It was 12:00, and there were no classes for Yujin to attend to for another hour. He wasn't really hungry, so he decided to go to the local card shop, deciding he could buy some more packs. As he entered the shop he noticed Lucian there talking with another person.

"Hey, Lucian." He said as he walked over to the two.

"Oh hey Yujin. Well, this is my roommate I mentioned." He replied back.

"Hey…" His roommate murmured. The roommate was a bit taller than Yujin, had messy light-blue hair and no real other defining traits other than the fact he wore glasses. He was overall, kind of generic.

"So, uh I'm Yujin, a friend of Lucian."

"My name is Fleming, Sean Fleming." Lucian's roommate, apparently named Sean said, though he seemed to avoid eye contact.

"So, what were you two talking about?" Yujin was a bit curious.

"Oh, just asked him if he wanted to join the small study group. I told him it was just going to be you and me.

"Yeah, I'd prefer a small group over a big one." Yujin said.

"Well, if it's just 3 people I think I'm okay with it." Sean said.

"How did I end up with the two most anti-social people on campus?" Lucian thought to himself.

"Well, that's okay than. Guess we'll study after class?" Yujin asked.

"Don't you have a duel after class?"

"Oh… right. Totally forgot about that bi- I mean, person." Yujin corrected himself as he noticed some people staring at him.

"Do you even know her? I swear, she acted like she knew you." Lucian said as he and Sean paid for a couple of packs.

"I don't think so? I don't think I've ever met anybody from Russia."

"Well, I'd watch out for her. She's in my Synchro Summon class, and she seems one of the better Ra's."

"Guess I at the least know what kind of summon she uses now."

"Hey, Lucian I got an Honest from my pack, do you want it?"

"Oh sweet, thanks Sean." Lucian grabbed it and thanked Sean.

"Well, I'll leave the two of you alone, I'm going to look what they have in stock." Yujin walked around the shop as they have multiple kinds of booster packs stored behind glass cases. He walked over to one of the store clerics and bought a few packs as he left.

As he was standing outside of the shop and opened some packs Lazuli appeared.

"Yujin, are you sure you want to do this?" She said, as she seemed to be a bit worried.

"Do what? The duel?"

"Yeah, I mean… don't you think she's a bit odd?"

"Eh, it seems so, but I'm pretty sure I'm cursed at this point. I try to hit on 2 women, and both end up being psychopaths." Yujin was glancing upon one of the packs he opened, revealing nothing of worth.

"Well, for one. She knows your name."

Yujin went silent for a second, until he shook his head. "I bet she must've heard it in class, I mean the teachers have called me a few times, and due to my 'unique' appearance I'm sure I'm not easy to forget."

"But, what if-"

"Look Lazuli, I get it. You're worried, but what's the worst that can happen? She's just a duelist with an ego, if anything bad happens during the duel I'll just do what I did with Lucy and bail. You don't have to worry for me, I can take care of myself."

"Yeah… I guess, but promise me you won't do anything stupid. I don't want you to get in trouble."

"I'll try." Yujin opened another pack as he saw he pulled a really good card.

"Oh sweet, I'm totally putting that in my deck." Yujin grabbed his deck box as he removed one of the cards and replaced it with the new one.

"So, what card did you put in?" Lazuli asked.

"It's a secret, you'll probably see it in the duel." Yujin said as he smiled at his partner.

A few hours had passed as class had ended, Yujin rushed to one Duel Arena's as he noticed Bridget was already there.

"Ah, you finally showed up. Was wondering if you were even going to appear at all." She chuckled a bit.

"Hah, I wouldn't want to miss a duel. " Yujin glanced at Bridget. This was the first time he actually saw her outside of her gym outfit. She had her hair braided which ended up splitting in 3 different ends and the hair at the side of her face were tied with some hair elastics. She also wore a small silver pendant with a crest that resembled a flame.

Lazuli was watching her partner as she floated behind him, she still didn't trust what was going on. She had a really bad feeling about it, rather understandably. Yet she had promised Yujin to not be worried, so she tried to at least look calm as she followed him to one of the unoccupied arena's. There didn't seem to be any people, as most were watching the other duelists.

"Ah, a quiet space. Those are hard to find you know." Bridget said as she grabbed a Duel Disk.

