and then barked a laugh.
“This is the best. You came back from the dead just to challenge me to a card game! Wow…”
Then, his voice went quieter.
“I don't really have my Duel Disk here. And if I have to be honest, neither is my deck. So, I don't think I can really humour your request.”
He then paused because Kagemoto was staring at him with a puzzled expression.
“That does not seem to be a problem, I presume. You look equipped enough.” the antiquary replied.
Katsuki felt that something was not right.
A familiar, yet out of place weight burdened his left forearm.
His gaze lowered, past his gardening apron, and there it was.
Entwined to his limbs, green vines spiraled upon themselves like creeping plants. In a square pattern they formed a makeshift plate, adorned with small buds and blossoms, with five darker leaves marking familiar zones. A deck of cards lay between some foliage.
“What the hell is this supposed to be?!?” snapped Katsuki, shaking his arm as if the contraption could disappear.
“Well, shall we commence?” Kagemoto asked.
“Huh? No wait, I am NOT dueling with this-”
A thin veil of chaos spread in the shop.
The gentle pressure did not carry the usual hostility of a Shadow Game, but nonetheless weighed on the two duelists with intent.
The space around them changed, settling in a familiar array.
They both drew five cards, and then a holographic coin spun in the air.
Kagemoto’s side.
The antiquary closed his eyes, as if to savor the moment, then slowly reopened them.
“My turn.”
He selected a card between those in his hand.
“I Set a monster in Defense Position.”
A shadow then materialized in one of the Monster zones, its silhouette hidden but carrying a certain weight.
“I also set a face-down card. That concludes my turn.”
He slid the card in the appropriate slot, and it appeared on the Field.
Priority shifted.
Katsuki drew from his flowery Duel Disk.
He glanced at the card.
A Monster card.
He did a double take, because that was certainly not a card he had seen before.
“Huh? What is this-”
His eyes then fell on the other five cards in his hand.
He couldn't recognise any of them.
“The hell? These aren’t my…”
None of the cards he held bore the familiar Hexplosion moniker, but all had a different archetype. Even though they were unknown to him, there was a connection between them and Katsuki.
He felt it.
It wasn’t his usual deck, but it was unmistakably his.
He took some seconds to read all their effects.
“Fuck it, these look interesting enough.”
He took a card from the ones in his hand.
“I Normal Summon Hexbloom - Azalea!”
A bud of light formed on the battlefield, which bloomed instantly. A large glowing blossom appeared, adorned with white-pink petals. Below that, thick vines moved like whips.
Hexbloom - Azalea
Level 4 - EARTH / Plant
ATK 2000
Its presence quickly stabilized on the field.
Kagemoto smiled.
“Good. I activate my Continuous Trap Card: Reliq Museum Storage.”
One of the two face-down cards flipped up, revealing a dusty inventory ledger.
“The first time you summon a monster, each turn,” Kagemoto explained. “I may send one of my own monsters from my deck to my graveyard.”
The inventory ledger flipped its pages, one of them detached itself and moved to the graveyard.
An old memory resurfaced inside of Katsuki’s brain. Right. The old man’s deck worked well with the graveyard, so that Trap Card was definitely dangerous.
Resources building up in his opponent’s graveyard were not his first problem though.
“Azalea, effect.” Katsuki announced.
“During the Battle Phase of my turn, Azalea gains 500 ATK.”
Its petals shone brightly.
2000 → 2500
“Azalea, attack Kagemoto’s monster!”
The graceful figure lunged towards the opponent, vines swinging rapidly.
“A bit too reckless, don't you think, young Bakugo?”
Katsuki grimaced.
“I flip my monster: Reliq Aegis Shield, and activate his effect.”
A battered, large shield appeared on the field. Its appearance was not immaculate, but its iron edge inspired stability. In the middle was placed an effigy of a woman with snake hair.
ATK 800 / DEF 1700
“For the duration of the turn this card is flipped, its defense is doubled.”
The shield suddenly gained a gold-like coating, doubling its aura.
