A few days later.
Yugo tightens his helmet, clips his duel screen onto the handlebars, and looks Kael straight in the eyes.
— "You wanna lose again?"
Kael adjusts his gloves.
— "I'm here to wipe that smug grin off your face."
The wind gently blows along the canal. The track is clean, flat, with just a few patches of dry mud. Perfect for a good Cycloduel training session.
But today, they're not alone.
A figure approaches on an old black mountain bike. A tall, lean guy—muscular but not too much—with a slight rock vibe: sleeveless jacket, silver chain around his neck, and a deck box hanging from his belt.
— "This is Renzo," announces Yugo. "He wants to give it a try."
Kael eyes him.
— "You know how to play Yu-Gi-Oh?"
— "I grew up with it. Never stopped. And I hate losing."
He pulls out a deck from a blood-red deck box.
— "Fair warning: my deck's a Zoo. And I'll eat you both alive."
Yugo smirks. Kael raises an eyebrow.
— "Three-way Cycloduel, then?"
Renzo grabs a Monster can from his backpack, pops it open, and takes a long sip.
— "Let's go."
Start.
They take off.
Their bikes screech on the dirt path. The screens tremble slightly, but they all stay focused. Fingers fly across the touch interface, cards appear.
— "I'm going first! I summon Elemental HERO Shadow Mist, effect: I grab Mask Change!"
— "My turn. Normal Summon Zoodiac Whiptail, I XYZ into Zoodiac Chakanine."
— "I play Tuning, I grab Junk Synchron, and send one card to the graveyard."
Turns flow fast. Each rider manages their breathing, their line, and their duel. The terrain has no real impact, but concentration is key.
— "Battle Phase. Chakanine attacks Kael."
— "Trap activated. Scrap-Iron Scarecrow. I negate it."
Renzo growls.
— "You've got some decent reflexes, nerd."
Kael stays calm. He's sweating buckets but keeps his cool.
— "It's not reflexes. It's clean play."
Yugo activates his card.
— "Mask Change. Shadow Mist becomes Masked HERO Dark Law."
— "You're both getting punished."
A turn is coming. They take it without slowing down. The path narrows, the ground gets bumpier. But that doesn't stop them.
Kael grits his teeth. He's planning a comeback.
— "Junk Synchron, effect! I summon Junk Warrior. I activate Synchro Chase to draw!"
Renzo sighs.
— "This rat's coming back."
Yugo follows up.
— "Battle Phase. Dark Law attacks your XYZ!"
— "Not so fast. I activate Zoodiac Barrage and destroy your monster right as you declare the attack!"
Mental impact. The screen shakes. Yugo grips his handlebars tight.
— "Too fast, you bastard…"
They finish the race. Yugo wins on distance. Kael wins the duel. Renzo loses—but he's still smiling.
Break under a small tree.
They all get off their bikes, shirts soaked in sweat, legs burning.
Renzo pulls out a box.
— "Homemade cold pizza. Margherita. And… I've got Coke too. Help yourselves, machines."
They all laugh.
— "I'm fried," admits Yugo. "Riding and dueling is nuts."
Kael bites into a slice.
— "Renzo, you up for a rematch tonight? No bikes this time. At Yugo's place."
— "I'm bringing a friend. He plays Pendulum. Total madman."
Yugo bursts out laughing.
— "I love it. It's gonna be chaos."
Evening scene — at Yugo's place
They're four now. Around a table. Duel Disks are active, blue LEDs blinking. A chill playlist plays in the background.
There's:
Kael, focused.
Yugo, hyped.
Renzo, calm but unpredictable.
And Zenn, long-haired, shifty gaze, playing Odd-Eyes Magicians.
Chips, iced tea, and Red Bull cans are on the table. The vibe is electric.
— "Zenn, don't you dare drop Vortex Dragon turn one," warns Renzo.
— "No promises," Zenn replies with a soft smile.
The two-versus-two duel begins.
— TEAM HERO (Yugo & Kael) vs TEAM BEAST/PENDULUM (Renzo & Zenn).
Cards, strategy, trash talk and laughter. No pressure—just fun. Yet everyone plays seriously.
Kael draws. His eyes light up.
— "I'm gonna crush them."
To be continued...