Jackson stood in the middle of North Academy's main arena, dressed to impress in his black long coat, dark jeans, and Dragon Lord merch shirt. The stands were packed to the brim with fans and students alike, all in attendance for North Academy's non-televised Dark Matches. Jackson appearing for an event like this was a special treat, especially considering his match against Joshua Jericho the night before. Jackson wasn't even on the night's card, but he had a few things to say. Besides, it would be the last time he'd appear in the North Academy Arena. Though this was a glorified house show for North Academy, the arena's cameras began rolling the second Downstait's Kingdom began playing. The Undefeated Dragon Lord was guaranteed ratings after all, regardless of Chancellor Foster's opinion of the young man.
Jackson waited for the cheers to die down, smiling softly as he scratched his head before bringing the microphone to his lips. He had to take another moment to pause as the crowd cheered even more, making him chuckle softly as he looked around at the five thousand faces in attendance, and certainly thousands more watching at home.
"So... About last night..." Jackson began, chuckling to himself as he heard a few laughs from the crowd in attendance. "Well, for starters, I can think of a couple of ways I would have preferred to close the North Academy chapter of my Duel Monsters career." Jackson smiled to himself before walking over to the barricade where he dropped his initial Pipebomb, hopping up on it and nodding towards one of the approaching cameramen as he continued.
"That being said... first and foremost, I'm still very proud of what I was able to accomplish in the Land of the North." Jackson nodded and smiled as cheers of "THANK YOU JACKSON!/DRAGON LORD!" began circling the arena. He chuckled softly, nodding as he composed his thoughts.
"Second, I'd like to thank the staff and faculty of this academy who put their heart into teaching the next generation, as well as the other students and Duelists that call this place home." Jackson chuckled and nodded softly. "Without each and every one of them, even if some of them got on my nerves from time to time, I doubt I'd be strong enough to do what I have to. But most of all..."
Jackson hopped off the barricade and pointed around the arena at the fans in attendance, then finishing by pointing into the camera.
"Most of all, I'd like to thank you. You, the fans of Duel Monsters and pro dueling, the people who enjoy watching high-octane contests of the soul itself. Without you watching in the stands or tuning in every week, we'd all be just a bunch of kids playing a card game in stupid costumes with cheesy music playing us in."
Jackson nodded again, smiling as another chorus of "THANK YOU JACKSON!/DRAGON LORD!" chants began soaring through the crowd.
"I don't know what the future holds for me, or where I'll be going after the School Duel, but whatever happens, wherever I go, whatever I do, I just want all of you to know, from the bottom of my heart, that I'll miss all of you! Not just cheering for me, but every duelist you cheer for! No matter who you're rooting for, as a personal favor, I ask that you keep cheering! Cheer for the men and women who leave everything in this arena! Cheer for all of us!"
Jackson had to pause for another cheer, smiling as a chant of "YES WE WILL! YES WE WILL!" Jackson smiled and readied to drop his final Pipebomb while at North Academy.
"I'll see you all at the School Duel, ladies and gentlemen! And after that, I'm going straight to hell! Enjoy the show!" Jackson flipped the microphone out of his hand as Downstait played him out of North Academy's main arena one last time, and to a thunderous applause. Jackson smiled to himself, knowing that, in spite of Foster's attempts at censoring the broadcasts, enough people would have heard his message. Jackson may be leaving, and North Academy may be on the verge of an implosion, but that doesn't mean the fans who tune in should stop being fans. If anything, they should show their fandom and support even more.
Unbeknownst to Jackson, a certain Duel Academy expatriate was watching the program with extreme interest. From his custom-built cabin in the Snow Caps, Chazz Princeton watched the North Academy Dark broadcast in the lap of luxury. From the Egyptian cotton sheets with a thread-count in the billions to meals flown in from gourmet restaurants worldwide, nothing was out of reach for the youngest heir to the Princeton economic and political empire. Chazz had the world at his feet, ready to eat out of the palm of his hand. Nothing was unattainable for Chazz. Well, almost nothing.
"Corvus seems pretty pleased with himself." Czar scoffed from his seat across from Chazz. Being Chazz's self-appointed right-hand-man had benefits for the Siberian brute, not to mention being associated with Foster's golden boy put him pretty high in the North Academy power rankings. Czar glanced over at Chazz, wincing as he saw Chazz cross his arms and grip his biceps hard enough for his knuckles to turn white.
"Jack's just lucky." Chazz growled, his scowl darkening as the broadcast turned to another duel, apparently a minor extracurricular duel to settle a minor dispute between roommates. "Besides, anyone with a brain knows I'm better than him."