1700 → 3400
“Furthermore, I activate the effect of Reliq War Banner from my graveyard.”
“I banish it, and all the damage each player receives during this Battle Phase is doubled as well.”
Katsuki’s heart dropped.
Azalea’s rapidly moving vines struck the shield, which did not bulge. The recoil shockwave, amplified by his opponent’s graveyard, dropped his Life Points.
Katsuki: 4000 → 2200
Katsuki faltered. In just one attack, he lost 1800 Life Points. He planted his feet on the ground and looked at Kagemoto.
The antiquary met his gaze, giving him a sharp look. He was not playing around.
“Hey, what happened to the friendly bout?” the boy asked jokingly.
“Would you prefer me to go easy on you and hold back?” the other replied.
Katsuki smirked.
“Hell nah. I just didn’t think I had to go all out from the very first turn.”
He then set two face down cards, and ended his turn.
The antiquary directed a warm smile at him.
“I hope you learned never to underestimate your opponent, whoever they shall be.”
The antiquary drew.
Then, with confidence, started his Main Phase.
“I activate from my hand the Spell Card Reliq Private Collection.”
The card flashed, and a wooden, decorated doorway opened.
“As long as I control two other Reliq cards, I can Special Summon from my hand a Level 7 or lower monster. Come forth, Reliq Ancient Battle Armor.”
An animated, medieval looking set of armor surged through the doorway. The almost white, metal seams gleamed under the sunlight. No other presence could be discerned under the helmet; the armor was the whole monster. A giant, double-sided axe rested at its side.
Level 7 - DARK / Warrior
ATK 2300
“Since it was Special Summoned, Ancient Battle Armor gains 500 attack.”
A dark aura flared on the armor, contrasting with its clear appearance.
2300 → 2800
“Sometimes, opportunities are created just by standing your ground. Now proceed, and attack Azalea.”
Katsuki watched the ominous armor lift his weapon and slowly engaging his plant.
He still had his two spell cards he could use.
But from somewhere, his instinct told him they would be better used in other circumstances.
Ancient Battle Armor’s double sided axe cut cleanly through the flower, severing petals and vines.
The monster disintegrated, and the blast hit Katsuki.
Katsuki: 2200 → 1400
The boy looked at the number and a defiant grin formed on his face.
It was just the third turn, and he was losing. And by a lot.
On the other side of the field, Kagemoto stood with an amused look.
“I set a face down card, and end my turn. I look forward to your comeback, young Bakugo.”
Katsuki laughed.
“You want to see my comeback? Then watch and try not to be left speechless” he retorted arrogantly.
With a decisive movement, he drew from his deck.
“You know, my spell Hexplosion cards had a gimmick,” he explained, “if two of them activated during the turn, the next ones would be buffed.”
Katsuki looked at the card he just drew.
“But these Hexbloom cards seem to work slightly differently. Their effect varies based on the order they are played in.”
He flipped the Spell Card.
“I activate from my hand Hexbloom Plant - Innocuous Bush!”
Over the card, on the field, materialized a small bush with a few red berries on it.
“I gain 100 Life Points, doubled a number of times equal to the order this card was played in. Since this is the first Hexbloom card, I gain 200.”
Katsuki: 1400 → 1600
Kagemoto looked at the rising counter.
That spell card could be used later in the turn, making the owner gain a lot more life points. If Katsuki playing it now meant that whatever he had in store was stronger than this.
“Then, I activate the Trap Card Hexbloom Plant - Deadly Aconite!”
Long, straight flowers with purple petals suddenly grew around the battle armor on the other side of the field.
“After targeting a monster, its effect is negated. And since it is the second Hexbloom card this turn, I get to destroy that monster!”
The purple blossoms started emitting an ominous looking powder that spread all around the armor.
Metal creaked, and started corroding. After a few seconds, the armor came apart and disintegrated.
Kagemoto looked at this whole ordeal patiently, waiting for the next move.
Katsuki didn't wait.
“And now, I activate Hexbloom Plant - Renewal Buds!”
A small pot appeared over the Spell Card, and three little golden buds emerged from the earth.
