Yu-Gi-Oh GX: It's Time to Duel!

CHAPTER 30

-

The food during the welcome party of Slifer Red's dorm was... questionable at best.

Granted, the cooking was much better than his own, which was already abysmal; in retrospect this dinner wasn't so bad. It had all that was required to make it a balanced meal: rice for carbs, grilled mackerel for protein, many veggies in the miso soup, and a dash of nattō to add for the weirdness.

He could never get used to nattō; even after being in this world for a good amount of time, it had a delicious taste yet was so sticky and weird texture-wise.

Sho was staring at the food with a mildly disgusted look, poking at the mackerel with an offput expression, but Judai ate with gusto as he kept on praising the food.

"Man, this is delicious!"

"T-This isn't good, aniki, especially in Duel Academy standards..."

"Really? I think it's way delicious. Look at Ken; he's eating this with a satisfied expression, too!"

Ken stopped mid-bite as the two of them stared at him. He shrugged as he continued eating.

"It's better than what I'd cook."

The sudden feeling of a presence behind him made Ken tilt his head slightly. Instructor Daitokuji, wasn't it? He's their dorm teacher. The instructor had just introduced himself prior to Judai's exclamation. He teaches the Alchemy subject, if he isn't wrong.

What subject is called Alchemy, exactly? From what he understood, it was supposed to be a summoning course where all types of summoning techniques were taught? Why did it need to be a three-year course? He had no idea.

"Eating already? Hmm, I don't sweat the small stuff! As long as you all have fun, nya~."

The instructor then clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.

"Well, everyone, I look forward to seeing you all around, nya!"

=

=

=

As Sho heated up a kettle of water infused with tea bags, Judai was breathing a sigh as he patted his now bloated stomach.

"Ah, I ate a lot today! I'm stuffed! I wonder why no one seemed to eat the food, though."

"You're the only one who had seconds; that's why you're so stuffed, aniki."

Pouring a cup for each person in the dorm room, Sho carried the tray filled with cups and handed one to both Judai and Ken, who was reading up on the rules of Duel Academy on his PDA device.

Did you know that ante rules of giving away your most priceless cards upon a loss are forbidden in Duel Academy? Surprising, since this was a school meant to train Duelists. You'd expect Kaiba to allow it since he was the one who proposed said idea during Battle City.

"Thanks."

"Thanks for the tea, Sho!"

After handing the cups over, Sho then looked up to where Hayato was sleeping and asked.

"Hayato, I made tea—"

"I don't want it."

Before Sho could even finish his sentence, Hayato cut him off with a rude remark, prompting Judai to frown slightly as he stared up at the double-decker bed.

"Hey, man. Sho went out of his way to make that tea. The least you could do is refuse it nicely."

"I-It's okay, aniki. Don't mind, don't mind."

Hayato gave a long heave.

"... It isn't that the food wasn't good. They were all so depressed about their circumstances that they lost their appetite to eat."

Just as Hayato gave the actual reasoning, Judai's PDA started to ring a jingle. Surprised, Judai took his PDA out from his pocket and played a recording from the unknown number. The display on the handheld device slowly generated the image of the caller, and soon, it revealed Manjome and his smug face.

"Yo, drop-out boy. At midnight, I'll be waiting on the Duel Field where we met. If you're not a wimp, then we'll Duel with the ante rules, with both our best cards on the line. Oh, and tell Yusou that Mototani is calling him out as well. Come, if you have the courage."

The message ended at the taunt. Hearing the declaration, Judai's face bloomed into an excited grin as he closed his PDA.

"Things are starting to get interesting!"

Ken massaged his temple in annoyance. So they were going to break countless rules just in the first day alone? Looking at the time, the midnight Duel was still a few hours away. There could be a chance where Judai could be persuaded to not go... But seeing the excited look on his face, he doubted that he could control the guy.

And if they don't go, considering the type of people that those Obelisk Blues were, their reputation would take a hit if the news spreads. What a headache.

