A week after the exam all of the examinees received phone calls, informing them of their results. Xavier and Acacia, made it into Duel Academy, however Xavier was sent to East Campus whilst Acacia was allowed into the Central Academy. About a week after they got the phone calls Xavier was standing in front of the building that contained within its walls most of the classrooms. However his destination was not in the imposing building, it was the auditorium, where all of the examination duels were to be carried out at the end of each month. When he got there he found a seat in the grandstand next to Koyuki. When he sat down he said, "Hi, I'm Xavier," extending a hand to her.
"Koyuki," she said, shaking the proffered hand.
"Do you have any idea why we're here and not in some classroom?"
"No, but I think we're about to find out," Koyuki said as a teacher walked up the stairs leading to the raised platform that had twelve duel fields on its surface.
The teacher coughed into his microphone to attract the attention of the chattering students. When there was silence he said, "Hello, for those that don't know me, I'm Professor Smythe, the chancellor of this campus…" he paused to let it sink in. "…and it is my great pleasure to welcome those of you that don't to this East Campus of Duel Academy. I know that a lot of you have already heard this before, but if there are any concerns that you hold over your time here, please feel free to come and see me at any time and I shall endeavour to see that something is done to address your concerns, should they merit such. Most of you are aware that in this campus we do things a little differently to the other campus'. We always start off the year by having the two strongest duellists from the entrance exam have an exhibition duel in order to give the other students of their year a level to aim for, alongside the strongest duellists of each year. This is done to give the students at the academy a level to aim for. Now, with no more ado, I need to inform you of who will be duelling from the first years." He paused for effect before saying, "Ms Hibikawa," prompting his aide to move forward and hand him an envelope containing six names. Dr Smythe said, "I have here the names of the six students that shall be duelling against one another," before tearing open the envelope. "The first duellist that the teacher board has chosen is the daughter of the King of Games, Koyuki Moto; The second being the son of one of the top duellists that has ever gone through the Duel Academy program, ever; Xavier Yuki. Now, both duellists please come down to this duelling arena."
Xavier and Koyuki each stood up and looked at the other in surprise, each exclaiming, "It's you!" at the same time. They descended the stairs leading to the field amid a mix of cheers and jeers from students that were looking forward to the duel between the two, but at the same time annoyed that it wasn't them competing in their place.
"For various reasons these two duellists duelled against the actual decks of the proctors that oversaw their examination." The two duellists reached the duelling field. When the two students were before him Dr Smythe said, "Make it clean you two," joining the rest of the teachers, which had moved off the duelling field as the two had descended, after flipping a coin that resulted in Koyuki going first.
The two duellists moved to opposing sides of the field after receiving duel disks from Ms Hibikawa, who had stayed by Dr Smythe's side the entire time. Once they were in the proper positions they activated their duel disks, before drawing five cards from them. Koyuki said, "It's time to duel," before drawing a sixth. "I'll play this card face down and end my turn," placing a monster card face down on the field.
Xavier looked at her card and thought, 'Okay, that face down is probably a monster with either high defence points or some kind of effect. Well, I've never seen Koyuki duel so I can't even begin to guess. I guess that means that I'll just have to see how it goes.' Xavier drew a card and said, "Would you look at that. I think I'll fuse my Elemental Hero Burstinatrix with my Elemental Hero Clayman with Dark Fusion, which lets me summon Evil Hero Infernal Sniper in defence mode. Then I'll lay down one face down and end my turn."
