Yu-Gi-Oh ! GX : Destiny's Dawn

CHAPTER 2

Konrad, being in a pinch, looked at the top of his deck with uncertainty. Meanwhile, Hiroto had a smug grin, the kind of grin that would make a pacifist want to incite violence, he just had that much of a punchable face.

(This is do or die, Konrad. I have to draw that card, and if I do…This duel is easily mine.) The boy in the red cap gulped. "What's wrong? Frozen in fear?" Hiroto asked, still smiling. "Go ahead, no matter what you do, I'll still make you feel despair."

"You're really annoying me. My turn!" Konrad said, taking a card from his deck. He glanced at it, it wasn't the card he had hoped for.

(Nightmare penguin..Sure, it's a useful card, and the effect is one that could get me out of this situation…but it's a flip monster so he needs to attack it, and he can attack directly!...Wait, I still have my trap!) Konrad stared down at his face-down card. It was the trap card Waboku. (Right, with Waboku, I'll be able to survive one more round…Then I'll use Nightmare Penguin's effect to get rid of Gravity bind. Maybe I'll win this duel, after all.) After finishing his monologue, Konrad smiled as a shimmer of hope showed itself. Hiroto narrowed his eyes, noting Konrad's change of expression.

"Alright, I'll just summon a monster face-down, then my turn." Konrad said, putting his Nightmare Penguin and intending to use its effect later.

"About time! I was getting tired of all this waiting!" Hiroto stated, as it was his turn. "Heh, I will admit, this duel has been decent. But I have an academy to attend to! So, I'll just finish this, and send you back home. Nothing personal!"

"Here it comes!" Konrad said. "Jinzo 7, attack him directly, now!" Hiroto ordered, throwing his arm as Jinzo 7 leapt above Konrad's monsters and attempted to finish him off.

"Not so fast, I activate my trap card, Waboku!" Konrad exclaimed, revealing it. "What this card does is that it turns any damage I would take to zero!" With that, three women wearing blue robes chanting an ancient mystical language surrounded him. Before Jinzo 7 could truly attack Konrad, it was stopped by a blue barrier that took the blow instead and pushed it back to Hiroto's side. The Ra Yellow was annoyed by that move.

"You sure love to waste time, don't you?" Hiroto asked. "Next turn, there will be nothing saving you. Before I end my turn, I will switch Sangan to defense mode. Then summon Giant Soldier of Stone also in defense position." Fortifying his defense as a large soldier made of stone appeared, assuming a blocking stance. It boasted a considerable defense. (ATK/ 1300 | DEF/ 2000)

(Ugh, as if his trap card wasn't trouble enough, I have to deal with a monster that has two thousands defense points, too. But thankfully, I can take care of that, I have the right card in hand.) Konrad glanced at his cards. There was indeed a powerful monster, Orca Mega-Fortress of Darkness. It had been sitting in his hand during the start of the duel but didn't find any use for it in any turn. But it seemed now that he had to use it.

"My turn, Draw!" Konrad spoke, taking a card. It was finally the card he had hoped to draw. (Giant Trunade, Finally! Though..I don't think I can win this turn yet. I'll save it for the final, all out attack. It's nice to have it in my hands, at least.)

"I'll win this duel, Hiroto!" Konrad said, pointing towards the Ra yellow, who in turn thought that the slifer red's confidence was misplaced. "Oh yeah? I don't see how a slifer loser like you can turn the situation around- but go ahead, prove me wrong." He replied, dismissing what his opponent said.

"Gladly! I'll flip the monster I summoned in my previous turn! Behold, he is my trump card! Show yourself, Nightmare Penguin!" Konrad shouted with vigour and determination, as he flipped Nightmare Penguin, it was well, a penguin wearing a coat and a hat. (ATK/ 900 | DEF/ 1800)

"And he has two effects. First, when he's face-up, all my WATER monsters get a boost of two hundred attack points. But that's not what I'm using him for-" Konrad explained, "I'll use his flip effect! When he's flipped, I'm allowed to return one of your cards to your hands, so why don't you take that annoying gravity bind out of the field!"