“If I played this card as the first one, I could have special summoned a Level 6 or lower monster from my hand.”
The tiny buds grew in size, now clearly standing over the edge of the pot.
“If it went second, I could have summoned a Level 8 or lower monster from my graveyard.”
The sprouts rose even more, and started to open. A golden light emerged from within.
“But since this was the third Hexbloom card I activated, I get to call an even stronger monster directly from my deck.”
This was it.
The moment his deck escalated, and brought upon a different kind of power.
Not his usual ace, but still a force to be reckoned with.
Katsuki just hoped it didn't have too many flowers.
The golden flowers, now fully in bloom, illuminated with radiant light all around them.
“From ancient times, where life was but a seed” he intoned, voice low.
“Resisting cataclysms and destruction, soaring higher and higher-”
A tornado of leaves and branches formed around the light, spinning increasingly fast.
Chaos surged within the storm. A shadow glimpsed through.
“I call forth the lord of vegetation” Bakugo raised his voice against the wind, “The master of all flora!”
The tornado split.
A colossal dragon burst through the storm, ancient, wooden scales that looked sturdier than steel, wings unfurling with a thunderous crack that sent shockwaves around the field.
Runes of green light emerged from his silhouette, concentrating near his maw.
Hexbloom Lord - Verdant Calamity
Level 9 / FIRE / Dragon
ATK 2900
The dragon roared.
All the plants in the flower shop seemed to bow down to his presence.
Truly a force to be reckoned with.
“That,” uttered Kagemoto, “looks like a proper threat. That said, it is the first monster you summoned this turn, so I activate the effect of Reliq Museum Storage.”
The pages of the old ledger started flipping, with one of them detaching and moving to the graveyard.
“I won't let you do as you please for much longer,” said Katsuki.
“Verdant Calamity, effect.”
“I can choose a Spell or Trap Card on the field and destroy it. I target Museum Storage.”
The runes floating around the dragon suddenly dispersed, and then reformed in a swirling dome around the antiquary’s Trap Card.
It suddenly collapsed, destroying it. At that moment, black and red flames burst through the great dragon’s jaw. They then spread through the seams along the body, giving the creature an ominous gleam.
“When I do so, my ace destroys every monster it battles against, and it can attack twice during the Battle Phase.” Katsuki proclaimed, smugly.
“Calamity, incinerate!”
The massive creature roared again, and a column of black-red flames erupted directed towards the squabbly shield.
Kagemoto, with his usual calm demeanor, watched the scene unfold.
“While destroying my Museum Storage was a good move, you probably should have been more preoccupied with my other face-down card.”
The antiquary flipped it, and a wall of intertwined chains rose between his monster and the incoming wall of flames.
“Reliq Conservation Act,” he explained, “is a Trap Card I can activate when my opponent declares an attack on a Reliq monster. The attack is negated, and the Battle Phase ends.”
“Tch. Fine. Should have seen it coming.” snorted Katsuki.
“I set a face-down card, and end my turn.”
Katsuki was staring directly at Kagemoto.
He was standing straight, with his Duel Disk held low and his Life Points untouched, looking at the massive dragon on the field.
Then, he turned towards the boy.
After a few seconds of silence, he spoke.
“I wanted to do more for you and Midoriya. With the whole Shadow Circus incident. With-”
Katsuki interrupted him.
“Stop. You can't say that. You did more than enough. You gave your life-” his voice cracked.
It was as if the sounds of the battle and the outside world completely vanished.
“I know.” Kagemoto continued, softly. “But I still wanted to go further. Plus Ultra, or whatever you young people say.”
Another pause, this time shorter.
“Even if you didn't see me, I was there. During the battle against Tragoedia under Station. During each single clash in Tokyo. I was there. And I always will. Watching over you.”
Tears started swelling in Katsuki's eyes.
“You all are so young, and yet you carry more burden, more pressure and more dreams than most people in the world. It's an understatement to call you inspiring.”
The boy ran his arm over his face, trying to erase any trace of weakness, and failing.