Koyuki drew a card as she thought, 'Not Inferno Wing? Ignoring that, why didn't he attack me? Sure, that thing's defence is higher, but he could still have easily destroyed just about any level four or below defensive monster, so why? It might have some kind of effect that only activates when it is face up on the field in defence mode.' She looked at her cards. 'Darn! I can't change its battle position…however…' "I play the spell card Magical Dimension, which lets me send a Spellcaster on the field to the Graveyard to special summon another Spellcaster from my hand. Now I'll send my Apprentice Magician to the graveyard and summon Dark Magician of Chaos in its place." The blonde Spellcaster, which flipped face up when Koyuki played her spell card, disappeared, being replaced by a tall magician clad in dark crimson and sky blue bearing a magical stave even longer than it was tall. "My magician's ability lets me target one spell card in my card graveyard and return it to my hand, Defender, the Magical Knight in defence mode and attack Evil Hero Infernal Sniper. Now, I'll play Book of Secret Arts, which will increase Dark Magician of Chaos' attack points by 300. Now Dark Magician of Chaos, Dark Magic Attack!" The magician pointed its staff at Xavier's monster before a beam of undulating dark energy shot at Xavier's monster.
"I activate Negate Attack, ending the battle phase."
"Fine then, your go," Koyuki, mildly annoyed at not destroying Xavier's monster.
"Thanks Koyuki. In my standby phase, if Infernal Sniper is in defence mode while face up on the field, you take 1000 points of damage."
Koyuki grunted, "So that's what it does."
"Yep," Xavier said, "but you can say sayonara to your Dark Magician of Chaos."
"What do you mean? Infernal Sniper pales in comparison to…"
"Maybe so, but I just happen to have another Dark Fusion card in my hand," Xavier said, holding up said card. "So now I'll fuse my Evil Hero Infernal Sniper with the Evil Hero Malicious Edge in my hand in order to summon the almighty Evil Hero Malicious Fiend." A whirling vortex appeared above Xavier, drawing in Infernal Sniper and Malicious Edge. Out of it, flew a winged fiend that seemed to have a six fingered, clawed hand extending from the top of its masked head. It was every bit as tall, and even more intimidating than Koyuki's Dark Magician of Chaos. "You should count yourself lucky Koyuki, I don't normally need to bring out Malicious Fiend."
Koyuki gulped before she sarcastically said, "Geez thanks Xavier, I'm touched."
"There's no need for sarcasm," Xavier said.
"Really?" Koyuki asked before she exclaimed, "Then you weren't joking just now!?"
"Yeah. There's only been four other duellists that I've needed to bring him out for."
"Seriously!?"
"Yeah. But on with the duel, Malicious Fiend, destroy Dark Magician of Chaos with Double Slash Attack."
Evil Hero Malicious Fiend ran across the field and slashed down at Koyuki's powerful magician, but was unable to connect due to some kind of rock appearing in front of its blade. Koyuki said, "Sorry Xavier, but my Defender has its own ability. You see, when Defender, the Magical Knight is summoned it gets something called a Spell Counter added to it and, if I remove it, it can defend against one of your monster's attacks."
"I see," Xavier said, Well then, since I have no more monsters, I'll lay this card face down and end my go."
"Thanks," Koyuki said, drawing a card. "I'll sacrifice my Defender in order to summon Cybernetic Magician form my h…" Koyuki stopped in her tracks as she saw the card Xavier just played flip face up. She exclaimed, "That's…"
"Forced Back," Xavier said, "Which forces your monster back to your hand."
"Fine then, I'll place one card face down and that'll be all for me," Koyuki said, her magician's 3100 attack points no match to Xavier's fiend's 3500.
"Good," Xavier said, drawing a card. "I'll summon Sonic Chick in defence mode and attack your Magician of Chaos with Double Slash Attack."
Xavier's monster barely took a step before Koyuki said, I activate Negate Attack, ending your Battle Phase."
"Fine, I'm done then," Xavier said, no longer possessing any cards in his hand.
"Then it's my go," Koyuki said, drawing her card. "I summon Bazoo the Soul Eater and use him to attack Sonic Chick."
Xavier smiled as he said, "Sorry Koyuki, but Sonic Chick isn't going anywhere."
"What do you mean it's not…" Koyuki didn't get to finish her sentence before she saw the unthinkable happen. Her monster ignored her order to attack Sonic Chick and instead 'chose' to attack Evil Hero Malicious Fiend instead. "But why…?" Koyuki asked as she took 1900 points of damage after Bazoo the Soul Eater was destroyed.
