A/N: Hello to you readers out there who have a knack for Isekai stories. So yeah, this would be my first fanfic so bear with me if everything's chaotic around here. I also suck at writing duels so I am always welcome to constructive criticism and feedback. Reiko's deck is also comprised of a few original ones I made. Everything else are all in the card game.
Chapter 1. Transmigration
Fate or Faith? Which one do you believe in?
A phrase I'll never come to forget even if I tried. It seems like the gods have taken a liking to me and reincarnated me into a new world after I died. In my past life, I was a successful man that specialized in Logistics with a dash of content creation. And in this world, I would've never imagined that a children's trading card game would be the core of everything. Such a shame that I never got to know my parents since I grew up in an orphanage. Who knew that the game would be so easy. People play like the president of the US back in my past life, or in other words stupid. Just when I turned 6, I was offered a scholarship for a school with a fair amount of reputation, that's when I got really into Duel Monsters. I was well over my 30's in my past life and I didn't expect that I'd enjoy a card game again. Enough of this boring backstory, let's get to the good stuff.
Today's the entrance exam for Duel Academy, got to pack my stuff. As I made my way to the venue where they'll hold the exam, it seems that the closer I get the more people there are. Seems like a typical year for DA again with so many applicants ready to fail because they're only champions of the streets. I stood in line where they're going to check and validate our documents. I waited a good 15 minutes until it's my turn as I handed out the brown envelope containing all the papers.
"Reiko Kazuki, 15, Deck Type: Unknown" The staff recited as if he's an intern, which is highly likely since it seems like he's young. "Kazuki?" He jerked
"Is there a problem?" I inquired
"Nothing of the sort, please proceed to the room to the left." He said as he directed me to the room where we're supposed to take the written portion of the exam.
Needless to say, the exam was a piece of cake and turned it in just after 15 minutes. Only a complete amateur would score less than 80% of the total score let alone fail. Then again considering how ridiculously idiotic the decks of the majority who play this game are, I can clearly see why it was easy. Good thing I didn't study anything.
I came to notice that people hold tickets with numbers written on them. Judging by how the announcer calls numbers, I'd say I need it to actually be able to take the practical. Internally freaking out, I approached a group of people and ask them what the hell's going on.
"Excuse me, I didn't get a ticket for the practical. Do you know where I can get one?" I sheepishly asked
"Oh, you mean the stubs? They give it to you after you hand in the written exam. Have you taken it? Oh Bastion Misawa by the way, pleasure to meet you." The scholar introduced so politely his attitude gives off the vibe of a professional.
"Jaden Yuki here and my pal Syrus Truesdale." Another boy behind him boisterously cut in. Quite rude but who can say no to that energetic attitude. "Nice to meet you." The blue haired boy and seems like named Syrus shyly followed. But man Syrus? I can care less why this guy's so short but whoever named him probably had something against him. Poor guy.
"Reiko Kazuki, pleasure to meet you all. And yes I actually did but the proctor didn't give me one." I replied
"Reiko Kazuki? So that's you? An honor to meet you, you've been the talk of the staff for minutes now and from what I've heard, they said that they will hold a special proctor for you." Bastion's eyes lit up and shook my vigorously as like a fangirl.
"Surely you jest, anyway special proctor? Who exactly?" I questioned further trying to squeeze as much as I can.
"I'm not sure but it seems like you're dueling a senior. Good luck." Bastion ended with a handshake.
"May we request Reiko Kazuki to come down to arena 4 for the practical. I repeat, may we request Reiko Kazuki to come down to arena 4 for the practical." The announcer well... announced. What do you expect me to write?
"There's my cue, see you around if I win." I stood up from the chair, armed my duel disk and final checked my cards as my adrenaline surged forward. Pretty nostalgic back when I did my first job interview, a mishmash of nervousness, excitement and fear, it feels good to be young again. It's go time!
"So you're the hotshot the staff's been talking about?" The student inquired across the field sporting long blue hair and a trenchcoat that seems like a failure of an imitation of Seto Kaiba's. "Oh I forgot to introduce myself, name's Zane Truesdale. Let's get on the road shall we?" He added as he activated his duel disk.
"Reiko Kazuki, I'll look forward to working with you." Typical politeness but this guy's already grating my nerves for unknown reasons.
"The 79th practical duel between the applicant Reiko Kazuki and special proctor Zane Truesdale will now commence." The announcer energetically shouted.
"DUEL!" We shouted in unison
"You go first." Zane crossed his arms as I took my first draw. But why? As far as I know, the proctors always go first. Trash that, I need to focus on this duel.
"First off I'll activate Ripple in the Calm Waters. This allows both of us to draw 1 card." I scanned through my options and came up with my game plan.
"I set a monster and place 2 cards face down. I end my turn" I slapped the 3 cards in succession to their respective slots.
"What an unimaginative bunch trying to hide monsters." Zane said as he drew a card.
"Let's kick things up as I summon Cyber Dragon, I can special summon it if I control no monsters on my side of the field." Zane slammed the card to the duel disk leading me to believe it's a core card of his deck. Cybers huh, a power deck but it has its flaws nonetheless. "Next, I play Different Dimension Capsule to remove from a play a card from my deck and add it to my hand on my next 2 Standby Phases." What that card may be I have no idea, but I have a hunch it's troublesome.
"Battle! My Cyber Dragon(2100/1600) attacks your set monster, Strident Blast!" Zane declared as his monster charged up energy in its mouth and fired it upon my face-down monster.
"Sucks to be you, Marshmallon's(300/500) effect activates. So you take 1000 points of damage." I smirked as the adorable but evil fluffy monster lunged towards Zane and bit his arm.