"Yeah, I mean it's a school for dueling so of course it's popular." Yujin said doing the same thing.

"So, who goes first?" She put the deck in her Duel Disk as it got shuffled.

"We'll let the Duel Disk decide. It has a built in coin flip right?" Yujin said.

"Right, I'll call tails." Bridget was getting disinterested.

Lazuli looked at Yujin's Duel Disk as the virtual coin landed on heads.

"I'll go first it seems." Yujin said.

"Ready." Bridget said.

"Set." Yujin continued.

"DUEL!" They both said in unison as they drew their opening hands.

Turn 1: Yujin

Yujin

Life Points: 8000

Hand: 5

Field: N/A

Bridget

Life Points: 8000

Hand: 5

Field: N/A

Draw Phase, skipped. Proceed to main phase.

Lazuli took a peek at Yujin's hand and noticed it was quite terrible.

"Seems you bricked." She said to him.

"I know, I can't do anything at all with this hand." he whispered.

"Are you going to make a move or what?" Bridget was getting impatient.

"Yeah, I'll set 1 monster and one card in my Spell/Trap Zone, then I'll end my turn." He said as 2 face-down cards appeared floating in a what looked like the letter T now.

Turn 2: Bridget

Yujin

Life Points: 8000

Hand: 3

Field:

Monsters: 1 face-down.

Spells/Traps: 1 face-down.

Bridget

Life Points: 8000

Hand: 6

Field: N/A

"Heh." Bridget laughed as she looked at the card she drew. She held the pendant on her neck with her hand as she took a deep breath.

"What is she doing?" Lazuli asked to Yujin who merely shrugged. She tried to act a bit more cheerful like she normally does, though there was a hint of worry.

"I'll activate the Spell Card Molten Conduction Field."

Lazuli's eyes shot wide at the name of the Spell Card mentioned as she suddenly dropped mid-air and fell in shock.

"Molten Conduction Zone is a Spell Card that allows you to send, two Laval monsters from my Deck to the Graveyard." Bridget declared.

Lazuli was standing behind Yujin who hadn't notice her fall, she was scared for unknown reasons, but didn't want to alert her partner.

"I'll send these two pair of sisters: "Laval Volcano Handmaiden andher older sister Laval Lakeside Lady. And that's not all, when Handmaiden is send to the Graveyard I can send another Laval to my Graveyard from my hand, if I have another Laval in my Graveyard. And will you look at that, I do."

"So that means you can get an extra Foolish Burial pretty much?" Yujin said.

"Bingo, and I can even send a copy of herself." Another Handmaiden was sent to the Graveyard.

"And another." Bridget dumped another one in her Graveyard.

"And finally I'll send the younger sister of the trio to the Graveyard: Laval Forest Sprite."

"Now you have 5 monsters in your Graveyard… that's rather worrying" Yujin said as he looked at his hand.

"Oh, but don't think I'm done yet. I'll use Lakeside Lady's effect, by banishing her and Handmaiden I can destroy 1 set card on the field. So say goodbye to that backrow!" She tapped her Duel Disk as the cards from her Graveyard ejected out, which she had to store in her deck box now.

Yujin begrudgingly destroyed his face-down, a Mystical Space Typhoon.

"Next I'll Normal Summon Flamvell Firedog." (FIRE, Beast, Level 4, 1900 ATK, 200 DEF.) A lava coated dog appeared next to Bridget.

"That's not a Laval." Yujin said.

"Oh no, but it does help my deck a lot especially for this battle." She said, as she prepared to enter her Battle Phase.

"She even has the Flamvell too…" Lazuli said, getting increasingly worried.

Enter Battle Phase

"Firedog, attack that face-down!" Smoke appeared from its mouth as it charged at the face-down card revealing Gem-Knight Tourmaline (1800 DEF) Tourmaline stood no chance as it got bitten by Firedog, whose mouth was were literally burning with excitement.

Lazuli looked on in horror as Tourmaline's armor cracked and he disappeared from the field, she almost wanted to scream.

"You're using Gem-Knights?" Bridget starting laughing.

"What's so funny about that?" Yujin said annoyed.