"That would be Malicious Fiend's effect."
"What effect?" Koyuki asked before she squealed, "No! Stop! I didn't…" as she saw her Dark Magician of Chaos move to attack Xavier's monster, visually struggling against the external compulsion.
"During the opponent's battle phase all of your monsters are forced into attack mode and attack Malicious Fiend if they are able to."
"No way!" Koyuki said, her voice laden with despair as her magician was destroyed, reducing her life points to a mere 700, her field empty. "I'll place one card face down and end my turn."
Xavier drew a card and said, "It was a good duel Koyuki, but now I'm ending it. Evil Hero Malicious Fiend, attack Koyuki directly."
Xavier's fiend rushed up to Koyuki and slashed down on her, but before it could complete its attack Koyuki said, "I activate the trap, Magic Cylinder, which…"
"A shit," Xavier spat.
"…inflicts all of the damage that would have taken on you."
"Ah bugger. I end my turn."
"I thought you might," Koyuki said, finally seeing hope for victory after being on the defensive for the entire duel. She drew a card. "I summon Tsukuyomi, which when it's summoned allows me to flip one monster to face down defence position."
"Ah hell," Xavier said, knowing what came next.
"So I'll choose Evil Hero Malicious Fiend." Malicious Fiend's holograph disappeared from the field.
Xavier said, "Well done Koyuki."
"Why are you congratulating me?"
"Whenever I have played Malicious Fiend in the past the person I'm duelling against tends to power up their monster in order to overpower Malicious Fiend."
On the side of the duelling field some of the teachers were working their jaws like goldfish. After a while though, one of them managed to find their voice. He grabbed Dr Smythe's suit and tugged on its arm to get his attention. When he had it he asked, "What kind of duel is this sir? I've never seen one even remotely like it…even during my time in the Pro's."
The Dr Smythe said, "This duel reminds me somewhat of the first televised duel between Seto Kaiba and Yuki Moto. Savour it."
"Yes…Yes Sir!" the teacher said.
On the field Koyuki said, "Now that Malicious Fiend is out of the way, I'll send Tsukuyomi to the graveyard with Magical Dimension in order to summon Cybernetic Magician." Tsukuyomi disappeared, replaced Koyuki's newest magician. "Now my magician, attack Xavier's face down monster with your Light Magic Attack." At Cybernetic Magician levelled its magical sceptre at Xavier's face down Malicious Fiend and shot a concentrated beam of white magical energy at it. It was destroyed. Since it was in defence mode though, Xavier's life points were safe. "That's my turn done."
'Great,' Xavier thought, 'for the first time this duel Koyuki's got me on the defensive and it only took her two turns to do it, one of them mine. I'm not sure I like it.' Xavier's eyes flashed red as he drew his card and returned to normal immediately afterwards. "I play the spell card Graceful Charity, which lets me draw three cards as long as I discard two of 'em." Xavier drew three cards and discarded two of them, leaving him with two cards in his hand. Xavier said, "I activate Advanced Ritual Ard which will let me summon Lycanthrope to the field by sending normal monsters form my deck to my graveyard" whose combined levels equal six."
"Normal Monsters?" Koyuki said, "But there are only two normal Elemental Heroes that will work with Advanced Ritual Art in this situation, Burstinatrix and Avian. But Burstinatrix is already in the graveyard, so you can't…"
"You might be right Koyuki, if I was using an Elemental Hero deck. The only non-fiend monster that I've used this entire duel is Sonic Chick."
"Then you mean…"
"I'll be sending the Elemental Hero Avian to the graveyard alongside the Ryū-Kishin in my deck in order to summon Lycanthrope to the field." A werewold appeared on the field that howled at the roof of the duel arena after Xavier sent both monsters to the graveyard. "Now Lycanthrope, attack Cybernetic Magician," Xavier ordered his monster.