"Well, he is undefeated..." Czar said, immediately regretting it.
"AND I'M NOT?!" Chazz's bark rattled the windows of his custom-built cabin, making Czar flinch. Chazz stood in a huff and stormed over to his desk, upon which his Armed Dragons were set. Sitting down with enough force to make the wooden chair creak, Chazz began retooling his deck into a more vicious monster. "That loss against that flower-power twit was expunged because that wannabe Dragon-Duelist interfered! When I'm done with this, Wannabe will wish he never saw a Dragon! And guess what, Czar! You're gonna help me test it!"
The Siberian Metalmorph Master shuddered at Chazz's words. Chazz and Jackson were the only two duelists he feared dueling, and one of them was currently beyond mad, and had just challenged him to a match...
"Just two days left, Kitsune." Jackson smiled at his Arctic Fox friend as the two finished up their dinners, the cub having dived face-first into a bowl of baked Arctic cod as Jackson settled into his plate of a Cajun-fried version of the same fish. "Two days left before the School Duel. I'm honestly kinda nervous..."
Jackson chuckled as he looked at his small fluffy friend, noting her utter disinterest in what he had to say and instead giving her nightly meal her full attention. He couldn't help but smile as her tail wriggled with each bite.
"Well, at least someone enjoys my cooking." Jackson grinned as he took both empty plates to the sink while Kitsune scampered up his arm to curl up around his neck. Giving the small fox a soft chin-scratch before cleaning up, Jackson's mind turned to the email he'd received from Chancellor Sheppard the other day and the question that very email posed. 'Are you Tough Enough to be All Elite?' The question hung in his mind as he rinsed Kitsune's bowl. Jackson knew he was tough enough to face any challenge, and Sheppard had offered possibly the best challenge Jackson could have hoped for.
The email was, in fact, a personal invitation from Sheppard for Jackson to begin studies at Duel Academy, with his enrollment beginning immediately after the School Duel's Champion was decided. It was certainly a tempting offer for the Undefeated Dragon Lord, especially considering the steeper difficulty curve promised at Duel Academy. Jackson had been following a number of Duelists' adventures and matches, and was certainly eager to face off against a number of Duelists on the island, but an entirely new academy? After the borderline soul-sucking experience he'd had here at North Academy? Was it worth it? Was he willing to possibly put himself through that again?
A soft growl and a series of petite chirps snapped Jackson from his train of thought, a familiar female voice speaking in his mind as he saw the spectral form of his petite partner Decoy Dragon flying about outside.
"Jackson, our little friend has something to show you." Jackson grinned, immediately recognizing the voice as that of Divine Dragon Lord Felgrand, his ever-present Spirit Partner.
"Is that right, Fel?" Jackson smirked, throwing his jacket on as he exited his cabin and followed after Decoy. "Let's see what he wants, shall we?"
XxX
A brief walk later told Jackson all he needed to know. Decoy had seen Chazz and Czar exiting Chazz's cabin, duel disks strapped to their arms, and heading towards North Academy's practice fields. In spite of his disposition towards both Duelists involved, Jackson decided to follow along at a distance and see what developed from the situation. Leaning against a nearby wall, not making his presence known but not attempting to hide either, Jackson tucked in and watched as both Chazz and Czar activated their Duel Disks just before shouting in unison.
"DUEL!"
Chazz Princeton: 4000 LP
Czar Ivanov: 4000 LP
"To start," Czar says as he adds a sixth card to his hand, "I'll be activating both of my copies of Fiend's Sanctuary, allowing me to Special Summon two Metal Fiend Tokens!"
Czar knew he'd used this trick on Chazz in their first duel, but this time he had something new to add to the mix. From the look on his face as the twin metallic dolls appeared on Czar's field, Chazz knew what was coming from a country mile away.
Metal Fiend Token (X2):
DARK / LEVEL 1 / FIEND / 0 ATK / 0 DEF
"Next," Czar pulls another card from his hand, "I'll be sacrificing my two tokens to summon Zoa from my hand!"
The two metal dolls sunk into the snow beneath them, the ground shaking before a blue skinned demon with wing-like ears exploded from the snow between the two duelists. The demonic entity growled at Chazz, dropping from its bipedal stance to a quadrupedal crouch.
Zoa:
DARK / LEVEL 7 / FIEND / 2600 ATK / 1900 DEF
"I'll end my turn with two face-down cards. Turn End!"