Hiroto simply shook his head. "No big deal, I'll just use it next turn. There's no way you can win this turn; Even your strongest monster won't be able to destroy my giant soldier of stone."

"I'll say. That slifer slacker basically did nothing," Crowler said. "All he's been doing this entire duel is waste time! As if that captain wasn't enough. Chancellor, we should just call this duel off!"

"No…Konrad is up to something, Dr. Crowler, you as a professor should know he's not doing it just for the dramatic." Sheppard replied, still observing this duel.

"You're right, I can't win the duel this turn," Konrad replied, nodding, "But I won't just stand there and lose, I will do everything I can to win and never give up. That's what a true duelist is: A fighter till the end." He stated, closing his eyes, while Hiroto rolled his eyes.

"With that said, I'm not finished yet. I tribute Nightmare Penguin to summon the mighty Orca Mega-Fortress of Darkness!" Nightmare Penguin would glow until it turned into particles of light that vanished. Soon enough, the arena was flooded- well it was all an illusion- as a massive creature leapt from the water, it was a mix of an orca and a naval ship. (ATK/ 2100 | DEF/ 1200)

Despite all of this, Hiroto remained calm. "Battle phase! First, I'll attack attack Giant Soldier of Stone with Orca!" Konrad ordered as Orca Mega-Fortress of Darkness swam towards the golem and rammed into it, destroying it.

"Next! Mother Grizzly, destroy Sangan!" The blue grizzly roared as it ran on all four towards Sangan and violently swiped its claws, destroying the three eyed critter.

"Sangan effect activates! When Sangan is sent from my field to my graveyard, I can select a monster with fifteen hundred attack points or less and add it to my hand. Of course, I'd have to show you what monster it is, but that doesn't matter. I choose my second Jinzo 7." Hiroto stated, showing Konrad a second Jinzo 7 before shuffling his deck.

"Second, third, whatever! But one thing's clear, I'm sending your first one to the scrap heap! Giant Red Seasnake, attack!" Konrad replied, the snake, instead of slithering like before, would swim into the water that the Orca brought in when it was summoned, before it wrapped around Jinzo 7 and destroyed it. Since Jinzo 7 was in attack position, Hiroto received battle damage. (3200 LP - 2900 LP)

"I turned things, didn't I? Even if you attack me with your new Jinzo 7, I still get to stay for a turn more and I have a big surprise for you waiting. So play your last round, Hiroto."

"Don't get too cocky!" Hiroto grit his teeth, irritated at what Konrad did, before he drew his card. "I summon Jinzo 7, in attack mode." (ATK/ 500 | DEF/ 400)

"Then, I'll use him to attack you directly." With that, Jinzo #7 stretched its arm towards Konrad, before its hand took the shape of a small cannon. A laser was shot from it and hit Konrad in the left chest, causing him to stumble back. (900 LP - 400 LP)

"I throw down a face down and end my turn." Hiroto added.

(That must be Gravity Bind…I'll use Giant Trunade and win this duel.) Konrad thought, before drawing from his deck.

"I activate Gravity Bind, again!" Hiroto exclaimed, revealing the dreaded trap card. But Konrad smiled at this. "I don't think so! I activate Giant Trunade!" Konrad said, activating a new spell card. A violent storm made itself known in the arena and coupled with the flood, it gave a perfect representation of sailors in the middle of mother sea being harsh and unforgiving.

"Giant Trunade?!" Hiroto went, surprised. "That's right! You look like you know it, so, I don't need to explain what it does. But in case you needed a refresher, Giant Trunade's effect is that both of us return all the spell and trap cards on the field back to our hands! So once again, take that annoying gravity bind out of the field!"

