"Huff… finally made it."
Squeezing his way out of the jam-packed train, Youmi used the fastest speed he could manage without turning into a dragon and at last arrived at Duel Academy's practical exam hall.
Duel Academy's entrance exam was divided into a written test and a practical one.
The former assessed the candidate's knowledge reserve; the latter tested their Deck-building and on-the-spot performance. Only by passing the written test could one proceed to the practical exam. Pure theory might not guarantee victory, but if someone couldn't even remember card effects and only relied on luck, how could they ever win?
Youmi's written test score was second place. He had mixed up a few effects with similar wording, so his score ended up slightly lower—right below the written-test top scorer… what was his name again?
Entering the exam hall at the very last moment, Youmi happened to see a black-uniformed boy with jellyfish-like hair talking with a blue-uniformed, bespectacled boy.
"Hey, everyone, I'm a bit late. How's the exam going?"
Knowing that Jaden and Syrus definitely wouldn't recognize him at this point, Youmi walked over with the intention of saying hello and getting acquainted.
"Right now, the one dueling is the written-test top scorer and Exam Candidate No.1, Bastion Misawa. It should be ending soon." Syrus had been startled for a moment by Youmi's bizarre outfit, but he still explained, "Ah, it's already over. He actually used Ring of Destruction to break through a defense-focused Deck. Pretty amazing."
In the practical exam, the examiners used pre-constructed test Decks to assess how candidates dealt with specific situations. Even without winning, candidates could still receive a score—the test emphasized overall evaluation. However, in a situation like Bastion's, where he won with ease, his practical score was probably a perfect mark.
"Huh, so that's what the exam numbers mean." Jaden, who had done absolutely zero prep beforehand, had no idea and said, "By the way, I'm Exam Candidate No.110, Jaden Yuki. You guys should introduce yourselves too!"
Youmi extended his left hand toward Jaden. Jaden awkwardly shook it.
"I'm Exam Candidate No.2, Youmi. By the way, if I'm remembering right, Duel Academy's practical exams go in order, starting from the higher-numbered candidates, right? So am I late…? Since Candidate No.1, Bastion, has already finished."
"I'm Exam Candidate No.119, Syrus Truesdale. That test just now was the last one. If you two only arrived now, doesn't that mean you totally missed the exam?!"
...
Even though the exam was technically over, Youmi wasn't all that worried, knowing there'd definitely be make-up exams. On this point, Jaden was a lot like him. The two of them went over to Bastion, who had just finished and stepped aside.
Resting his arm on the back of the chair next to Bastion, Jaden narrowed his eyes and said, "Nice performance. You might just be the second-strongest Duelist at this school~"
"Second? Why?"
Bastion was stunned by this stranger's sudden comment, raising an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're that 'Youmi,' the one who scored just one point below me and shares a similar name as the legendary Duel King?"
"That's not me. I'm No.110, Jaden Yuki. But the legendary Duel King…" Jaden waved his hand, then pointed at Youmi. "That's him. But—wait, wow, you really have the same name as the legendary Duel King. That's quite the coincidence."
Youmi raised a hand to press the scar around his left eye. Although the eye of this Fallen of Albaz's body was injured, he could open it normally and see without issue. It was just that the red iris of his left eye was a pale grayish color, making it look like impaired vision.
"No.2, Youmi. Pleased to meet you, Bastion Misawa." Youmi shook his hand, then glanced toward Professor Crowler, who was walking down from the observation seats. "Jaden, looks like our make-up exam is about to start."
Just as he said that, the examiner's voice came from the loudspeakers.
"Exam Candidate No.110, Jaden Yuki, please come to the exam field. Exam Candidate No.2, Youmi, please prepare."
"Alright then, I'm up! I'll show you what true first-rate strength looks like~" Jaden gave them a thumbs-up, then put on his Duel Disk and walked toward the field. "Heroes always win~"
Riding up on the slowly rising platform to the Duel Field, Jaden still hadn't figured out where to stand. But his opponent, Professor Crowler, already had his Duel Disk in hand and loudly demanded, "Identify yourself!"
Startled by Crowler's voice, Jaden snapped into something like a soldier's stance, turned around sharply, stood straight, and gave his name.
Displeased from the bottom of his heart that this student ranked only 110th—and even arrived late—Crowler immediately asserted his status, intending to intimidate Jaden: "Buongiorno, Jaden. I am Professor Crowler. In this academy, I am the chief overseer of the practical exam."
"Eh? I actually get to duel the chief overseer? What an honor. I must be pretty highly anticipated~"
Regardless, it had no effect on Jaden whatsoever. He remained as carefree and cheerful as ever, even scratching his head a little shyly, grinning from ear to ear.
