Hello everyone, thanks for sticking around. I just wanted to ask what you think is the evilest or you know villain vibe archetype preferability special summoning Fusion or Syncro monster. Thanks a lot!
Ace Romanov stood amidst the lavish after-tournament party, surrounded by industry elites, duelists, and corporate figures looking to curry favor with the heir to the Romanov empire. The hall was extravagant, draped in deep red velvet with crystalline chandeliers hanging overhead. Waiters in pristine uniforms carried trays of expensive champagne, and a live orchestra played in the background, adding to the air of aristocratic boredom that Ace had grown far too accustomed to.
The Blizzard Crown: Domino City Duel Tournament had concluded, and as expected, Ace emerged victorious. It wasn't even close. His Swordsoul Tenyi deck cut through the competition like a finely honed blade. With Synchro Summoning being the hot new mechanic, everyone went insane over the prize: the Ice Barrier archetype. Though he had no plans to switch from his Swordsoul deck, Ace wasn't one to pass up an opportunity to expand his collection. If nothing else, his little sister might take an interest in it—though she had mentioned wanting something "cuter."
Ace swirled his glass of dark wine—non-alcoholic, of course, since he was technically underage—but the bitter taste did nothing to relieve his boredom. Most of the conversations were the same: people trying to buy the deck from his hands, buttering him up in hopes of gaining favor with his family, or the usual sycophants desperately seeking an opportunity. Money wasn't something he lacked, nor was patience, but listening to fools drone on was an absolute waste of time.
Then, a voice broke through the noise.
"Oi! Hey, kid!"
Ace turned around, his cold blue-green eyes meeting the unmistakable figure of Joey Wheeler. The legendary duelist, former Duel Monsters champion, and longtime rival of Seto Kaiba stood there with his trademark messy blond hair and easygoing smirk.
"You were pretty good out there," Joey admitted. "But man, ya remind me too much of Kaiba."
Ace raised a brow. "I'll take that as a compliment, though I don't think I'm crazy enough to chase a rival to the afterlife." He smirked. "If I didn't know better, I'd say Kaiba was in love with the Pharaoh. Then again, maybe it was just his Blue-Eyes he was obsessed with."
Joey burst out laughing, slapping his knee. "Hah! I like ya, kid! Man, I swear, Kaiba's love life is the biggest mystery in the dueling world. He's got all these ladies after him, but the guy doesn't give 'em the time of day. At this point, people started wonderin' if he was—well, ya know."
Ace chuckled, taking a sip of his drink. "Asexual or just in a committed relationship with his Blue-Eyes?"
"Probably both!" Joey howled, drawing the attention of a few guests. "Oh man, that's good. Hey, Mai! Come here! I found an interesting kid."
A stunning woman with violet eyes and golden hair approached, her presence commanding attention. Mai Valentine, a renowned duelist and Joey's longtime lover, sauntered over, curiosity flickering in her gaze.
"So, what's this about?" Mai asked, eyeing Ace up and down before smirking. "You've got the whole 'rich, powerful, and untouchable' vibe going on. Definitely Kaiba vibes."
"I assure you, I'm more interesting than Kaiba." Ace's lips curled into an amused smirk. "For one, I don't keep genetically modified monkeys to spite my rivals."
Joey shouted in disbelief. " Damn Kaiba, man, he had a whole monkey named Wheeler just to mess with me!"
Mai, meanwhile, nearly doubled over with laughter. "I can't believe he did that! This is hilarious!"
Ace allowed himself a small chuckle. The conversation continued, ranging from dueling to personal stories, with Joey and Mai sharing tales of their past exploits. Eventually, Ace pulled out two deck boxes, handing them over for signatures.
"I'm not particularly interested in autographs, but I know someone who is," Ace explained. "These are for some friends, they are big fans."
Joey grinned. "Ah, they got good taste, kid."
Ace pocketed the signed boxes just as he felt a familiar tingle run down his spine. His duel spirits were calling him. A sense of urgency emanated from Swordsoul of Mo Ye in particular.
"Hey, Ace, we got a problem," she whispered in his mind, her usually teasing voice serious for once.
Ace's expression remained unreadable, but his mind sharpened. "What is it?"
"We found The Iris Swordsoul. But… she's in an auction. In Tokyo. Tomorrow night."
Ace's grip on his glass tightened, his eyes flickering with icy resolve. The Iris Swordsoul was a card he had long sought after, an integral piece to his collection. However, the circumstances surrounding her whereabouts were less than ideal.
"How did she end up there?" Ace asked, already having a sinking suspicion.
Strategist Longyuan spoke next, his voice dark and calculating. "Her previous wielder fell into debt with the Yakuza. She was confiscated as collateral."
Ace internally cursed. He had already set his mother's men to keep an eye on Tokyo, yet now he found out the card was being auctioned? That meant there would be high-profile buyers, many of whom had no business wielding such a card.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Ace exhaled slowly. He had to fly to Tokyo immediately if he wanted to handle this personally. There was no way in hell he was letting a card of that caliber fall into the wrong hands.
Without a word, Ace slipped away from the party, his mind already working through the logistics. He'd need a jet, the right connections, and—if things got messy—the full weight of the Romanov family's power.
After all, when Ace Romanov wanted something, he got it.
And this time, he wasn't leaving without The Iris Swordsoul.