Safe from being seen by the two combatants, Jackson pulled his jacket a bit tighter around himself as a slight breeze picked up and whipped a small flurry of snow around the area. Jackson barely registered Chazz's first-turn draw, instead lamenting how pathetic Czar's poker-face was. The Siberian was grinning like a Kodiak bear that just caught a 20 pound salmon.
'He might as well be telling Chazz what his cards are with how big that grin is.' Jackson sighed in thought, watching as Chazz summoned Masked Dragon to the field. To the surprise of absolutely no-one, Chazz summoned his dragon in Defense. Chazz threw out a single face-down card of his own as his white-winged dragon laid down on the snow, curling into itself as its scales turned blue.
Masked Dragon:
FIRE / LEVEL 3 / DRAGON / 1400 ATK / 1100 DEF
"Slow game, huh Kitsune..." Jackson muttered to the yawning fox on his shoulder as Czar drew again. It was obvious she was as disinterested in the current duel as Jackson had been the last time he swept the floor with Czar. "Then again, that's kinda to be expected. Chazz has a new deck, Czar almost never attacks without Metalzoa. And speak of the devil..."
"BY RELEASING MY ZOA EQUIPPED WITH METALMORPH, I CAN SPECIAL SUMMON METALZOA FROM MY DECK!" Czar roared, sending both his monster and the formerly face-down Metalmorph to the Graveyard. In the demon's place rose a mechanized version of the same creature. Nothing organic remained of the original demon. All that was left was a devil made of steel and hate.
Metalzoa:
DARK / LEVEL 8 / MACHINE / 3000 ATK / 2300 DEF
"Next, I activate Monster Reborn, resurrecting my Zoa!" Czar hollered as he triggered the spell card from his hand, grinning even more broadly as a fissure opened in the middle of the field from which the recently departed Zoa emerged in all his blue demonic glory.
Zoa:
DARK / LEVEL 7 / FIEND / 2600 ATK / 1900 DEF
"But he's not sticking around for long!" Czar smirked, activating his second Metalmorph and immediately equipping it to the newly reborn Zoa. With the requirements met once again, Czar sacrificed his demon for a steep upgrade in the form of his second Metalzoa.
Metalzoa:
DARK / LEVEL 8 / MACHINE / 3000 ATK / 2300 DEF
Jackson cocked an eyebrow at the appearance of the second Metalzoa. It wasn't uncommon for Czar to bust out his one trick on his second turn, but twice in the same turn? That was significantly rarer.
"Attack him, my Metalzoa!" Czar roared, causing one of his mechanical monsters to lurch to life and charge Chazz's solitary defense. The mechanical demon immediately cleaved the dragon in two with its claws like a chainsaw through paper, but as it exploded into a fiery cloud of pixels, Chazz began chuckling.
"Too bad, Czar. When Masked Dragon is destroyed in battle, it allows me to Special Summon a Dragon from my deck so long as its ATK is 1500 or less. Rise! Armed Dragon LV3!"
Armed Dragon LV3:
WIND / LEVEL 3 / DRAGON / 1200 ATK / 900 DEF
Jackson cocked an eyebrow as Chazz's sole defense was replaced with an unassuming yellow-jawed dragon that looked more like it belonged in a plushie store than on a battlefield. But, as Jackson well knew, looks can be deceiving, especially with the LV series.
"It doesn't matter what puny monsters you summon to your defense!" Czar roared as his second mechanical demon seemed to tense in preparation. "My Metalzoa will rip it to shreds! GO!" Czar grinned as Metalzoa lurched to life, charging at Chazz's small dragon, only to be intercepted by a spinning vortex that spun out of Chazz's solitary Trap Card.
"You walked right into that one, big boy." Jackson smirked as Chazz went into a self-absorbed rant revolving around his Negate Attack. "Won't be too long now. Actually... I think this next turn will about do it..." Jackson smirked as he saw the grin on Chazz's face. That cocky smile on the Duel Academy expatriate told him he was right.
"Now, during my Standby Phase, my Armed Dragon LV3 will evolve into a more powerful monster!" Chazz yelled out, smiling even more broadly as Armed Dragon LV3 began to grow, experiencing a metamorphosis of his own. "RISE! ARMED DRAGON LV5!"