Kagemoto lifted his duel disk.
“Now I have the occasion to show you that your determination has come far. Granted, reaching an old antiquary is not that big of a deal, at least we are going to have a bit of fun.”
He then drew, and flipped the card without even looking at it.
“Your dragon is really scary. I'll need a bit of Extra help to beat it.”
He grinned at his own pun, and Katsuki realized what he was about to do.
Chaos flared around him and spiraled towards the ceiling.
“I activate Reliq Fusion Awakening. This lets me Fusion Summon a monster from my Extra Deck using monsters from my hand and field, and up to two of them can come back directly from my graveyard.”
Katsuki's mouth went agape.
Since when was the old man that strong?
“Behind every relic there is a tale, a legend,” continued the antiquary, “and letting them fade into oblivion is akin to disrespecting everyone who cared about it.”
The pressure in the room increased.
“I choose Reliq Ancient Battle Armor, and the monster I sent earlier to my graveyard, Reliq Hope Letter, to summon the grand teller of immortal tales. Manifest yourself, and inherit the relic's stories, Fated Reliq Troubadour!”
The chaos that swirled around the field suddenly concentrated in a single point. From Kagemoto’s graveyard the energy of two monsters materialized and joined the whirl.
The accumulating pressure saturated, and condensed into a humanoid figure, dressed with theatrical clothes. In his left hand it held a white letter with a golden wax seal, and with the right one he was gripping a familiar double sided axe.
Fated Reliq Troubadour
Level 10 / DARK / Spellcaster / Fusion
ATK 3000
“Wait, wait, hold on. You can't just do that.”
Katsuki held a hand on his forehead, as if trying to understand the situation caused him a headache.
“I'm afraid I just did?” Kagemoto replied, half amused and half puzzled. “Anyway, when Troubadour is Fusion Summoned, it gains the effects of up to two of the monsters used to-”
“No. Stop. Halt.”
The boy was now shaking his whole arm against the newly summoned fiend, trying to dismiss the whole situation.
“Where the hell did you find that thing. And it gets TWO effects? That's broken as fuck.”
“As I said,” the antiquary tried to explain, “I was inspired-”
“You CAN'T just get inspired and find something like THAT!” Katsuki's voice burst through the room. “Even me and Deku took our long ass sweet time before getting something on a similar level to that powerhouse! And he was a planet holder, and I have a whole Zexal ordeal going on, so we're special cases! How the fuck did you get one? Did you do muscle training with Saint Peter while you were in heaven?!?”
After spouting all that in one breath, Katsuki was now panting.
The absurdity of the situation left on his face a rare expression, a mix of disbelief, rage, and desperation.
Kagemoto decided to tell him the truth.
“Remember that this whole thing is not canon. The author thought to-”
Katsuki Bakugo had enough. He slammed his hand on the counter behind him, and an explosion made a very noticeable dent.
“I do not give a shit about what the ‘author’ thinks. Author this, canon that, I DO NOT CARE. Maybe the author could have done something more productive instead of writing a nonsensical story. Damn. I need a minute.”
Everyone was still.
Kagemoto stared.
The monsters on the field stared.
The Shadow Game stared.
To Katsuki's credit, he really was trying to keep his calm.
Just Kagemoto coming back from the dead and appearing in the shop was shocking enough.
Then his flowery Duel Disk and a new deck had to appear.
And now the same Kagemoto who wasn't really versed in chaos summoned a high level powerhouse? With two effects?
He took a deep breath.
Then another.
“Okay. This is all wrong. So I'm gonna think of it as a dream. I will wake up in a minute, and be in my bed. Ok?”
“Young Bakugo, I don't know if…”
“It's ok. I am sleeping. Let's at least finish the Duel. Go on with your double effect monster or whatever.” the boy said, almost dejected.
“If you do say so yourself, let's continue.”
At that moment, the pressure on the Shadow Game took hold on reality again.
The presence of the two monsters weighed on the field.
On one side, the colossal dragon was still towering the field with his overwhelming presence, every movement of his wings sending gusts all around.