However... If he duels this Mototani guy and wins, he'll get Duel Points, DP for short.

DP is gained by winning a Duel against anyone in Duel Academy, as stated in the student directory. It is the core value that influences the most in this institution; you could think of it as a form of currency.

The most basic application of DP was the ranking system, which is split by year: first-years, second-years, and third-years each have their own leaderboards.

Every month, a student is required to pay a set amount of DP to maintain their current position. For example, if Judai sits at rank 110 out of 130, he must pay 20 DP to hold that rank for the month.

But the system rewards hard work. If Judai decides to pay 40 DP instead, he would trigger a "clash" with the student ranked 109. To defend their spot, that Duelist must respond by paying 41 DP or more. If not, then the one ranked 109 will lose their rank and drop down to 110th.

"Clashes" against the rankers above you are compulsory every month. Fail to meet the challenge, and you slide down the standings. Climb high enough, however, and your dorm assignment changes to match your new rank.

There's also a shortcut: you can skip the Duelist directly ahead of you by requesting a clash with someone higher on the board. They can choose to accept or reject the challenge, but if they accept, the rewards and risks are greater.

Where was he going with this?

Well, if a person wins a Duel, they earn an amount of DP based on the performance of that Duel. But if a Slifer Red Duels an Obelisk Blue and wins... They earn double the normal DP. The same goes if a Slifer Red Duels a Ra Yellow, but the multiplier is one point five times the normal DP gain.

That alone is giving him the incentive to break the rules, all for that juicy DP.

=

=

=

In the end, Ken caved in. So he followed both Judai and Sho to the Obelisk Blue Duel Field.

"I'm impressed that you'd come, Number 110."

Manjome said with a smirk, crossing his arms.

"Heh, when I heard there'd be a Duel, I had to come."

Judai immediately started walking up to the Duel Field, with Sho behind him. As for Ken and Mototani... Their battlefield was a few feet from the Duel Field since only one Duel can be active while using the technology.

The both of them didn't voice their complaints. They just silently brought up their Academia Disks to register for the Duel.

"Don't cry your eyes out when I take that Silent Magician of yours!"

Mototani snarked as he inserted his deck into the Academia Disk, but Ken ignored the trash talk as he inserted his own deck.

"Stop yapping and play the game; talk back once you win the Duel."

The guy snarled as his Academia Disk shifted into Duel Mode. His own Duel Disk followed along as it shifted as well.

""DUEL!""

=

=

=

=x=x=x=x=x=x=

Yusou Ken: 4000 LP

Mototani Raizou: 4000 LP

=x=x=x=x=x=x=

"I'll go first! Draw!"

Drawing the first card of the Duel, he glanced over at his cards before smirking as if he had already won the Duel in the first turn.

"This hand is perfect! I play the field spell, The Post-Apocalyptic Beast Gear World!"

The surrounding area started to shift as a post-apocalyptic world with destroyed infrastructure and buildings appeared around them.

"This field spell's effect is that all face-up monsters that are Beast-Warrior, Fiend, and Machine types on the field gain 300 ATK, while all face-up monsters on the field that are Dragon, Spellcaster, and Fairy types lose 300 ATK!"

Finishing the explanation, Mototani then raised a card and revealed it to Ken, who had to squint in order to read and understand the card.

"Then, I play the spell card, Dark World Dealings! Each player draws a card and then discards one card."

That was interesting, Ken thought as he followed along, drawing a card from his deck and then discarding one card after into the GY. Dark World decks weren't that popular yet; there wasn't much support for the archetype, and players in this era hadn't gotten used to mainstreaming the playstyle of discarding to profit in the long run.

"And now, my plan is fully realized! The discarded card that I placed in the Graveyard was Beiige, Vanguard of Dark World. And since this card was discarded from my hand to the Graveyard by a card effect, I can special summon it to the field in Attack Position!"