"Oh nothing, it's just perfect. Now, Firedog's effect, if he destroys a monster by battle I can Special Summon 1 monster with 200 or less DEF from my deck, except for another copy of him. I'll Special Summon Laval Lakeside Lady (FIRE, Pyro, Tuner, Level 3, 200 ATK, 200 DEF.)

"She's also a tuner, huh?" Yujin noted.

"Oh, and she'll attack you directly." Bridget said as she pointed towards Yujin. Lakeside lady looked very disinterested for a bit, until a cruel smile formed upon her face as burning cinders appeared in her hands forming a small fireball which she launched at Yujin who stumbled a bit back.

Yujin's LP: 8000-200=7800 LP.

Enter Main Phase 2.

"Heh, that was nothing." Yujin stated.

"Of course, it was only a measly 200 damage. Now I'll tune these two monsters! Wishes of those who lost their body, awaken the God of Ancient Flames! I Synchro Summon Ancient Flamvell Deity!"(FIRE, Pyro, Level 7, 2500 ATK, 200 DEF.)

An enormous dark-toned being appeared with fire all around his muscular body. He had crossed his arms and looked incredibly menacing.

"Incredible." Lazuli was in awe as she stared at the legendary being that stood before her.

Yujin seemed to be unimpressed as he looked at the monster. "So, what does it do?"

"Glad you asked, with its effect I can banish monsters from your Graveyard up to the number you have in your hand and he then gains 200 ATK for each." The two cards destroyed earlier were forced out of his Graveyard as Yujin had to store them away.

Ancient Flamvell Deity (2500+400=2900 ATK.)

"I'll end my turn." Bridget said.

Turn 3: Yujin

Yujin

Life Points: 7800

Hand: 4

Field: N/A

Bridget

Life Points: 6700

Hand: 4

Field:

Monsters: Ancient Flamvell Deity (2900 ATK)

Yujin drew a card as he looked at Lazuli.

"Hey are you okay? You look rather nervous."

"What, me? I'm fine, just a bit intimidated by that monster. It's a literal god after all." Lazuli said, telling half of the truth as something clearly bothered her.

"Hah, a god? I'm not afraid of such a being, for not even they can parallel an united force of good." Yujin proudly proclaimed.

"Oh, getting a bit cocky aren't we?" Bridget said.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. I'll Normal Summon Gem-Armadillo. (EARTH, Rock, Level 4, 1700 ATK, 500 DEF). And when he's Summoned I can add a Gem-Knight monster, so say hello to Garnet!"

"And luckily I drew this! I activate Gem-Knight Fusion! Gem tinged with Fire, become one with the green stone and forge brilliant light! Fusion Summon! Appear! He who destroys! Gem-Knight Ruby!" (EARTH, Pyro, Level 6, ATK: 2500, DEF: 1300.)

"You're up Lazuli." Lazuli slowly nodded as she and Garnet fused together forming Ruby who gallantly appeared on the field. Lazuli's spirit was still conscious and still appeared next to Yujin, albeit a lot more faded, like only half of it was there.

"It must be kind of weird to be at two places at the same time." Yujin stated.

"Yeah, I know part of my conscious is in Ruby, and I can feel it.. yet I'm still here. It's very different from a normal fusion since a part of me is still here." Lazuli was a bit disoriented, she hadn't gotten used to this phenomenon yet.

Bridget looked a bit annoyed as she knew what was going to happen.

"Lazuli's effect, I add Garnet back to my hand, and then I'll banish her to add Gem-Knight Fusion back. Next I'll use Ruby's effect to tribute Armadillo and let him gain 1700 ATK!" Ruby slammed his weapon into Armadillo as a surge of power surrounded him.

Gem-Knight Ruby (ATK: 2500+1700=4200)

"Victory often asks for sacrifices, and using these kind of tactics prove that don't you think?" Bridget asked.

"Perhaps, but your so called deity is finished!"

Enter Battle Phase

"Ruby attack her monster!" Ruby jumped up in the air as he prepared to strike Ancient Flamvell Deity, but the deity created an inferno to stop the gem. However, for a flame warrior it was nothing as he jumped effortlessly through the flames. He slashed at deity's legs as the god-like being fell down to his knees. Ruby rammed his weapon straight through the divine being's chest and dragged it along with great speed cutting the being in two.

Bridget's LP: 8000-1300=6700 LP

"Ah, wasn't that splendid?" Bridget said as she sarcastically clapped.