On its way to attack her magician Koyuki said, "Sorry Xavier, but if I send a card from my hand to my…" Koyuki's eyes widened in shock as she realised that her hand was empty, preventing her from activating her magician's effect. Both monsters were destroyed.
"Because both monsters were destroyed Lycanthrope's effect can't be activated, so I think I'll end my turn now."
Koyuki drew a card and said, "I play Card of Sanctity, which lets us both draw until we are each holding six cards in our hand." Xavier and Koyuki each drew six cards from their decks. "Now I'll play Monster Reborn in order to return my Apprentice Magician to the field.
"Tch," Xavier spat, knowing that his Sonic Chick was about to be destroyed.
In the crowd a student asked, "Why would she bring back Apprentice Magician? Dark Magician of Chaos would have been a much better choice."
A student next to the one that had asked the question said, "Because Sonic Chick can't be destroyed by a monster that has more than 1900 attack points, so I'd say that it is the perfect choice for the situation."
The first student sighed and said, "Maybe so, but it still leaves her woefully unprepared for Xavier's next turn."
The second student said, "Maybe so, but so far Koyuki has only special summoned this turn. In addition to which I highly doubt that the daughter of the King of Games would leave herself exposed on purpose without any means of defending herself."
Back on the field Sonic Chick was destroyed by Koyuki's magician. "Alright then," Koyuki said after Sonic Chick left the field. "Now that your Sonic Chick is gone I'll sacrifice my Apprentice Magician in order to Summon Dark Magician Girl in its place." The scantily clad blonde, female, magician took the place of the Apprentice Magician on Koyuki's field. "Now, since I don't want to incur the wrath of Inferno Wing I'll equip my magician with the spell card Magic Formula, increasing her attack power to 2700. That'll do."
"Alright then," Xavier said, drawing a card so that he had seven in his hand. "I'll summon Elemental Hero Ice Edge and send one card to the card graveyard, which will let him attack you directly. Ice Edge, attack Koyuki with Snowstorm Blast." Xavier's Elemental Hero Ice Edge shot a swirling blizzard at Koyuki, depleting the rest of her life points. The crowd went wild over the duel they had just witnessed.
Professor Smythe stepped up onto the stage as the holograms disappeared from the field. He said, "I hardly have the words to describe the duel that the two of you have just shown us. I don't know if anyone does. But congratulations to you both."
Xavier and Koyuki met in the middle and shook hands. Koyuki said, "That was a great duel Xavier, but I'll win next time."
"You're on," Xavier said, "I never back down from a duel."
As the Xavier and Koyuki congratulated each other on their performance Dr Smythe thought, 'Why were these two sent here? It's clear as day that they should be in the Central Campus.' Then he said, "Now, from the second year we have Bill and Todd."
Bill and Todd came down from the grandstand and accepted the duel disks from Xavier and Koyuki on their way off of the stage. They placed their decks in their respective duel disk as they walked to the middle of the field, standing before Dr Smythe. Dr Smythe offered to flip a coin to decide who goes first, but Todd said, "There's no need for that Professor. Bill can go first."
Bill said, "Thanks Todd," before both duellists went to the usual side that they chose, each believing that the other side was somehow unlucky for them. Once they were standing in the duellist box they each drew five cards after activating their Duel Disk. Bill drew a sixth. "I'll set one monster along with two face downs and end my turn at that."
"Alright," Todd said as he drew a card. "I'll send my Pinecono to the graveyard in order to special summon Acorno to the field in attack mode. Then I'll activate Pinecono's effect, which allows me to summon it from the graveyard if it was sent there by Acorno's effect. Now I'll place one card face down in my spell and trap card zone before sending it to the graveyard in order to special summon Card Breaker to the field in attack mode. Then I'll sacrifice all three monsters in order to summon Beast King Barbaros." Todd moved all three cards from the field to the graveyard before playing his strongest monster. A centaur-like creature with the body of a jaguar and the torso of a human functioning as a neck attached to a lion's head and mane appeared on the field. It was wielding a spear and a buckler. Todd said, "Since I sacrificed three monsters when summoning Beast King Barbaros all monsters on your side of the field are automatically destroyed."