Beiige, Vanguard of Dark World (LVL 4 / 1600 / 1300 | ATK Position)

A grotesque monster summons itself onto the field, wielding a spear that looked as if it was made out of flesh and bones.

"And I still have my normal summon, so I'll go ahead and summon Zure, Knight of Dark World, in Attack Position!"

Zure, Knight of Dark World (LVL 4 / 1800 / 1500 | ATK Position)

This time, a monster clad in skeleton-made armor with a cape appeared next to Beiige, brandishing a sword as he stood in a knight-like stance.

"Don't forget, since The Post-Apocalyptic Beast Gear World is active, my monsters gain an additional 300 ATK!"

The two Fiend monsters roared as a blackened aura engulfed their bodies, raising their attack power up by 300 points.

Beiige, Vanguard of Dark World (1600 + 300 = 1900* ATK)

Zure, Knight of Dark World (1800 + 300 = 2100* ATK)

"I set two cards face down and end my turn."

=

=

=

=x=x=x=x=x=x=

TURN 1

-

Yusou Ken: 4000 LP

Hand: 5

GY: ???

Field: —

Banish: —

=x=x=x=x=x=x=

Mototani Raizou: 4000 LP

Hand: 1

GY: Dark World Dealings

Field: Beiige, Vanguard of Dark World (Monster | LVL 4 / 1600 / 1300 | ATK Position), Zure, Knight of Dark World (Monster | LVL 4 / 1800 / 1500 | ATK Position), The Post-Apocalyptic Beast Gear World (Field Spell), ??? (Set), ??? (Set)

Banish: —

=x=x=x=x=x=x=

=

=

=

Looking at his stacked field, Mototani started cackling as he smugly started trash-talking once again.

"Two monsters and two back-row set cards—this hand was perfect! You might as well surrender, Yusou; I have the upper hand against your Spellcaster cards!"

Silent drawing for a turn, Ken looked at his cards in his hand before clearing his throat.

"Why are you under the assumption that this deck is a Spellcaster deck?"

"Huh? That's a stupid question; you obviously use a Spellcaster deck. You used it in your admission test."

Confused, Mototani continued to berate Ken, who hummed at his answer.

Again, not many people in this era had the concept of owning multiple decks, so it was a good assumption; at least this person had studied his deck to know what he was playing prior, but... Too bad for him, he was the 1 out of 10,000 who had escaped this constriction of only maining one deck.

"Alright then. I play the spell, Graceful Charity, from my hand, which allows me to draw 3 cards, but I'll have to then discard 2 cards."

Waiting for a response, which he had gotten none of, he drew three cards and then discarded two into the GY before continuing.

"I now play the spell card, Dragonmaid Hospitality."

Behind him, a large banquet table appeared with luxurious foods and beverages served.

"This spell allows me to special summon one Dragonmaid monster from my hand or GY onto the field in Defense Position. I choose to summon the Nurse Dragonmaid in the GY."

From thin air, a humanoid with a large tail, wearing a pink nurse-maid hybrid outfit, materialized from the side of the banquet table as she sauntered over in front of Ken, giving Mototani a gentle wave.

Nurse Dragonmaid (LVL 2 / 500 / 1600 | DEF Position)

As expected, the guy exploded into a fit of rage.

"Y-You bastard! Playing these kinds of cards, are you trying to humiliate me again with girly cards?!"

"Just because I play cards with girls in the art doesn't mean that they're girly."

Saying his piece with a perfectly composed face, he moved on as he activated Dragonmaid Hospitality's second effect.

"Now that Nurse Dragonmaid is summoned, I can send 1 Dragonmaid monster with the same Attribute but a different Level from my deck to the GY. I'll send "

The automatic searcher of the Academia Disk answered his request as the only cards that fit the description slotted out from the deck for him to easily grab. Taking one of the two cards, the Academia Disk retracted the other card back into the deck before automatically shuffling the cards.

What a useful feature.

Sending the card he just took into the GY, he continued with Nurse Dragonmaid's effect.