"Ah ha! You're right, slacker, I do know that card." Hiroto spoke, instantly grinning, "And it's because of that, I know how to deal with it! Activate my face down trap, Magic Jammer!"

"Oh no!" The eyes of Konrad could almost pop out of their sockets as Hiroto still had a trick up his sleeve. "By discarding a card, I can negate your spell card's effect and destroy it. In other terms, the weather for today will be perfectly calm after all…No storm in sight." He smiled, as things were indeed calm.

The Ra Yellow crossed his arms. "So was that your big surprise, Slifer Red? I have to admit, I was quite surprised myself. Surprised at your inability to accept your defeat, that is."

Crowler simply shook his head. "I knew this was a waste of time, Chancellor. This duel is over and besides…I'm running late for my class!" He complained once more. "If you don't mind, I'll go right ahead." With that, he would be leaving the arena, obviously knowing how the duel will end.

"Oh, this duel is over," Sheppard spoke, looking at Vellian, "But about who you think will win..you're mistaken, Vellian."

"Say what?" Crowler turned to the Chancellor, before looking at the arena. There was no way that slifer red slacker could win this duel. Sure, he put up a beautiful resistance, but his luck had to run out.

"I did say I had a big surprise waiting for you," Konrad said, looking straight at Hiroto with a piercing glare. The Ra Yellow was startled by it. " But I never said that Giant Trunade was the big surprise! Now that I know you're not hiding anything anymore, I'll finish this duel!"

"How?!" An outburst came from Hiroto, not being able to conceive what Konrad meant.

"Because I summon this monster, my real trump card! Go, Cannonball Spear Shellfish!" Konrad spoke as he summoned a new monster, a shellfish that indeed resembled a spear. (ATK/ 1000 | DEF/1000)

"A-A one thousand attack two level monster?! It isn't affected by gravity bind and it can destroy Jinzo 7!" Hiroto shouted, "But even if you do that, I would still have plenty of life points left!"

"No, I intend to finish this duel here," Konrad replied. "I will use Cannonball Spear Shellfish to destroy something, but it's not your monster…What I will destroy is-" He pointed at Gravity Bind, "Your trap card!"

"Don't be ridiculous, you can't do that!" Cried out Hiroto, "Your monster- It can't destroy Gravity bind!"

"By its own, it can't! But right now…There is another monster that can make it possible! NONE OTHER THAN MY ORCA MEGA-FORTRESS OF DARKNESS!" Konrad shouted, as the beast began to glow. The shellfish transformed into a red energy and go above the orca, before it could be seen on top of it.

"I-Impossible, there has to be something I can do here! I can't lose…NOT TO A SLIFER SLACKER!" Hiroto began to become desperate as he looked frantically at his hand, yet, there was no card that could save him here.

"You've fought well, but as I told you…I'll be the winner. Orca! Maximum firepower, target is Gravity bind!" Konrad ordered as the Orca fired off the shellfish, which had turned into torpedo that homed in to the trap card, before destroying it.

"Time to finish this! My monsters, ATTACK!" Konrad went. The first one to attack would be Mother Grizzly, clawing and turning Jinzo 7 into dust. "Aaaargh!" Hiroto gasped in pain, receiving battle damage. (2900 LP - 2400 LP)

"Giant Red Seasnake, Orca, you're next!" Konrad added. The first one to attack would be the giant snake as it swam its way towards the ra yellow and constricted him. (2400 LP - 600 LP)

But that was not all as the Orca aimed the cannon on its back at Hiroto and the snake, then fired them. Hiroto did nothing but look at the monster in horror, before a loud explosion defeaned the room, an explosion that surged from where Hiroto stood.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Hiroto screamed at the top of his lungs before he dropped to his knees and placed his hands on the ground. His duel disk bleeping before slowing down and eventually stopping as his life points were zero. (600 LP - 0)

"And that's game." Konrad stated with a smile and a thumbs up.