On the other side, albeit smaller, stood the newly summoned storyteller. His dense chaos aura almost warped the space around him, making him the center of attention. Almost as if he was a hero summoned to slay a giant fiend.
And slay the dragon he shall.
“Let’s say I give you the courtesy of telling you one of the two effects. To make up for this whole situation.” Kagemoto said calmly.
Troubadour lifted the white envelope he held.
“Reliq Hope Letter is a simple Level 3 monster. Its effect cannot be negated, and it cannot be destroyed by battle.”
Katsuki was listening.
That meant the 3000 attack menace would be on the field until a card effect destroyed it.
Something like the Deadly Aconite he played earlier.
“Battle Phase.”
Fated Reliq Troubadour now lifted the axe eerily effortlessly, as if it was made of paper.
“I do believe the card you set earlier is not a defensive one, since you have had it from your starting hand, and you didn't set it beforehand. I call your bluff.” Kagemoto declared, his tone firm.
“Troubadour, attack Verdant Calamity. Furthermore, I activate from my hand the Spell Card Reliq Thorough Restoration.”
The card triggered, and the giant double-sided axe suddenly started shimmering.
“Its effect is very simple. During my turn, a Reliq monster gains 1000 attack.” the antiquary proceeded to explain.
3000 → 4000
Katsuki did not like that.
Not at all.
Not when the old man correctly read his move.
Troubadour started rotating his weapon, and jumped towards the giant dragon's head.
Time slowed.
It was as if divine light illuminated the scene.
The storyteller slowly rotated the axe, dodging a bite from the wooden maw, and cut through the creature’s neck.
From the wound, fire started erupting, and it enveloped Verdant Calamity’s giant body, before devastating the giant dragon in an ashen and steam cloud.
Katsuki: 1600 → 500
The towering beast vanished.
His ace.
Gone.
However, a smaller presence remained on the field.
A white letter in his left hand. A double-sided axe in his right one.
“Hold on. It should have been destroyed.” Katsuki said, a bit confused. “By Verdant Calamity’s effect.”
“Ah, well, you couldn't know,” his opponent explained. “You see, earlier you destroyed Reliq Ancient Battle Armor after negating its effect, so you didn't see the full extent of it. Its full effect states that it can't be destroyed by card effects.”
Oh.
That was it.
Standing on the field was an indestructible monster.
Neither battling nor activating cards would work.
Not even his Deadly Aconite could touch it.
“With that, I end my turn.”
Katsuki stood still.
Then smiled, smugly, like he wasn't absolutely losing this Duel.
“You said you were watching, but maybe you didn't pay attention.” His grin widened. “I don't need to destroy your monster. Both my Nuclear Winter and my Stellar Collapse can-”
He immediately froze.
His expression darkened.
What he was saying was technically true. His Xyz monsters had the ability to reset and halve other cards' attacks, with the right conditions.
However, looking at his cards, Katsuki knew it.
There was no way his Extra Deck was unchanged. Not in this flowery mocking deck.
He closed his eyes.
Felt his deck's presence.
He knew, even if it was very strange, it wouldn't let him down.
It was his deck, after all.
He opened his eyes, burning with determination, and he drew.
“I Normal Summon Hexbloom - Repotting Frenzy!”
A round pot appeared on the field. Inside it, long, tentacle-like leaves sprouted high, moving frenetically. One of them held a comically large garden shovel. Another one was covered with a white, cartoonish glove.
Level 4 - EARTH / Plant
ATK 1100
“Effect! For each monster you control more than me, excluding Repotting Frenzy, I can special summon a Level 4 or lower monster from my deck!”
The monster started shaking vigorously, then with the shovel lifted itself from the pot, carrying ground and everything.
Another pot appeared on its side, and the floating plant repositioned itself there.
Inside of the old pot, a new copy of the monster appeared.
“Now, since you like the Extra Deck that much, let me show you how it's done!” he shouted. “I overlay my two Level 4 monsters!”
The chaos on the field began to invert, pulling inward instead of spilling outward, as if something vast were waiting just beyond reach.