"When summoned, Nurse Dragonmaid's effect activates. I can target one Level 4 or lower Dragonmaid monster in my GY and special summon it. I choose to summon Chamber Dragonmaid in face-up Defense Position."

With a whistle from Nurse Dragonmaid, the space around her distorts slightly before a white-haired humanoid with the same monster features as Nurse Dragonmaid exits the distorted space, wearing a proper jet-black maid outfit.

Chamber Dragonmaid (LVL 4 / 500 / 1800 | DEF Position)

"Her effect activates when she's summoned. I can add one Dragonmaid spell or trap card from my deck to my hand, and I'll add Dragonmaid Welcome."

Taking the card from the deck, he immediately played the card that he just added.

"I'll immediately play the card that I just added, Dragonmaid Welcome, a continuous spell card that increases all monsters's ATK and DEF by the number of Dragonmaid monsters I control by 100 points."

Nurse Dragonmaid (500 + 200 = 700* / 1600 + 200 = 1800* | DEF Position)

Chamber Dragonmaid (500 + 200 = 700* / 1800 + 200 = 2000* | DEF Position)

"And since I have two Dragonmaids, I can target one Dragonmaid card in my GY, and add it to your hand."

"This is cheating; you're adding so many cards back and forth from your hand and deck!"

Mototani accuses him with a pointed finger. Ken ignored it. Besides, if he was cheating, the Academia Disk would have sent out an alert and ended the Duel the moment it sensed that he had cheated.

"I add the Dragonmaid Ernus that I had sent to the GY using Hospitality back into my hand and normal summon Parlor Dragonmaid from my hand in face-up Defense Position."

A green-haired Dragonmaid entered the field with a giggle as she stood beside her sisters.

Parlor Dragonmaid (LVL 3 / 500 + 200 = 700* / 1700 + 200 = 1900* | DEF Position)

"When summoned, I can send one Dragonmaid card from my deck to the GY. I send Dragonmaid Lorpar to the GY."

This should be the end of the Duel.

"I now play the spell card, Dragonmaid Changeover, from my hand. This card allows me to Fusion summon one monster using monsters in my hand and on the field as material."

Ken revealed a card from his hand.

"I'll use the Dragonmaid Nudyarl in my hand and the Parlor Dragonmaid on the field as material to Fusion summon! Come forth, Dragonmaid Sheou, in Attack Position!"

Dragonmaid Nudyarl that manifested behind him shattered into fragments of light, turning into white energy as they were absorbed into the green-haired Dragonmaid. With an inhuman roar, Parlor Dragonmaid started to shine as her body slowly shifted into the form of a dragon.

With a gust of wind, the changeover was completed as a black dragon with white accents landed on its two legs, growling as Dragonmaid Sheou stared down on the two Fiend monsters opposite to her.

Dragonmaid Sheou (LVL 10 / 3500 / 2300 | ATK Position)

"Once per Standby Phase, I can special summon one Level 9 or lower Dragonmaid from my hand or GY onto the field. I summon Dragonmaid Lorpar in Attack Position!"

A dragon the shade of Parlor Dragonmaid descended from the skies, giving out a roar as she stood behind Sheou.

Dragonmaid Lorpar (LVL 8 / 2700 / 1700 | ATK Position)

"At the start of the Battle Phase, I can return all humanoid Dragonmaids back to my hand. If it resolves, then I can special summon higher-level draconic Dragonmaid monsters that correspond to their humanoid forms from my hand or GY."

He flipped over the Dragonmaid Ernus in his hand and Dragonmaid Cehrmba from the GY.

"I return both Nurse and Chamber Dragonmaids to special summon Dragonmaid Ernus from my hand and Dragonmaid Cehrmba from the GY respectively."

The humanoid Dragonmaids shattered into light, floating into the air before forming two draconic Dragonmaids with the same color shade, with them landing next to their brethren.