Armed Dragon LV5:
WIND / LEVEL 5 / DRAGON / 2400 ATK / 1700 DEF
If Czar's poker face was bad, Chazz's was downright abysmal. It was clear he had the formula for victory in his hand, and even Czar could see it. "Now, I activate Armed Dragon's effect! By discarding one monster, I can target and destroy a monster you control with ATK as strong or weaker than the monster I sent! So, I'll be sending Cracking Dragon to the grave to get rid of your first Metalzoa!" Chazz's grin only got more obnoxious as the metallic fiend was obliterated by a series of silver spikes fired from the muzzle of his dragon. "And to deal with the second, I'll be sending Beast King Barbaros!"
Jackson cocked an eyebrow as Chazz sent the Beast-Warrior to the graveyard. Barbaros was a rather rare monster, and a powerful one at that. Chazz likely only had Barbaros in his deck to be fodder for effects, a disgraceful use for such a strong card. Jackson yawned and turned around, not even bothering to pay attention as Chazz summoned Alexandrite Dragon. He knew this fight was over, and even with this brief glimpse at the new deck of Foster's Chosen One, Jackson could tell it had more holes than a Swiss Cheese sandwich. Chazz could have this victory. It didn't change the fact that he would soon be facing his greatest challenge during the School Duel, and possibly the greatest embarrassment of his life should he lose.
Jackson laid back in his bunk on the North Academy submarine, scrolling through his PDA at recent duel records as he calmly awaited the signal that they'd departed North Academy. His ever-present fox friend Kitsune had curled up on his chest, looking like a white powdered donut as she slept happily. It had been a full day since Jackson had watched Chazz use Czar for target practice, and Jackson had used the day for some decent progress. He'd gotten all of his belongings in storage with a rent-by-month storage company near North Academy, and they fortunately were willing to ship nationwide for whenever Jackson's fate was decided.
Jackson and his furry friend were enjoying the tranquility of their stateroom long before any student was supposed to be aboard, and with good reason. Jackson had elected to skip the televised boarding ceremony for North Academy's entourage. He'd heard enough of Foster's egotistical rantings to last a lifetime, and the thought of listening to another self-obsessed ranting from the bespectacled headmaster with more loose screws than a country fence made the young Dragon Master sick to his stomach. He knew his presence would be missed, but not by North Academy's chancellor. If anything, it wouldn't even be mentioned. After all, why would he waste time talking about the best in his academy when the one with a firm hold of his brass ring was standing beside him?
The Undefeated Dragon Lord tossed his PDA aside, lacing his fingers behind his head as he stared at the ceiling of his state room. His mind turned to the email he'd received the night before, Sheppard's question still floating around in his mind.
"Are you Tough Enough to be All Elite?" He muttered to no-one in particular. If the question was simply about his skill, then the answer would be a resounding yes, but recent events made him question whether or not he still had enough passion for Dueling to continue his training. The words of Pauline Heyman practically screamed at Foster after the contract debacle echoed in his mind as he lost himself in thought. A stolen smile, Sheppard's Pro Dueling academy vs Foster's Sports Entertainment academy, the promise of greener pastures... It seemed like the perfect recipe for Jackson to consider Sheppard's school just as Rose had. But did he still have the drive to compete? Was the sword of his soul still sharp, or had Foster's malignant interference dulled his edge?
Jackson's train of thought derailed as his peace was shattered, his two temporary roommates bursting through the stateroom's door. Jesse Anderson and Rose Wilson were smiling brilliantly as they gossiped together about what Duel Academy must be like, and it wasn't long before the two began talking about spots for a date, making Jackson sit up and catch Kitsune before she slipped too far from him.
"Look, Jess, Rose, it's fine if you two want to talk about what the names of your children are gonna be, but can we talk about the actual reason we're heading over there? We have matches to win." Jackson sighed, drawing a smirk from Rose.
"Even though one of us is going to defect to DA after the event is over, and the other is still unsure of where he wants to go?" Rose smirked as she held Jesse's hand in her own, making the Crystal Beast duelist blush redder than the gemstone in Ruby Carbuncle's tail.
"Just because my fate isn't certain doesn't mean I'm going to fight with anything less than one hundred percent." Jackson hopped down off his bunk as Kitsune scampered to his pillow, the Undefeated Dragon Lord eyeing Jesse with a smirk. "Now, is there anything else your girlfriend needs before we start talking strategy?"
"There is, actually." Rose piped up with a smile. "Think I could get Yuki Hyoudou's autograph when the event is over?"
The question made Jackson chuckle as he grabbed Jesse's sleeve, dragging him out of the room and toward the submarine's dueling arena. After a few minutes of walking, Jackson flashed a smirk at Jesse.
"So, seems like your girlfriend is a pretty big fan of Mr. Hyoudou. How does it feel knowing you might have some competition?"