Crowler was befuddled, puzzled, and it was quite visible as seen by the expression on his face, all while Sheppard closed his eyes and still smiled. "A Ra Yellow..lost to that Slifer Red?!" Crowler asked, "Unthinkable!"

"No..No, this wasn't supposed to happen at all!" Hiroto cursed. Konrad walked over to him and offered him a handshake. "This was a great duel; I really thought I was going to lose. Here, I'll help you get up!"

"I don't need your help!" Shouted Hiroto as he slapped Konrad's hand away, and fully stood up before looking at him right in the eyes. "Because of you, I can't enter the academy! Why did I have to lose against you?!" Konrad could tell that Hiroto was on the verge of tears, and he understood for if they were switched, Konrad would also experience the same feeling.

"Darn right!" Crowler shouted, displeased with the outcome. "You don't deserve to be in Duel Academy if you lost against a bottom of the barrel slifer slacker! Out, I SAY!"

"Then I look forward to signing the papers for your termination, Dr. Crowler." Sheppard said in a joking tone. Yet, this was enough to freeze Crowler. "A-Ah, Chancellor, this was just a joke. Yep, nothing more than a joke!" Vellian tried to assure, rubbing his hands nervously.

The chancellor simply chuckled at Crowler, he would never fire him as Vellian was the indeed the best teacher at Duel Academy. Nonetheless, he would walk into the ring and approached the two young duelists. Konrad looked at him while Hiroto simply glanced away.

"Konrad, welcome to duel academy, I hope you enjoy your stay with us." Sheppard stated, putting a hand on Konrad's shoulder and nodded his head. Konrad couldn't help but smile like a child receiving their favorite toy.

"As for you, Hiroto…" He turned to him. "Don't need to say it, I'll pack my stuff and go." Hiroto spoke with a tone of defeat, having fully resigned to his fate.

"…I was going to say the same thing I told Konrad: Welcome to Duel Academy."

At the sound of this, Hiroto's eyes widened, "Wait…What did you say?" He asked, in utter disbelief. "But I lost the duel to this guy- I don't deserve to be here! There's only one spot left, right? And it goes to him!" He pointed at Konrad, who chose to be quiet.

"Yes, it is true, there's only one spot remaining." Sheppard said, "But that spot- It was reserved for a Slifer Red student. The Obelisk Blue and Ra Yellow dorms are full. There was no need for that duel, I could have just let Konrad enter and leave you. But that didn't feel right to me," He explained, all while the two students listened intently.

"So I decided to settle this the good old way- Dueling! I figured whoever won will be allowed into the academy. During your duel, however, I saw how you two fought with everything you had, all of your spirit into it, and miraculously, a solution came to me. I can allow you to enter the academy, Hiroto, but under one condition…" Sheppard raised a finger. Hiroto gulped, he was afraid to ask.

"And what might that be?" He finally gave in.

"That your dorm will not be the Ra Yellow dorm, but instead the Slifer Red." Sheppard replied. "Don't worry, you will still be a Ra Yellow student in our database. You'll just be eating and sleeping with Slifer Red students."

(…That literally sounds like just being a slifer red student.) Konrad thought to himself, but he would leave it at that- A thought.

"Whaaat?!" Hiroto went. "You want me to be with Slifers?! All while being a Ra Yellow? I-Isn't there an alternative?"

"There is. You can come back next year and try your luck. But the very same thing might happen to you, again." Sheppard smiled.

"U-Urk." Hiroto lowered his head, now in utter defeat.

"As soon as there'll be vacant rooms in the Ra Yellow dorm, we'll make sure to move you there. But for now, you will have to live with Slifer Red students. I hope you can become friends with them and think higher of them." Sheppard told him.

"…Alright, just don't take too long! I'll live with those slackers for a bit!" Hiroto shouted, clenching his hands into fists.

"Let's be best friends, alright?" Konrad turned to him.