Dragonmaid Ernus (LVL 7 / 2600 / 1600 | ATK Position)

Dragonmaid Cehrmba (LVL 9 / 2800 / 1800 | ATK Position)

"And now that I have four monsters that I control on the field, each Dragonmaid gains an additional 400 ATK and DEF points."

Dragonmaid Sheou (3500 + 400 = 3800* / 2300 + 400 = 2700*)

Dragonmaid Lorpar (2700 + 400 = 3100* / 1700 + 400 = 2100*)

Dragonmaid Ernus (2600 + 400 = 3000 / 1600 + 400 = 2000)

Dragonmaid Cehrmba (2800 + 400 = 3200 / 1800 + 400 = 2200)

Seeing the high-ATK monsters on the field, Mototani stared blankly at the card in his shivering hand before letting his shoulders droop, accepting his fate.

"Battle. Sheou and Cehrmba attack your monsters, while Lorpar and Ernus attack you directly."

Looking at her sisters briefly to convey her message, Sheou took to the skies, with the rest following suit. In the air, all four dragons took deep breaths, their chests swelling as flames churned to life within them. Then, as one, they unleashed four blazing streams of fire at Mototani with a deafening roar.

(BOOOOOOOOM!)

=x=x=x=x=x=x=

Mototani Raizou: 4000 → 0 LP

=x=x=x=x=x=x=

=

=

=

=x=x=x=x=x=x=

TURN 2

-

Yusou Ken: 4000 LP

Hand: 1

GY: Graceful Charity, Dragonmaid Hospitality, Dragonmaid Nudyarl, Dragonmaid Changeover, Parlor Dragonmaid, Nurse Dragonmaid, Chamber Dragonmaid

Field: Dragonmaid Sheou (Fusion Monster | LVL 10 / 3800 / 2700 | ATK Position), Dragonmaid Lorpar (Monster | LVL 8 / 3100 / 2100 | ATK Position), Dragonmaid Ernus (Monster | LVL 7 / 3000 / 2000 | ATK Position), Dragonmaid Cehrmba (Monster | LVL 9 / 3200 / 2200 | ATK Position), Dragonmaid Welcome (Continuous Spell)

Banish: —

=x=x=x=x=x=x=

Mototani Raizou: 0 LP

Hand: 1

GY: Dark World Dealings, Beiige, Vanguard of Dark World, Zure, Knight of Dark World

Field: The Post-Apocalyptic Beast Gear World (Field Spell), ??? (Set), ??? (Set)

Banish: —

=x=x=x=x=x=x=

-

=x=x=x=x=x=x=

YUSOU KEN WIN!

=x=x=x=x=x=x=

=

=

=

Mototani's legs gave out beneath him, sending him falling to the ground. His last card slipped from his grasp as, around them both, the post-apocalyptic world and summoned monsters dissolved into nothingness.

Was that overkill? Well, the better the performance during a Duel, the more DP one could earn... Though he did not disagree that it was a bit overkill to bring out so many Dragonmaids.

(Ding~)

As the other Obelisk Blue that wasn't Dueling ran to support his comrade, Ken's PDA rang, prompting him to see the notification that he received.

[Duel Acknowledged.]

[Winner: Yusou Ken (1st-Year: 71/130)]

[Performance Grade: S-Tier]

[Reward: 50 (2 Turns Passed) + 15 (S-Tier) + 65 (Obelisk Blue vs. Slifer Red) = 130 DP]

Nice. 130 should be good enough to rank up a few times.

"F-Fast! Yusou, it hasn't even been three turns!"

Sho mumbled, looking at him with a hint of fear in his eyes as Ken simply shrugged.

"Since you won, the ante rule..."

"Leave it be."

Sho stared at Mototani's deck in his Academia Disk, but Ken cut him off as he walked nearer to the Duel Field to watch Judai play, tuning out the cursing from the weakened Mototani.

There's no point in stealing a person's prized possession, after all. And he has already gotten his prize for Dueling. No point tormenting the guy more than he should.