Xyz compression took hold on the field.
Bakugo’s voice dropped and he started intonating his usual chant.
“Two sparks become one core.”
Nothing responded. The overlay units were still rotating around the chaos whirlpool.
“Damn. I figured. You win, I'll be obedient and Xyz summon another plant.” he said, with a resigned smile.
Somewhere inside him, something answered.
The right words spilled out of Katsuki's mouth.
“Plants are destined to bear fruit."
“They bring life, but only after their death.”
“When combined and masterfully contained…
The air inside the room felt heavier.
Sweetened.
“... a new creation is born.”
The rings finally collapsed inward.
Reality folded.
“Descend from the sugary heaven above.”
A massive glass cup appeared from nothing, with decorated edges, ready to hold something.
Little by little, pieces of colourful fruit materialized on top of it, falling, filling the thing.
A sudden flash blazed.
A ring of berries, slightly angled, was now orbiting the glass cup. Raspberries, Blueberries, strawberries, and much more, all orbiting like sweet satellites.
At the same time, the two overlay units spun around that in the opposite direction.
“Hexbloom Lord - Berry Delight.”
Bakugo finished, with a bit of incredulity in his voice. “Not what I was expecting, but I can work with that.”
ATK 2500
Kagemoto stared at the Xyz monster.
He definitely had an imposing presence.
Menacing even.
But it was a dessert.
Not exactly something you feared.
He tried to hold back a smile, and failed.
The boy saw him, and a hint of blush appeared on his cheeks.
“I… uh… I detach one Overlay Unit from Hexbloom Lord - Berry Delight.”
One of the orbiting lights shattered, dissolving into raw light that flooded the field.
A sugary smell invaded the room.
“Target is,” Katsuki proceeded, “in this case, Fated Reliq Troubadour.”
Kagemoto’s eyes widened.
The sweet essence concentrated around the storyteller, weakening its aura.
ATK: 3000 → 1500
“And now, Berry Delight gains that much attack.”
Berries started spinning faster.
Power surged inside fruits.
ATK: 2500 → 4000
“I hope you don’t have diabetes, ‘cause this is gonna hurt. Battle Phase.”
The huge glass cup angled itself towards the other figure on the field.
The orbiting berries now spun so fast they just appeared as a colorful ring.
“Attack Troubadour.”
A giant saccharine laser was emitted from the cup opening, momentarily blinding the scene and devastatingly impacting the other monster.
The blast hit Kagemoto hard.
His Life Points dropped.
Kagemoto: 4000 → 1500
The antiquary faltered, taking two steps backwards.
“Well done.” he coughed. “But it isn't quite enough.”
“For now.” retorted Bakugo. “I end my turn.”
The monsters’ power on the field rebalanced, going back to their original values.
Kagemoto assessed the situation.
He didn't need much to win, just a small push.
The right card.
He drew.
And there it was.
“I activate the Spell Reliq Display Showcase.”
An aura of protection lingered over Troubadour.
“I target a Reliq monster I control, and its attack and defense values cannot drop during this turn.”
That was it.
A card that neutralized Berry Delight’s effect.
Kagemoto did not hesitate, and took the opportunity.
“Battle Phase. Fated Reliq Troubadour, attack Berry Delight.”
3000 attack versus 2500.
And Bakugo held exactly 500 Life points.
The storyteller started running, carrying its axe.
He approached the floating, towering dessert, crouched for a moment and jumped.
Time slowed down.
The axe inevitably swung on the glass.
A crack formed.
And in that instant, Kagemoto felt that something was wrong.
Katsuki had not reacted to anything that just happened. He just stood there, head low, in silence.
And as soon as the cup started cracking, he lifted his head. A feral grin on his face.
“Thank you, just what I was waiting for.”
He pointed towards his Xyz monster.
“Berry Delight, second effect! By banishing an Overlay Unit…”
The lone light orbiting around the main body dissolved, this time more final. Removed.
“...all the damage you receive this turn is doubled, and all the damage I receive is halved.”
