Jarek strolled through the dimly lit alley, hands tucked in his jacket pockets, keeping his binder pressed close to his side. The cards inside hummed faintly—he could always feel their presence. Most duelists wouldn't dare walk around with raw, unclaimed cards, but Jarek was no ordinary duelist. His ability to craft cards gave him an edge that most could only dream of. And tonight's trade? It was about to show just how sharp that edge really was.
Up ahead, the alley opened into a small courtyard where Benji waited, jittery as always. The kid looked like a nervous wreck—constantly shifting from foot to foot, glancing around like someone might jump him at any moment. Jarek almost felt sorry for him. Almost.
"Benji," Jarek greeted with a smooth nod. His voice was casual, but there was an undercurrent of business. Tonight was important. "You ready?"
Benji swallowed hard and nodded quickly. "Y-yeah, I've got the cash."
"Good." Jarek loosened the strap on his binder. He could feel the cards inside pulse faintly, as if they knew their time had come. With a flick of his wrist, he opened the binder, revealing rows of carefully protected cards, each one gleaming faintly under the dim streetlight. These weren't just any cards. They had been made specifically for Benji, tailored to a soul card Jarek shouldn't have known about.
But Jarek had ways of finding things out. Even if Benji hadn't told him, he'd pieced together enough to work with. The kid had a Chaos Rabbit soul card—rare, yes, but not exactly powerful. It meant his deck had to compensate for its chaotic, unpredictable nature. That's where Jarek's ability came in. He'd crafted cards designed to harness Benji's soul, cards that weren't particularly strong in any other deck. Rabbits weren't known for brute strength, but for their breeding potential, their ability to multiply rapidly. Perfect for someone like Benji.
Jarek watched as Benji's eyes widened at the sight of the cards. "Here they are," Jarek said, sliding a few from their sleeves and holding them out. "Each one plays into your soul card's abilities. But remember—they're tricky. Make a wrong move, and they could backfire."
Benji reached for the cards, hesitating, his hand hovering just over the first card. "I—I don't know which ones to choose," he admitted quietly. "They all look…"
"Weak?" Jarek finished for him, smirking. "Yeah, they're not the kind of cards that'll summon 12-foot tall, thousand-pound chimeras. But that's not what rabbits are. These cards don't mix well with other beasts, Benji. They'll help you—but only if you can handle their drawbacks."
Benji nodded slowly and picked up the first card. It shimmered faintly in his hand, showing a rabbit leaping through a swirl of colors. The name at the top read: Father Rabbit.
"What's this one do?" Benji asked, barely above a whisper.
Jarek leaned back against the alley wall, arms crossed. "That one?" He pointed to the artwork of a large rabbit in blue farmer's clothes trying to wrangle in three small yellow bunnies. "It lets you summon a bunny from your hand, but it can't attack. The Father Rabbit gains guard instead."
Benji stared at the card, his fingers tracing the edges as if trying to gauge its worth. "And…this one?" He picked up another card, this one depicting rabbits multiplying rapidly: Gambler's Burrow.
"Ah, Gambler's Burrow." Jarek nodded. "That one's a gamble, obviously. You summon a bunch of Rabbit Tokens, but the number's random. You could get two. You could get ten. If you're lucky, you'll swarm your opponent. If not…" Jarek shrugged, leaving the rest unsaid. Benji wasn't an idiot. He knew the risks.
Benji's brow furrowed as he examined a third card, Mother Bunny, showing a rabbit wielding a glowing hoe while tending to a farm. "I'm sensing a theme here," he muttered.
Jarek chuckled. "Yeah, they're all about multiplying. Fits the chaos of your soul card. But it's not just about breeding an army—you've got to know when to defend, when to swarm. There's strategy in that chaos, Benji."
Jarek slid another card from his binder. This one glowed a little brighter than the rest. Moonlight Chaos, its artwork showed bunnies rampaging through a moonlit farm, transforming under the light. Benji's eyes widened as he read the card's description.
"It's… a rare," Benji stammered, almost in awe. "I've never seen this before. I can't afford something like this."
Jarek smiled, amused by Benji's reaction. The deal had dragged long enough. "Relax, kid. You couldn't afford half these cards under normal circumstances. But I'm letting it slide this time, in exchange for a little favor."
Benji looked up, wary but curious. "What kind of favor?"
"You're going to advertise my cards," Jarek replied smoothly. "Enter the duelist league next week. Use these cards in your deck. Show them off."
Benji blinked. "But they're illegal… Unfiltered card production? The rich won't stand for it."
Jarek smirked. "Yeah, well, they won't have a choice once I win the tournament. The winner gets full rights to produce cards however they want. I've already got a partner lined up for the finals." Jarek pushed the glowing card closer. "Take Moonlight Chaos. It syncs perfectly with your soul. Trust me—you're going to need it if you want to get anywhere in that tournament."
Benji's eyes darted between the card and Jarek, still hesitant. "But…what's the catch?"
"No catch," Jarek said, waving him off. "I made this card because it works for you. It'd be a waste if you got knocked out in the first round." He tapped the card. "Moonlight Chaos. It transforms all your bunnies into Chaos Rabbits. They become 4/4 creatures with Bloodthirsty Rampage and Immortal 1. On arrival, they attack the weakest creature, and when they destroy it, they gain +2/+2 and attack again. Immortal means they can't be destroyed until the end of your turn."
Benji studied the card, his expression shifting between uncertainty and excitement. Jarek couldn't help but smirk. He knew exactly what he was doing.
Leaning casually against the wall, Jarek let his gaze flicker over Benji's soul card once more. He was still surprised at what he saw in the kid. There was more potential there than Benji realized. And that potential was about to be unleashed.