Kei felt unnerved when the man in front of him got blanketed by a dark miasma all around him. He ran his thumb and index finger through his eyes to clear away any dirt but the aura didn't fade. [color=9C5F25][i]'First the pain, now this... just who is this guy?'[/i][/color] he thought to himself. Kei was forced to watch the man's new monster devour both of the ones on his field, his anger bottling up inside. [color=9C5F25]"You're wrong! Real strength is gained from working together!"[/color] he shouted back at the brute, but their warpath was undeterred. The opponent called out the name of his special effect: "Intimidating Roar!" The Red Ogre on his field bellowed loudly, causing a gust to sweep up that took Spell Strider with it. They returned to Kei's hand, leaving him wide open. [color=9C5F25]"I'm... wide open..."[/color] he muttered to himself, his field empty. Kei looked ahead of him in fear. His opponent called the attack. "Be pounded and crushed and minced and destroyed! Red Ogre! Brutal Club!" The ogre raised his club and brought it down on Kei, knocking him clean off his feet and sending him flying back. Even if it did no physical damage, the shock from the blow was still felt clearly. Something like that would've easily broken his bones, and his pained scream reflected that. [color=9C5F25][i][b]"GAAAAH!"[/b][/i][/color] he cried out, hitting the floor crumpled up with a dull thud. The brutish man snorted. "My win, brat." he said. Kei twitched on the ground. [color=9C5F25]"Not... yet..."[/color] he weakly said. [b]Kei's LP:[/b] 200 "What?! How did you survive that, you weakling?!" Kei pulled himself together and slowly started to pick himself up off the floor. He was shaky on his knees, and the bruises from the impact coming down weren't helping. A single card slid out of Kei's graveyard, which he showed his opponent. [color=9C5F25]"Right... before your attack hit, I used my Emergency Provisions..."[/color] he told him. With its effect, Kei managed to send the Mist Body on Spell Strider to the graveyard and gain 1000 LP, which had given Kei just barely enough to survive the blow. His eyes were slightly glazed as he looked down at his hand. "Tch. Big deal. You only have weakling monsters. With me on field, you won't win." his opponent sneered. Kei just continued to stare at his hand. [color=9C5F25][i]'I need to make it through the next turn...'[/i][/color] he muttered to himself. [color=9C5F25][i]'If I could just draw an equip spell, then maybe Spell Strider...?'[/i][/color] his thoughts trailed off, but Kei shook his head. None of the equips in his deck could give him enough attack to combat the opposing monster. The other card in his hand- Intrigue Shield- could buy him some time, but if the opponent summoned anything else, it was game over. Kei dropped to his knees. [color=9C5F25]"Damn it...! I can't... win this..."[/color] he berated himself. Kei was too weak and his opponent was too dangerous. [color=9C5F25]"If I surrender, maybe he won't hurt me anymore..."[/color] he said to himself in a moment of weakness. [color=ABEFD6]"No! Don't give up! I'm right here with you!"[/color] a voice rang through Kei's mind. Startled, he looked up and around. Nobody except him and his evil-aura opponent were there, however. Kei scrambled to his feet. [color=9C5F25]"My... turn!"[/color] he said, drawing his card. His eyes grew wide when he saw it. [color=9C5F25]"Partner...?"[/color] he muttered to himself. It was none other than Kei's very own Silent Swordsman. Kei remembered the words from earlier, and even though he didn't know where they came from, he took them to heart. [color=9C5F25]"...You're right. This duel isn't over yet... and I'll win together with the ace of my deck! It's time for my best monster to come out: [b]Silent Swordsman LV3![/b]"[/color] A small whirlpool of wind gathered on Kei's side of the field, a vortex of light opening in its center. Out of it jumped a small boy in a long, blue coat. His helmet and sword were both oversized, but his stoïc expression was determined and looked straight ahead. [b]Silent Swordsman LV3:[/b] 1000 ATK Kei pointed at his opponent. [color=9C5F25]"My partner and I will take you down together! I'll set a card and end my turn!"[/color]