The crack on the cup expanded, glass shattering.
Fruit dispersed all over the room, before disappearing.
The shockwave hit Bakugo.
Katsuki: 500 → 250
The antiquary smiled.
“Good, you have gained another turn, use it wisely.”
Katsuki scoffed.
“I'm not done. I don't need another turn.”
The antiquary looked at him in confusion.
The boy certainly could not close the duel with no monsters, a single face-down card, and without even drawing.
Or could he?
“I did explain to you the gimmick of this deck, right?”
Silence fell on the field.
“I activate the Trap Card Hexbloom - Flower Grafting.”
The lone card flipped upwards.
“Since it is the first Hexbloom card activating this turn, I can choose a Spell or Trap card from my graveyard and activate it immediately.”
He paused.
Kagemoto tried to remember what was in Katsuki's graveyard.
Was he trying to gain more Life Points? Summon another monster?
“I choose…” the boy continued, “Hexbloom - Deadly Aconite.”
The same purple blossoms as before appeared, and started emitting an ominous looking powder that spread all around the storyteller.
However, this time nothing happened.
“I hope you didn't forget, Fated Reliq Troubadour’s effect cannot be negated, and he cannot be destroyed by card effects.” the antiquary explained, still confused.
“Oh no! How could I forget!” Katsuki exclaimed. “Anyway, this is the end.”
Kagemoto's brow furrowed.
Katsuki's smug grin stayed.
“I guess you wouldn't know, but sometimes even innocuous-looking plants can be dangerous. Many have defense mechanisms that show themselves only after they are picked. Like needles, thorns, or poison.”
He paused for a second, then laughed.
“But this time, I am bringing back something I am kinda missing in this Duel: explosions.”
He really did miss them.
His Hexplosion cards.
And somewhere, when the Hexbloom archetype was created, the detonations were hidden.
“I activate the effect of Hexbloom - Innocuous Bush from my graveyard.”
The innocuous-looking bush from before reappeared. A small number of red berries grew from it.
“By banishing it, I can deal 100 damage to my opponent, doubled a number of times equal to the order this card was played in. Since this is the third Hexbloom Spell Card, the total is 800 damage.”
The few berries multiplied, and then again, now covering almost the full bush.
“And because of the second effect of Hexbloom Lord - Berry Delight, that too is doubled.”
The small fruits were now glowing red.
1600 damage.
Just enough.
Like automatic targeting rockets, tens of red berries took flight and went towards Kagemoto.
“Boom.”
The antiquary gasped.
And the red berries detonated in a spectacular deflagration.
Kagemoto: 1500 → 0
The world seemed to exhale.
The antiquary staggered, breath ragged, eyes unfocused.
The pain lasted merely a second, but long enough to seem like an eternity.
However, in his heart, he felt something else.
He was proud.
The pressure vanished all at once, the only aftermath being some gusts of wind shaking the nearby plants.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then the antiquary laughed, soft, genuine, astonished.
“…Magnificent,” he whispered.
Bakugo stood there, almost at his wit’s end, and turned the whole thing around.
It was still afternoon.
Some people passed in front of the flower shop chatting.
Some birds chirped.
And inside, the Duel was really over.
“Truly a wonderful duel. Thank you for entertaining me.”
Bakugo’s smile had already disappeared, and his face was back to his standard scowl.
“So, when do I wake up.” he asked.
“Wake up?” Kagemoto repeated. “I recall already telling you but this is not a dream. Me being here, the duel, and everything else is real. Oh and you still have to tend to those asters.”
“Tch.” Katsuki scoffed.
“Well then, my time has come. I'll come back sometime, maybe to buy some flowers.”
The antiquary moved towards the exit and opened the door.
The bell chimed.
“Oh, and before I forget, some friends told me they would pay you a visit in a few days.”
Then, he turned and entered the street, leaving Bakugo alone.
Silence stayed for only a few seconds.
“Pay me a visit? Why would they come here?”
He looked down at his own apron, with the colorful shop logo printed on it.
“Wait.”
“Why am I even working as a florist in the first place?”