"Oh, Rosie's just a fan of dueling in general. The fact that Yuki is the one she wants an autograph from is incidental." Jesse smiled as he walked towards the submarine's dueling arena, hands behind his head as he strolled along. Jackson wasn't buying his friend's response for a moment.
"Jess, she had stars in her eyes when she asked. She went full anime. Girls don't go full anime unless it's something big."
Jesse stopped in his tracks, looking worried for a moment. "You don't think... Yuki would try and pull the celebrity card and try and steal Rose from me, do you? I mean, we've only been dating for a couple weeks and... Wait... Why are you laughing?"
Jackson couldn't control himself, dropping to a knee as he cackled like a banshee.
"God you are such a dork!" Jackson laughed loudly as Jesse looked on in confusion. Slowly, Jackson returned to sanity, taking deep breaths as he grinned broadly. "Jess, clearly you aren't keeping up to date on DA's rumors. Apparently, Yuki already has a lady friend. Rose is safe." Jackson grinned and clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Now, back to business." Jackson said, redirecting the conversation back to the topic at hand. Regardless of who their opponents would be, Jesse and Jackson needed to be prepared for anything. Unfortunately, they couldn't be prepared for what happened next.
"Jack Corvus!" A voice called from behind them. "You and me... we need to talk."
Jackson stopped mid-stride, slowly turning to find the source of the voice. A small smirk spread across his face as he saw the former Obelisk Blue standing in the hallway, flanked by his ever-present lapdog.
"Well well well, if it isn't the Chazz Princeton. Or is it Chazz Thunder now?" Jackson chided, shaking his head at the ridiculous nickname. "What do you want, Golden Boy."
Chazz smirked with the same egotistical pride as his benefactor, arms crossed over his chest and duel disk on his arm. "Simple. I'm sick of hearing that you're the best around here. I'm the one in the Main Event, I'm the one going one-on-one with Duel Academy's best, I'm even Number 1 in the rankings! You weren't there during my ranking gauntlet and got booted from number one because of it. The only reason you're still undefeated is because I haven't mopped the floor with you yet! So why am I mentioned in the same breath as you?"
"I'm honestly surprised people can fit you and your ego into the same breath in the first place..." Jackson muttered, making Chazz growl. "Not that it matters, but I was kinda busy stopping a poacher when you were getting groomed by Foster during your entrance gauntlet. If you wanted a fight, you could have just asked for one. Sadly, I'm currently talking strategy with my partner for our upcoming tag-team match. So, if you'll excuse me." Jackson turned and resumed his walk toward the arena, pausing again after a few steps. "If you really want a fight, meet me in the arena at midnight. Just you and me, one-on-one." Jackson fired over his shoulder as he and Jesse vanished around a corner, leaving Chazz and Czar behind.
"You hear that, Chazz?" Czar chuckles softly as Jackson and Jesse left. "Just you and him. Sounds kinda old fashioned, doesn't it?"
Chazz smirked as he turned toward his quarters and headed off, Czar hot on his heels. "Makes no difference to me. Just means he doesn't want anyone to see him get his butt kicked."
XxX
"Uh, Jack? You sure fighting him now is a good idea?" Jesse said as he glanced over at his partner, cocking an eyebrow when they were out of earshot. "I mean, what happens when you open up a draconic can of whoop-ass on him?" He asked, taking his place next to his partner and strapping his duel disk on.
"Simple. He'll know that the imaginary brass ring he's holding on to is just that. Imaginary." Jackson smiled, activating his personalized black disk as he chuckled darkly. The two duelists stood together, ready for their AI opponents to be selected from the North Academy training system. Jackson smiled, seeing holographic depictions of The Paradox Brothers backflip into being and prepare their decks. "Huh... I didn't know this simulator had an Easy Mode..."
Two hours later, and numerous victories over the Paradox Brothers' holograms, Jackson and Jesse returned to their state room to find Rose already tucked into bed in her floral pajamas, book in hand and enjoying some downtime as if tomorrow wasn't one of the biggest moments of her life. Of their lives. The three of them were going to be facing off against the toughest Duel Academy had to offer. Rose facing the toughest woman in Duel Academy, Jackson and Jesse likely taking on a well-organized tag-team that could give any pro team a run for their money, and Chazz taking on Duel Academy's absolute best.
Jesse settled into his bunk as Jackson headed over to the mahogany desk, opening up his laptop and scrolling through duel records from Duel Academy. He had a pretty good idea who Chazz and Rose would be facing, but the identity of the tag-team still eluded him. Either way, he'd make sure to give whoever stood against him and Jesse one hell of a fight.