"Hah, your pitiful Synchro was nothing compared to Ruby, you really should've just gone for something else like Black Rose Moonlight Dragon."

"I don't run it, but thanks. I'll take that into consideration." Bridget said, once again sarcastically.

"I'll end my turn. Ruby's stats will return to normal. I'm enjoying this duel aren't you?"

Gem-Knight Ruby: (4200 ATK-1700=2500 ATK)

Turn 4: Bridget

Yujin

Life Points: 7800

Hand: 3

Field:

Monsters: Gem-Knight Ruby (2500 ATK)

Bridget

Life Points: 8000

Hand: 5

Field: N/A

"Enjoying myself? I guess you don't know what a duel is." Bridget said while chuckling

"I know what a duel is, it seems you're the one who's misguided." Yujin said.

"I think you should pay a little bit of attention to the duel Yujin. For I drew this card: Gold Sarcophagus!" A the aforementioned card appeared behind Bridget floating in the air.

"With its effect I can banish 1 card from my deck, and add it to my hand during my second Standby Phase after I've activated it! And with its effect I'll banish Rekindling!"

Yujin and Lazuli gasped at the same time.

"I see you know the spell card." Bridget said.

"Rekindling a limited spell card with the effect to summon as many FIRE monsters as you want with 200 or less DEF from your Graveyard." Yujin stated.

"Bingo, so the moment I use this I've won this duel. You've only got 2 turns left Yujin."

Lazuli was nervous and started fidgeting, she really didn't know what to do.

"Next, I'll Normal Summon Laval Cannon."(FIRE, Warrior, Level 4, 1600 ATK, 900 DEF.). A big bulky warrior appeared holding a giant cannon in his hand.

"With his effect I can Special Summon 1 of my banished Laval, come forth Laval Volcano Handmaiden!" (FIRE, Pyro, Tuner, Level 1, 100 ATK, 200 DEF.)

"Oh, so you can get a free Synchro Summon now." Yujin stated.

"Correct once again, seems you're smarter than you look. I'll tune my two monsters! As the elements fade into darkness, once the light strikes the darkness revolt back! Seek and destroy! Ally of Justice - Catastor!" (DARK, Machine, Level 5, 2200 ATK, 1200 DEF.)

An incredibly odd looking machine appeared, it six insect-like legs with golden tips. It's body was mostly white and at the end of its body had 2 small golden spikes. Its single eye stared upon Ruby as it slowly tilted its golden head.

"She even has an Ally of Justice…" Lazuli didn't like where this was going.

"I think we all know his effect don't we? If he attacks a non-DARK monster it'll be immediately destroyed. And guess what I'll do."

Enter Battle Phase

"Catastor attack his pitiful monster!" Catastor slowly walked forward to Ruby, but suddenly went to a sprint as it fired multiple laser beams, Ruby managed to deflect them but as Catastor jumped on Ruby it started using its legs to scratch Ruby and pierced right through his crest as another laser blew him up. Lazuli started coughing as she could feel the pain transmitted to her body as she fell down.

"Hey, are you okay?" Yujin said as he helped his partner back up without alerting Bridget.

"Yeah, it just hurt a bit more than expected." Lazuli was injured, but now it seemed all of her spirit was back.

"What was with that attack anyway?! " Yujin said looking angry to Bridget.

"Aw, you're angry your little toy is destroyed? I'm sorry Yujin, but that's how it's supposed to be."

"What's supposed to be?"

"A duel, it's not just a game. It's a battlefield, it's war. It's not pretty, but they still exist. The weak warriors support the stronger ones in the small hope to survive. These monsters are pitiful."

"Don't you care for your deck? Don't you care if your own monsters are destroyed?"

"Hah, for them it should be an honor. Death in combat is the biggest honor a warrior should have, and if they can't respect that, they shouldn't be on a battlefield."

"It's disappointing, I can see you have passion in your dueling, but your heart is at the wrong place."

"How about you put your money where your mouth is and show me 'how I'm wrong.'

"I'll show you how wrong you are!" Yujin said as he looked at Lazuli who could barely stand up now.

"Heh, I'll show you the true meaning of dueling." Bridget said as she ended her turn.

(Duel will continue next chapter)