It was already a week since Kaito Uriamuzu took his entrance exam in order to attend Northwest Academy. Northwest was a top prestigious school that accepted students regardless of background. What they really cared about was talent, which you have or you don't. Kaito was from a small island known as Angelcrest, owned by a large and notorious goods manufacturing company. Smothered by pollution from the factories, many of the people were sick and often died of disease. Kaito's one true goal, is to become a professional duelist and raise money to do something for his homeland. However, good intentions will not get you into Northwest. Transportation to Northwest is free, as many talent agents go all over the world in search of talented students, but in order to be accepted, you must pass the "Trial Exam". The Trial Exam gives 1 week for potential students to gather cards by any means necessary from school grounds to make a deck in which then, they will take their entrance exam and duel for their admission.
Though you can try every year, no amount of money or connections can get you in. It only took Kaito one try, for he knew the stakes were too high. Having lost his mother to illness and his father to the sea, Kaito was raised in an orphanage at a young age. He promised to one day come home with the means of fulfilling the hopes of a better future for everyone. Seniority meant nothing in Northwest, a 1st year student could easily climb the ranks and become a Pro-duelist before a 3rd year. Again, the key word is Talent.
Day 5 being a student and Kaito found himself up earlier than usual and decided to leave his dorm early, taking a morning walk around campus. He was a very tall and dark-skinned individual. As per dress code, he wore a red jacket symbolizing his rank. His hair was long and black, but had natural teal-like highlights going down the lower half. Like Angelcrest, Northwest was also located on an island though more mountainous and colder. And to make matters worst, it was the winter season, but this didn't bother Kaito. He loved the winter and enjoyed its subtle, frigid winds embrace his face. It was such an enormous difference from Angelcrest where the skies were always dark and the snow was more like ash. Even with such a background, everyone knew Kaito for his carefree attitude and his unusual ability.
From the deck box on his hip, sounds could be heard. As he opened it, a small, blue, furry creature with a ghostly tail wearing a green hat emerged. This was Soul Kuriboh, a duel monster spirit. Though no one believes him, he is one of the few people in the world who has the ability to properly communicate and understand duel spirits. "Haha, I see you also wanted some fresh air huh?" Kaito responded. Soul Kuriboh happily circled around Kaito in excitement as they continued their walk. He still had another 2 hours before class started so he decided to get to know where everything was. From his dorm, to the art department, to the duel stadiums, he became much more knowledgeable of where everything was. Suddenly he found himself in Yellow territory, and was greeted by another student.
"Well well, what's a Red Jacket doing way out here...?" He said. A student's rank depended on what color jacket they wore: Red, Yellow, Blue, and White, in order from lowest to highest. Your placement depended on how well you maintained your life points during the entrance exam. Red being you pass with 1000 or less, and white being you passed with 4000 or over.
"I'm just going out for a walk I guess?" Though Kaito has a lost expression on his face, Soul Kuriboh angrily huffing and puffing all over the place. It sensed ill-intent from the person who stood before him. Noticing this, Kaito thought it would be best to simply leave. "But if it bothers you that much, I can just go..." When he turned around, he found himself surrounded by a couple of other Yellow Jacket students.
"Sorry Red but I can't just let you leave. I guess you didn't know that Reds aren't welcomed in Yellow territory? I'll be glad to teach you a few rules." The spiky black-haired individual pulled out a duel disk. It seemed the only way to leave was defeat him if not everyone else as well.
"Ha! If it's a duel you want, you got it! Mind if I get your name?" Kaito anxiously pulled his duel disk from his school bag and placed his deck inside.
"Tamashi! And when I'm done with you, make sure you tell all your Red friends that I'm here to whip you drop-outs into shape!" He replied releasing an arrogant laugh. Commencing the duel as their duel disks unfolded out, they drew their opening hands.
"Ladies first!" Kaito said with a smile. With his cards in hand, he felt as victory was within his grasp.
Tamashi's arrogant demeanor vanished, as he became slightly more serious. "Very funny!" All he could think about was defeating Kaito and 'putting him in his place'. "I'll start by summoning Goblin Fire!" A small green goblin with a small pony-tail of flames emerged to the field wielding a wooden club (ATK 100). "Then I'll end my turn!"
"Yep, he's underestimating me." Kaito thought to himself as he drew his card. "I'll rise to the top one day, and when I do, that is the moment I'll become king!" He exclaimed. Chances of getting into the Pro-Circuit were pretty slim even for the White Jackets. And to claim to become the King, the greatest Duelist in the world, was something no one took very lightly.
"Here we go! I'll start by activating Dark Bargain! This lets me draw a card, but forces me to send 1 monster from hand to the graveyard! And the card I'm sending is Pleading Fusionist!" After drawing, a dark and ghastly hand appeared from his deck and sent the card to his graveyard. Kaito smiled for the card he drew was none other than Soul Kuriboh. "Oh it's you! Well I'm not done yet! When Pleading Fusionist is sent to the Graveyard, she let's me add one 'Fusion' card from my deck to my hand! I choose Voltage Fusion." As Voltage Fusion is added to his hand, Kuriboh jumped for joy. "Hehe, Okay fine."