"I activate Ceasefire, which flips all face down monsters face up, which unfortunately means that flip effects aren't activated." Bill flipped his face down Poison Mummy face up. "Now you'll take 500 points of damage for each effect monster on the field and I count two of 'em." Todd lost 1000 life points. "I'm not done yet though," Bill said, "you see when a card that inflicts effect damage resolves I get to summon Achacha Chanbara from my hand and inflict 400 points of damage to you." Bill summoned the said card, costing Todd 400 more life points. "Oh yeah. I forgot to mention it, didn't I?"
"Forgot to mention what exactly?" Todd asked, as yet unable to resolve his monster's effect.
"I have two Achacha Chanbara's in my hand. So say goodbye to another 400 life points."
"Are you done yet?" Todd almost demanded, more than mildly irate after being interrupted to take 1800 points of damage on his go.
"Yeah, I'm done," Bill said.
"Then I activate Barbaros' effect, destroying all three of your monsters currently on the field. So say goodbye to all of your hard work." Bill moved all of his monsters to the graveyard. "Which leaves you open to my attack," Todd said, wanting to put Bill on the defensive.
Bill said, "Sorry Todd, but this duel is over."
"Over? What do you mean?"
"I activate the trap card Magic Cylinder, which takes your attack and sends it straight back at you."
"No way!" Todd said, stupefied by the leap in strength that his friend had made over the break. The applause that the two students received was, while still respectful, far less than that of Xavier and Koyuki.
Bill and Todd left the arena, returning the duel disks to Dr Smythe after removing their decks, somewhat miffed that a couple of first years got more applause than the two of them. Even so they understood why. Dr Smythe said, "That duel displayed just how important strategy is to a duel," in an attempt to boost the morale of the two best second year students. "Next up though is Kimberly and Leah."
The two third year students wasted no time making it to the arena floor, Kim grumbling about the use of her full name the entire time. After they got to the duel arena they accepted the duel disks from Ms Shiba, who had in turn retrieved them from Bill and Todd before they left. Kim and Leah quickly moved to their respective places on the field and Leah said, "I'll go first Kim, if you don't mind that is."
"Sure," Kim said, knowing from past experience that it made no difference when they were duelling one another. Kim drew five cards at the same time as Leah.
Leah drew a sixth card before saying, "I'll set a monster face down and add in one face down. Now I'll let you go."
"Thanks" Kim said, drawing a card. "I summon Chaos-End Master(1) and attack your face down monster." Kim's monster attacked Leah's, destroying it.
Leah said, "Since you just destroyed Achacha Archer, you lose 500 life points."
Kim said, "It was well worth it. I place one card face down and end my turn."
Alright, Leah said, "I'll place one card face down and summon Revival Jam and destroy your Chaos-End Master with it."
"No you won't Leah."
"Eh?"
"I activate Negate Attack, which stops your attack and ends the battle phase of this turn."
Leah grunted and said, "Fine then, your go."
"Thanks," Kim said. "I'll sacrifice Chaos-End Master in order to summon Multiple Slime and then attack your Revival Jam with it."
"Sorry Kim," Leah said, "but you won't be getting your Slime Tokens this time."
"What do you mean?"
"I came prepared for it this time," Leah said, referring to their last duel.
"What do you mean?" Kim asked, feeling like a parrot.
"I activate the trap card, Memory of an Adversary, which causes me to take damage equal to Multiple Slime's attack points."
"Why would you do that?"
"Because, Kim, in return I get to banish that monster."
"No way!" Kim shrieked. "If you do that then I won't get my tokens."
"Didn't I just say that?" Leah said, not yet mentioning her trap cards second effect.