Holding his ornate, wrist-straining Duel Disk, Crowler elegantly drew five cards as though he were plucking a harp.
"Ohhh, that's the professor's Duel Disk? Can I buy the same model?"
Extremely interested in everything related to Duel Monsters—from the monsters themselves to merchandise and equipment—Jaden finally noticed Crowler's uniquely designed Duel Disk and shouted in surprise, nearly making the professor drop his hand.
"This is something only students with good grades can obtain, don't ya know."
Thinking that this surely had nothing to do with this failing student, Crowler only wanted to deal with Jaden as quickly as possible, then move on to the genius examinee who scored second on the written test but missed the practical because of a delayed train.
"Oh? Then I've really gotta work hard. Alright—here I go!"
"DUEL!" ×2
Turn 1
"My turn first. Draw."
Jaden drew a card from his old-model Duel Disk and glanced at it.
"Ohh, pretty good hand. I Normal Summon this monster!"
Jaden picked one card from the six in his hand and Summoned it.
"Then I activate the Continuous Spell Supply Squad, set another card, and end my turn~"
Turn 2
"Even though I let you go first, this is all you can do? My turn, desu↗. Draw, don't ya know."
Professor Crowler looked at the 1900-Attack Thunder King Rai-Oh on Jaden's field. Not knowing its effect, he simply treated it as a high-Attack wall and began his move.
In the examinee waiting area, Youmi cast Crowler a pitying look. "You really don't know how strong Thunder King Rai-Oh is…"
Crowler slapped a monster onto his Duel Disk, stretching out his hand as he declared its effect. "I Normal Summon Ancient Gear Wyvern. When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, its effect activates. I add one 'Ancient Gear' card other than Ancient Gear Wyvern from my Deck to my hand. After this effect resolves, I cannot Set cards for the rest of the turn!"
"Mamma mia…!"
And then he got shocked. Literally.
"What is the meaning of this? My Duel Disk is malfunctioning?!"
Crowler looked bewildered at the attendant who had equipped him with the Duel Disk earlier, only to receive a look that clearly said: "Don't ask me."
Jaden pointed at the Thunder King Rai-Oh on his field and smiled. "It's the effect of Thunder King Rai-Oh, Professor. As long as it's face-up on the field, neither player can add cards from the Deck to the hand except by drawing."
"I see… so that was Thunder King Rai-Oh's effect. Took that one right on the chin, don't ya know… I shouldn't have been so careless."
Since one hand was holding up the Duel Disk, Crowler couldn't free his other hand to massage the painfully numb fingers that had been shocked. "Then I'll do this—I activate Ancient Gear Explosive. I target one face-up 'Ancient Gear' monster I control. Destroy that monster, then inflict damage to my opponent equal to half its original Attack, don't ya know!"
"Wah!"
[Jaden, LP: 4000 → 3150]
"Next, I activate the Field Spell Geartown, then activate Ancient Gear Catapult to destroy it, don't ya know."
"He destroyed his own monster and then…" Jaden's jaw dropped. He hadn't expected Crowler to destroy his freshly-placed Field Spell immediately. "He even destroyed his own Field Spell?"
"Ancient Gear Catapult's effect: If I control no monsters, I target one face-up card on my field. I destroy it, and Special Summon one 'Ancient Gear' monster from my Deck, ignoring its Summoning conditions. I Special Summon Ancient Gear Golem!"
With a dramatic sweep of his arm, Crowler Special Summoned his ace monster directly from the Deck.
From the stands, a male student wearing a blue-and-white uniform stared wide-eyed at Crowler's field. "Ancient Gear Golem? If I remember right, the test Decks don't include that card. He's actually using his own custom Ancient Gear Deck for the exam? Professor Crowler must be really paying attention to this No.110 examinee."
"Or maybe the professor just wants to have some fun? It's already a make-up exam, after all."
Beside him, a female student tilted her head, seemingly unconcerned with the duel's strategic depth.
"Bastion, No.1, is definitely going to Ra Yellow. As for No.110, he's probably Osiris Red. Since Professor Crowler is already using his Ancient Gear Deck, there's no way he wins. More importantly, I'm curious whether Crowler will use his own Deck again when he duels No.2 next."
The boy refuted her casually before refocusing completely on the duel. "Just watch, Alexis. I've got a feeling we're about to see two very interesting duels."
Alexis raised a question. "Why do you think so?"
"Just a Duelist's intuition, that's all."
Duel Academy's current No.1—Zane Truesdale—answered with a calm smile.
He could instinctively sense it: this Jaden Yuki was anything but ordinary.
...
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