Jackson watched duel replays for the next hour and a half, studying duels that featured who he believed to be the best DA had to offer. Yuki and Yumei Hyoudou, Alexis Rhodes, Bastion Misawa, Jaden Yuki, and Zane Truesdale were all on his watch list. The top six according to his personal rankings. Each had immense talent, and each duelist was very likely to be on DA's School Duel card. Jackson couldn't help but smile when he considered who might be standing across him when the time came. This is what excited him most about the School Duel; the thrill of the unknown, and the promise of a fight.
"I was beginning to think you'd chickened out." Chazz jeered, chuckling as Jackson stepped up to the duel platform. The Undefeated Dragon Lord was barely five minutes late, but that was apparently more than enough time for Chazz to consider taking a victory by forfeit.
"And I told you to come alone, but I clearly see your ego decided to tag along." Jackson fired back, activating his duel disk and glaring at Chazz. "Well? Are we going to stand around all night, or are we gonna duel?"
Chazz snarled at Jackson, activating his disk. "Why the hurry? You're only rushing to your first loss!"
"DUEL!"
Jackson Corvus: 4000 LP
Chazz Princeton: 4000 LP
"The first move's mine!" Chazz yelled, hearing no complaint from Jackson as he drew his first card. Then again, he wouldn't have acknowledged any if he had. "I'll start by activating Cost Down! By discarding one card, I can lower the level of all Monsters in my hand by two. This means I can summon out Genesis Dragon without a sacrifice!" Chazz seemed rather pleased with himself as the rust-scaled dragon appeared in a flash of light.
Genesis Dragon:
LIGHT / LEVEL 6 / DRAGON / 2200 ATK / 1800 DEF
"But don't think I'm stopping there! My next card is Monster Reborn! And I'll be using it to bring back the card I send with Cost Down! I Special Summon Armed Dragon LV5!" Chazz hollered out as a fissure appearing in the floor beneath them, a dragon with black and red scales clawing its way up from the underworld to snarl angrily at Jackson.
Armed Dragon LV5:
WIND / LEVEL 5 / DRAGON / 2400 ATK / 1700 DEF
Jackson didn't even blink as Chazz ended his turn. Glancing down at his hand, he already had what he needed to send Chazz crying back to his cabin. Jackson drew a new card and smiled softly. "Hm, starting off strong, I see. Alright then... I'll summon Kidmodo Dragon in Defense!" Jackson says as he slots his monster in, smiling as a pink and yellow scaled dragon swirled around him before taking his place on the field, covering his small head with his forepaws.
Kidmodo Dragon:
EARTH / LEVEL 3 / DRAGON / 100 ATK / 200 DEF
"I'll follow that up with two face-downs. Your move." Jackson smiled as he set his two cards, looking at Chazz with an expectant smirk.
"So, that's what the Undefeated Dragon Lord brings to the table? A pathetic defensive and two face-downs? Why are you even undefeated! You duel like an amateur!" Chazz was laughing as he drew his next card, grinning ear to ear as he held the card out. "See this? This is the weakest Dragon in my deck, but it's plenty strong enough to send your pathetic Monster away. I discard Armed Dragon LV3 to activate LV5's Special Ability! Now, I can target and destroy one monster on my opponent's field with ATK less than the ATK of the monster I just discarded. Kidmodo Dragon, You go bye bye!"
Kidmodo whimpered softly as Armed Dragon LV5's chest blades whirred to life and fired at his small form. Cowering in fear as an explosion rocked the platform and a cloud of dust obscured Jackson's side of the field. Chazz was already laughing, gloating about his imminent victory, ready to start cutting another promo until a deep growl from Jackson's field cut him off. The smoke began to clear, revealing a massive dragon clad in knightly armor and brandishing a shield taller than the two duelists combined, and a sword more massive than Chazz's inflated ego.
Dragonic Knight:
FIRE / LEVEL 7 / DRAGON / 2800 ATK / 2300 DEF.
Chazz shook his head as the new dragon roared in anger, the roar echoed seemingly from behind Jackson. The former Obelisk Blue glared at his opponent, demanding an explanation.
"What's the matter, Golden Boy, confused?" Jackson smiled, taking another card from his hand. "Let me clear things up a bit. Chazz, my friends are very protective of each other, but they're especially of the little ones, and none are more eager to jump to the defense of his friends than Dragonic Knight. You see, when one of your Monster effects activates that targets and destroys a Monster I control, Dragonic Knight sends them to the Graveyard to keep them out of harm's way and steps in to punish any who dare harm his friends." Jackson grins, Dragonic Knight snarling as Jackson spins the other card he pulled from his hand. "But he's not the only one with family to protect! When Kidmodo Dragon is sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon one Dragon-Type Monster from my Hand!"