"That'll do it for me then," Kim said, laying one card face down, after her yellow slime monster disappeared.
"Then I'll attack with my Revival Jam," Leah said after she had drawn a card. Kim lost 1500 life points, reducing them to 2000. "Now I'll end my turn."
"In that case I'll activate Card of Safe Return," Kim said as she drew a card. "Now I'll play Monster Reborn, which lets me summon Chaos-End Master from the graveyard. Thanks to Card of Safe Return I also get to draw another three cards." Leah bit her lip. "I think I'll now sacrifice Chaos-End Master in order to summon Freed the Matchless General." A blonde knight took the place of the silver haired one. "Now, Freed, attack," Kim ordered, "Revival Jam," causing her knight to charge forward and slash Revival Jam in two.
"I'll pay 1000 of my life points in order to activate Revival Jam's effect," Leah said, lowering her lifepoints to 2200.
"Fine," Kim said, placing two cards face down as Revival Jam reappeared on the field."IO end my turn." As Kim uttered the words a yellow substance formed alongside the blue, similar, substance of Revival Jam. Kim exclaimed, "What in the world is that?!"
"Revival Jam's effect lets it revive on my next standby phase after I activate its effect. The yellow one's different though."
"What do you…What? How?!" Kim shrieked, seeing her Multiple Slime appear on Leah's field.
"That would be Memory of an Adversary's second effect. During the end phase of the opponent's next turn the monster removed from play returns to the field. But now it's under my control."
"No way!" Kim gasped.
"Yes way," Leah said. "Now, Multiple Slime, attack Freed the Matchless General." The yellow slime monster launched itself at Kim's knight and got splattered all over the field. The globs of slime coagulated into three balls of slime in front of Leah. "Now I'll play Card of Sanctity , causing the both of us to draw until we each hold six cards in our hands before I change my Revival Jam and two of my slime tokens into defence more. Now I'll sacrifice my remaining attack mode slime token to summon Dark General Freed to the field. Now I'll lay down three face downs and call it a turn."
"In that case I'll activate Freed's effect and add Queen's Knight to my hand before playing Giant Trunade, which causes us to return all cards in the spell and trap card zone to our hands." Kim thought, 'Now, next turn, when I add King's Knight to my hand I can summon Arkana Knight Joker, which will just about guarantee me the win.' "I'll attack your slime token with Freed, the Matchless General." Freed destroyed one of Leah's slime tokens. "Now I'm done," Kim said, lacing two cards face down.
"I'll activate Dark Freed's effect to add Dark Blade to my hand, where I can use polymerisation to fuse it with the Pitch Dark Dragon that was already in it. So come forth, Dark Blade the Dragon Knight." Leah's monsters got sucked into a vortex above her and emerged as one all-powerful being.
"Ha!" Kim scoffed. "All that just so you could summon a monster weaker than mine?"
"Just wait 'n' see what I've got in store for ya."
"What do you mean?"
"I play Garma Sword Oath, which lets me summon Garma Sword by sacrificing monsters whose total level equals seven or more, like my Dragon Knight and one of my Slime Tokens."
"Bugger," Kim said, playing rest of the duel out in her mind.
"Now come forth, Garma Sword Oath." A fiendish, six armed, warrior appeared on the field .
"Now, Garma Sword Oath, attack Freed the Matchless General with Six Sword Slash." Garma Sword Oath slashed through Freed with ease, leaving Kim wide open for an attack, costing her 2300 life points, courtesy of Leah's Freed, taking her life points down to zero. "Looks like it is my win this time Kim."
"Seems so," Kim said, "I believe that that makes us even again, doesn't it?"
"Indeed it does," Leah agreed.
"One day, one of us will manage to break the tie."
"Maybe so, but it seems that that day is nowhere near coming, at this point anyway."
XXXXXXX
A/N
(1) At this point in time Tuner Monsters are treated as Effect Monsters, if they possess any, at this point in time.