Tamashi and his goons were shocked at how well he was doing. "He's not bad, but no matter what, he won't get past my awesome combo. I'll survive this round, and then make my comeback!" Though slightly frightened, these were Tamashi's thoughts.
"I'll continue by summoning Soul Kuriboh!" Spiraling forth, Kuriboh emerged with glee ready to fight (ATK 300). "Then I'll activate his effect! If there's a Light type monster in my graveyard, I can inflict 800 points of damage to you!" A crying blue-hair child wearing a red robe and scarf appeared beside Kuriboh, this was the image of Pleading Fusionist. The ghostly image then took the form of a ball of energy which Kuriboh hurled towards Tamashi, reducing his life points by 800 points (Tamashi: 3200 LP).
Tamashi flinched as he was slightly pushed back. Though no real damage could be felt from the holograms, the following side effects were always surprisingly realistic and did carry quite a punch. "Is that all? Looks like I'll still make it out with at least 2500 life points..."
"Wrong! This is the final turn!" Kaito replied. Everyone was in shock, but Kaito wanted to make it perfectly clear that the words he spoke of earlier held their weight. To become the King and help Angelcrest, this was his one and only dream. "I activate Voltage Fusion! This allows me fuse two monsters on the field or in my hand! I'm fusing Soul Kuriboh on my field and Antlers from my hand." A large insect with a deer like body and ant-like anatomy appeared on the field as both it and Kuriboh merged together. "Fusion Summon! Kuribeetle!" A brown, larger fluffy creature with 6 insect-like wings with a horn and mandibles appeared on the field (ATK 2200). "Kuribeetle attacks Goblin Fire! Scissor Crush!" Using its mandibles with great force, Kuribeetle crushed and destroyed Goblin Fire reducing Tamashi's life points even further (Tamashi: 1100 LP).
"S-So what! I'm still here!" Tamashi gritted his teeth. He was already down to a fourth of his life points having not inflicted a single point of damage, this was an embarrassment.
"No way! Hey man, I thought you said this Tamashi guy was good!?" Tamashi's friends could be heard murmuring in the background. This was not only embarrassing, but a serious problem. If a underclassmen is defeated by an upperclassmen, then there's no problem. However if an upperclassmen is defeated by underclassmen having at least 2 or 3 witnesses to vouch, then the loser is demoted and the winner is promoted.
"H-Hey! Come on, there's nothing else you can do! Just end your turn already!" Tamashi yelled.
"Did you not hear me the first time? I said this was the final turn, I activate Kuribeetle's effect! By banishing Kuribeetle, I can special summon its fusion materials in my graveyard!" Kuribeetle vanished from the field, and Soul Kuriboh and Antlers (ATK 1700) returned in it's place. "I think you can see where this is going right?"
Tamashi fell to his knees "N-No, wait, can't we work some-"
"Antlers, Direct attack!" Kaito interjected. "This is the power of a King!" Rushing towards him, the insect rammed and trampled over Tamashi and wiped out the remainder of his life points (Tamashi: 0 LP).
"Woah he actually lost?! Let's get out of here, what a loser..." Though they stung, these were the words of his so-called friends, but it was quite obvious to everyone there was actually no such relationship. "Don't worry about us telling anyone Tamashi, though you definitely deserve to be demoted, you'd ruin the Yellow's reputation..." one replied. They both angrily left him behind.
"Never underestimate your opponent! Right Soul Kuriboh?" Kaito smiled as Kuriboh nodded in agreement. Triumphant, Kaito proceeded to walk away as well. Suddenly, Kuriboh flinched and cried out in pain. "Huh? Kuriboh what's wrong!?" The spirit abruptly returned to its card.
While he continued to try and communicate with Kuriboh, Tamashi rose from the ground in a silent rage. "Me? Defeated by that weirdo? No, I don't think so! No matter what, I'll defeat that high and mighty bastard Toshiro!"
Hearing and recognizing the name 'Toshiro', Kaito turned around only to be attacked by Tamashi with a nearby tree branch. Successfully knocking him out, Tamashi proceeded to take Kaito's deck. "With this, there's no way Toshiro will be able to ignore me now...!" Breathing heavily, it was almost as if Tamashi had lost all reason. It appeared losing the duel had an effect on him mentally. He laughed maniacally, running towards the school building.
Soon after, a robed man in what looked like a detective's attire came across Kaito's body. Ignoring him completely, he looked around as if he was searching for something else. "Shit... I could of sworn it was here...! I was sure I felt the presence of a spirit..." from his pocket, he pulled out an ominous Xyz monster, shrouded in a fiery, purple aura. "Soon my friend, it'll be feeding time..."