Jackson grins and raises his hand, closing his eyes as he offered a prayer to the heavens. "Let the light of the Heavens shine down on those who seek your mercy..."
Chazz gulped as Jackson began, knowing that these words spoken like scripture could only mean one thing.
"The rays of judgement smite those who oppose your law!" Jackson's voice rose, reaching a crescendo as he slapped the card down onto his disk. "ROAR! ROAR AND TAKE FLIGHT! DIVINE DRAGON LORD FELGRAND!" Jackson's battle cry was echoed by a roar from the heavens, a golden dragon flying down from a realm known only to the divine. Jackson's partner, Divine Dragon Lord Felgrand, soared down and perched behind him, stretching her wings wide and roaring at Chazz.
Divine Dragon Lord Felgrand:
LIGHT / LEVEL 8 / DRAGON / 2800 ATK / 2800 DEF
The Former Duel Academy student stumbled backwards, his monsters shuddering at the sight of the goddess of all draconic life. He didn't expect Lord Felgrand so soon, he hadn't planned for her, hadn't even considered her a possibility this early in the game, but here she was. And she was pissed. It was still his turn, and he had to do something to prevent being eaten alive by the two draconic juggernauts staring him down.
"A-alright," Chazz cursed himself as his voice cracked with stress. He couldn't lose, not now, and certainly not at the School Duel. Not with what was at stake, not with them counting on his success. He cleared his throat and straightened up, glaring at his opponent. "Alright, since it's still my turn, I'll be turning Armed Dragon LV5 and Genesis Dragon into Defense Mode. Then, I'll kick out a face-down and end my turn."
Jackson grinned at his opponent. He was nervous. Why shouldn't he be? But... there was more to this nervousness. Something deeper. Jackson shook his head, returning his focus to the task at hand. "My turn," Jackson roared, "I draw!"
"Wait right there!" Chazz yelled, holding out his hand as a Trap Card flipped face-up. "I activate Depth Amulet! With this, I can discard one card to negate an attack you launch at me."
Jackson cocked an eyebrow and smirked softly, shaking his head as he pulled a card from his hand. "A last desperate act from a man desperately clinging to the wool covering his eyes. It's time for you to wake up, Chazz. I activate A Wingbeat of Giant Dragon! With this, I can return Dragonic Knight to my hand to destroy every Spell and Trap on the field!" Jackson's armor-clad dragon roared and began beating his wings, whipping up a maelstrom as Chazz's Depth Amulet and Jackson's twin face-down cards were destroyed, revealing themselves in the process.
"Wait... no," Chazz's blood ran cold at what he saw. Two serpentine statues appeared on Jackson's field as the storm settled.
Wicked Token (X2):
DARK / LEVEL 4 / FIEND / 1000 ATK / 1000 DEF
"YOU HAD STATUE OF THE WICKED?" Chazz couldn't believe his eyes, nor how badly he'd been outplayed from the very beginning.
Jackson smiled softly, nodding at Chazz. "Not as dense as they say, huh. You guessed right. My back row was two Statue of the Wicked cards. To be the best, you have to beat the best, Chazz. You can try thinking three moves ahead, but that'll only put you two move behind me. I sacrifice my two Statues of the Wicked to summon a true Tyrant." Jackson grinned as the two statues shattered, combining into one form before expanding into a flaming silhouette. "I summon Tyrant Dragon!"
Jackson's dragon exhaled deeply as he stepped from his silhouette, his brown scaled winks stretching as he eyed Chazz with disinterest. Even the emerald jewel imbedded in the dragon's forehead seemed dull, as if it couldn't be bothered to gleam as brightly when faced with such a meager opponent.
Tyrant Dragon:
FIRE / LEVEL 8 / DRAGON / 2900 ATK / 2500 DEF
"Battle Phase, Tyrant Dragon, attack Armed Dragon LV5!" Jackson cried out. His dragon opened its maw, rearing back before unleashing a torrent of flames at Chazz's defensive wall. The Armed Dragon couldn't withstand the onslaught for more than a second, shattering into multicolored pixels as the flames continued on towards Chazz.
Princeton: 4000 LP - 1200 = 2800 LP
Chazz staggered backwards, reeling from the piercing damage inflicted from Tyrant Dragon's attack.