"Oh, screw off. Oh and by the way…" Hiroto replied to him, taking on a sinister tone, "I swear one day, I'll crush you. You better watch yourself until then!"

"Heh. I look forward to our rematch, matter of fact, and I'll be even stronger." Konrad said, accepting his challenge.

Sheppard nodded, he approved of this competition between them. "Dr. Crowler, would you be so kind as to lead them into the classroom?"

Crowler nodded, "Follow me, you two. And hurry it up, I'm now twenty minutes late!" He stated as instead of calmly walking; He made a a speed that shamed even Usain Bolt.

"H-Hey, wait up!" Both Konrad and Hiroto followed after him, running and trying their best to catch up to him. Sheppard simply laughed.

After chasing Crowler throughout the facility, Konrad and Hiroto finally reached the classroom. There were many seats arranged and in descending order. In fact, it looked less like a regular and traditional classroom and more like a lecture hall. Many students, male and female, different colored coats were present, it was packed to the brim. They were looking at Crowler, who was panting and recovering, before they turned to look at Konrad and Hiroto. The two were understandably nervous.

"That's a lot of people…" Konrad muttered to himself. "Grk, I don't like all of them looking at me. I'm going to take my seat," Hiroto said before he smiled and turned to Konrad, "Make sure you don't fall in those stairs, slacker." With that, the Ra Yellow would sit in the first empty seat he saw.

"Hmph, the nerve he has!" Grumbled Konrad, still annoyed by Hiroto's attitude. Even more so since Hiroto lost and still acted high and mighty. But that was not Konrad's main preoccupation, no, it was trying to find an empty seat and his eyes scanned all the room. He couldn't find any.

(Nice first day, real nice. I duel and nearly get kicked out of the academy, then I can't find a place…Hey, what's that?) He wondered as he saw someone waving at him. It was another student wearing red, His hairstyle was certainly strange and had two tones of brown. "Come here, it's empty!" He shouted.

Konrad shrugged and walked over to the boy, before sitting next to him. "Hey, thanks, I was about to leave class."

"Oh, really? Then I shouldn't have called you then," The boy said, "This class is a bore-"

"SILENCE, SLACKER! I CAN HEAR YOU!" Crowler shouted at him, causing the boy to bite his tongue. "A-ACK! S-SORRY!" He went. "Anyways, name's Jaden Yuki. You're new, I've never seen you before." Jaden introduced himself.

"I'm Konrad Amirian," Konrad said. "My friends call me Konami, though."

"Konrad…Konami…Yeah, not a hard choice, I like the latter one better!" Jaden spoke, smiling. "Nice to meet'cha, Konami! These are my friends. The small guy with the blue hair and glasses is Syrus, or Sy for short."

"H-Hey." Syrus said, a small and weak looking boy with blue hair that was nearly as ridiculous as Jaden's. "And the other one, the big Koala- That's Chumley." Jaden added.

"Wassup?" Chumley asked, raising his hand but not too much. "A pleasure to meet you, Syrus, Chumley." Konrad said, nodding his head.

"Sheesh, you could be a bit more lively, Konami. Feels like I'm talking to a Zombie-type monster." Jaden said, he wasn't too fond of Konrad being calm. "I-I'll try my best!" Konrad stated, his voice was a bit louder and actually livelier. Jaden smiled, he felt like there was some progress.

"That's the spirit! I'll introduce you to the rest, but first, we gotta get through this boring class-" Jaden said before he felt burning on his side and turned to see Crowler glaring menacingly at him, before he simply began his lecture. It was a sign for Jaden to shut up.

"This is going to be fun." Konrad muttered to himself as his first day in Duel Academy began.

Author's notes

And here it is, the 2nd chapter. Not quite as long as the first one, But I think the next ones will be shorter as it will be easier to update the story and most importantly, not feel burned out. With that said, this is the point where we can start having story arc. Please look forward to it.

See ya next chapter, guys!