"Tsk, what a-" I cut off Zane as he was about to say something. "I know, I know cowardly right? But this is just my play style so if you don't mind, please wrap up your turn." I interjected
"Sigh, I don't know why young kids are cocky nowadays. I place 2 cards face-down and end my turn." Zane sighed
"Draw, I activate the magic of Snatch Steal and steal your dragon!" A thief popped out of the card and leashed the dragon away from its master.
"Brilliant move." Zane calmly commented
"Not as brilliant as this. I tribute Cyber Dragon(2100/1600) to summon my own." I immediately followed up as the equip spell broke and Zane's dragon returns to his graveyard.
"Cyber Dragon... how intriguing, how did you get hold on one of those?" Zane's brows furrowed in a mix of surprise and anger.
"No obligation to tell you, now attack Zane directly with what's that again? Stutter.. Shatter... Oh, Strident Blast" I dished out my order as the dragon fired a beam of energy towards Zane.
"Reverse card open, Mirror Force!" Zane pushed a button on his disk as the card opens with a blinding light.
"Not so fast, I activate Sky in a Bottle. I send my other face-down to my graveyard to negate your effect and allows me to flip this card back down." I grinned as I knew the attack is coming through.
"Aargh. Not bad, not bad at all." Zane grimaced but grinned shortly afterwards.
"Man that Reiko guy sure packs a punch! I can't wait to duel him when I get the chance" Jaden and his squad cheered from the benches.
"I can't believe he's pushing the academy's best just at the second turn." Bastion couldn't even register what he's witnessing right now.
"Alright, I set a card face-down and give you the go." I wrapped it up, seems like the audience is shell shocked on me bringing down the hammer on their supposed elite. He's no pushover but his skills are above average at best, just what made this guy into such a huge deal?
"No fucking way, Zane is being pushed to the edge by an applicant? Dumb luck." A brat by the name Chazz insulted from the sidelines.
"Utmost respect to you, Reiko Kazuki for being one of the few to push me this far." Zane praised outta nowhere. Heh, at least I got respect from the "best" around here. He isn't showing anything resembling of him being the best right now anyway.
"Draw, I activate Pot of Greed and draw 2 more cards. Once again since I have no monsters on my field, I summon Cyber Dragon. Battle, attack his Cyber Dragon." Zane made his moves as both dragons charge up in a synchronized fashion. "At this moment, I activate Limiter Removal to double the attack points of my Cyber Dragon(4200/1600)." Zane added as my Cyber Dragon exploded and smoke filled the arena.
"I tribute my Cyber Dragon to summon my last one, set a card face-down and end my turn" Zane declared as the Cyber Dragon surging with electricity shattered and a new one took its place. To be fair, he didn't want his field open after the backlash of Limiter Removal but having 3 Cyber Dragons this early in the match? Gotta run the math later.
"My turn, draw. Sorry if this isn't interesting to you in anyway. I set 2 cards face-down and end my turn." I quickly wrapped it up as I inserted both cards into the disk.
"I've had quite enough of your games, I activate Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your set card." Zane countered as a storm unleashed on one of the cards I just set.
"Such a lazy turn would be your last mistake. My turn, draw. Now the card I've removed from play now gets added to my hand." Zane said as a capsule appeared in front of him and gives him the card he has removed from play.
"I summon Cyber Phoenix, next I activate Power Bond!" Zane said as the audience gets confused and even me.
"Soo... where are the summoning materials?" I quickly questioned such a strange move.
"Oh they're in the grave, alongside it I activate Cybernetic Fusion Support. By paying half my LP I can use materials from the field, grave and the hand and banish them for a fusion summon." Zane explained.
"Oh bad news." Now it made sense why he isn't hesitant to bring the Cyber Dragons out and with Cyber Phoenix, I can't do shit to touch that dragon of his.
"I remove from play the 3 Cyber Dragons from my field and grave to summon Cyber End Dragon." Zane shouted like a shounen protagonist about to unleash the Super Mega Final Move. The 3 headed dragon appeared in a radiance of light. "And with the effects of Power Bond, its ATK points are now doubled."
"Although I'll suffer from a side effect in the End Phase, it doesn't matter since this would be the last turn! Cyber End Dragon(8000/4000) attack his Marshmallon(300/500) and finish this duel." Zane declared as his dragon charged up and fired away at my Marshmallon.
"Rookie mistakes around eh, I activate the quick-play Book of Moon!" I pressed a button on my disk as a book with the moon's light radiating from it appeared on the field.
"I'm afraid you can't do that to my dragon with Cyber Phoenix on the field." Zane smirked
"Oh I'm not dumb enough to do that, I place my Marshmallon face-down!" I retorted. "Next I chain my trap card Divine Intervention to reduce your monster's attack to 0 and reduce all battle damage to 0." Yep victory is sure on its way as the Marshmallon flipped open and bit Zane signalling the end of the duel in a truly anticlimactic way.
"Winner: Reiko Kazuki!"
Original Cards
Divine Intervention(Trap Card)
When your monster is attacked, the attacking monster has its its ATK points reduced to 0 and reduce all Battle Damage to 0 until the end of the Battle Phase.
Ripple in the Calm Waters(Quick-Play Spell Card)
Depending on when it is activated, choose from the following effect:
Opponent's turn: You and your opponent send 1 monster they control to the graveyard.
Your Turn: You and your opponent draw 1 card.
Sky in a Bottle(Trap Card)
You can only activate this card when your opponent activates an effect that destroys a card on your side of the field. Send a set card you control to the graveyard to negate the effect and flip this card back.