"If you think Tyrant's a one-and-done fighter, you're wrong, Chazz," Jackson smirked as Tyrant Dragon eyed the only other target on Chazz's field. "For Tyrant Dragon, it's an insult to him if anyone dares oppose his dominion, and if you have a monster on the field after his first attack, he can make another to punish those who dare stand against him. Tyrant Dragon! Prove why your rule on this Earth has no challengers! Attack Genesis Dragon!"
At Jackson's word, Tyrant Dragon's emerald bead began to glow, unleashing a beam of green energy into Genesis Dragon, piercing the monster and impacting Chazz fully in the chest.
Princeton: 2800 LP - 1100 = 1700 LP
Chazz dropped to his knees, knowing his end was coming but refusing to face it as he stared at the ground. He didn't even hear Jackson calling for his partner to finish the match. The only thing he could comprehend was a blinding beam of light engulfing him before the last remnants of his Life Points were burned away.
Princeton: 1700 LP - 2800 = 0 LP
Jackson sighed softly, all cards but his Ace fading from the field as he walked over to Chazz. He placed a hand on Chazz's shoulder, only for Chazz to swat his hand away and glare at him.
"I don't want your sympathy, Jack," the fallen duelist spoke his name like it was a curse. "I don't want your little post-victory peptalk. I'm Chazz Princeton. This match... this was just to show me the holes in my deck." Chazz slowly rose, glaring at Jackson with forced anger. "Now that I know them, I'll patch them. Then, I'll stomp you into the ground! RIGHT AFTER I STOMP DUEL ACADEMY INTO DUST!" Chazz's roar echoed around the arena as he stormed out, leaving Jackson alone with a sneaking suspicion that something wasn't quite right with Chazz. Besides the obvious laundry list of character defects...
Jackson made the walk back to his room in silence, mulling over Chazz's odd behavior with each step. Chazz wasn't nervous about their duel. Going in, Chazz seemed confident, like he trusted himself and his cards. Even when faced with defeat, Chazz always rebounded and fought back with a cocky grin. So why not now? Jackson shook his head, unable to unravel the reason behind Chazz's odd actions. Besides, after tomorrow, Chazz wouldn't be his problem anymore.
Jackson froze with his hand on the door to his shared state room, a chill running up his spine. "After tomorrow... After tomorrow, will I still want to be a duelist?" Jackson thought to himself, pushing the door open and closing it behind him. His fox friend bounded from his bed to leap onto his shoulder, curling around his neck like a living scarf as she almost purred softly. Jackson chuckled softly, scratching Kitsune's chin as he whispered to her. "I guess it all depends on what Duel Academy can show me, huh?"
Kitsune nodded softly, yawing and nuzzling into him as he changed into a pair of gym shorts and slipped into bed.
"Show me your best, Duel Academy. I know I'm tough enough, but are you all elite?"
XxX
The next day, the North Academy submarine had docked at Duel Academy's pier. As the students and headmaster of the Arctic Academy disembarked, Jackson spied what appeared to be a welcoming party heading toward them from the main island. It didn't take long before everyone from North Academy had gathered on the pier, and even less time for Duel Academy's welcoming party to arrive. The tension was thick enough to be cut with a knife as Chancellor Foster shook hands with a portly balding man wearing a burgundy coat and a bright smile.
Jackson couldn't care less as he stood with Jesse to his left, Rose to his right, and Chazz beyond her. Across from him stood a young man about Jesse's height with brown hair and a red jacket. Jackson nodded softly as the young man waved, then smirked as he saw the faint outline of a Winged Kuriboh sitting on the young man's shoulder. Standing next to him stood a taller student in a yellow jacket, black hair combed neatly, and looking every part the bookworm genius. The next person of note was standing opposite Rose. She was a dark-haired young woman of average height dressed in a blue blazer, wearing a smile that was equal parts excited, nervous, and cocky. The fourth student...
As Jackson had been surveying the four Duel Academy students, unaware that they were Duel Academy's chosen defenders, Yuki Hyoudou had been doing the exact same, eyeing each duelist before him and ignoring Chazz completely, much to Chazz's annoyance. His eye finally met the gaze of a sandy-blond duelist towards the end of the line, his crimson gaze hidden behind amber-tinted aviator sunglasses.
The two young men eyed one another for a moment before a small look of recognition graced both their faces.
"Hey, aren't you Yuki Hyoudou?" Jackson asked after a second.
"No way, Jackson Corvus?" Yuki blurted out.
Neither young man was able to stop smiling.
