"Thank you, Bernard." Sophia thanked her assistant as he poured her another drink whilst the duel between Marcus and Jeff wrapped up bellow her and Martin. "So, Andreas is up next?" Sophia asked as she saw the German Student step onto the duel arena opposite Hamden. "I have to admit, out of all the graduating students, his duel is the one that interests me the most."

"Is it because you run similar decks?" Martin asked as he turned to Sophia who glanced up as she took a sip from her drink with a look of surprise on her face. "I make a point to keep an eye on the pro-leagues, not only does it allow me to see how my former students are doing but it also allows me to shortlist certain duelists should an unfortunate incident arise."

"And by "unfortunate incident" you mean an Expulsion Duel?" Sophia asked as she turned to Martin after finishing her sip. "No need to sugar coat it Martin, your predecessor contacted me when I was seventeen and had just won the California regional championships, off course the fact that I'm the adoptive daughter of Maximillian Pegasus wasn't well known at the time and it really wouldn't be public knowledge until I had to retire from the Pro-Leagues a year later due to conflict of interest but he still contacted me about an expulsion duel."

"Hmmm, I know the concept of Expulsion Duels were still a new thing during his time and we didn't have the budget for them to fly in National Champions like we do these days." Martin commented and Sophia nodded. "If you don't mind me asking, what name were you using at the time."

"My birth name, Sophia Miler." Sophia responded as she crossed her legs over. "Stepdad's insistence, he was happy for me to continue to compete on the pro-league, but the only stipulation was that I wouldn't go by the name Sophia Pegasus." Sophia responded before turning her attention towards the duel. "I may have retired to run the company but that doesn't mean I still don't get the itch to join a tournament from time to time."

"You ever scratch it?" Martin asked and Sophia shook her head.

"Never get a chance to, running I2 takes up a lot of my time." Sophia responded with an annoyed sigh. "But I do have something in the works that will allow me to scratch that itch." Sophia added earning a curious look from Martin. "Something that will be tied up in a joint non-disclosure agreement between I2 and Kaibacprp for the next several years and given that this island is owned by Kaibacorp, I'd be a fool to talk about it freely and openly."

*downstairs at the duel arena*

"Okay Andreas, if you don't mind, I would like to go first." Hamden commented and Andreas shrugged his shoulders prompting Hamden to go over his hand. "I set two cards facedown and I summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands!" Hamden announced as he played the card and the fairy with many arms appeared on the field (4/1400/1000). "This triggers his effect, allowing me to search through my deck for a Ritual Monster or Spell Card and add it to my hand." Hamden explained before he started inputting commands into his duel disk. "My turn will end once I am done searching."

"In all the time I've known him, Hamden has only used his Shinato deck." Andreas thought as he drew his card once Hamden had added the card to his hand and let his deck auto-shuffle. "And I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't effective, it gave Marcus a run for his money when he was promoted to Obelisk Blue and Chloe really had to fight for her place in Obelisk Blue when she fought him in her promotion duel last year, and again when Nicola was up for promotion to Ra Yellow, I should watch myself." Andreas thought before he looked at his hand. "I start with the Spell Card One for One! By discarding one card from my hand, this Spell Card will allow me to Special Summon a Level One Monster from my deck."

"Knowing Andreas's deck, there's only a few monsters that he could use this combo on." Hamden thought before Key Mouse appeared on the field in defense mode (1/100/100). "Just as I thought, then again it is a useful combo for getting some of his Synchros out."

"I set two cards facedown and end my turn." Andreas announced as the two facedown cards appeared on the field and Hamden drew his card. "If there is any relief for me, it's the fact that Djinn, Releaser of Rituals was banned not long after Nicola's promotion duel, so he won't be able to lock me out of some of my strongest monsters."

"I activate Spellbook inside the Pot! Now we both draw three cards." Hamden announced and Andreas nodded before they drew their cards. "Now I activate Demotion to reduce Manju's level by two." Hamden added as his fairy's level dropped to two. "Next I summon Herald of Orange Light in attack mode!" Hamden announced as he played the card and a strange orange fairy appeared on the field (2/300/500). "Now I tune my two monsters together!"

"Wait, what?!" Andreas thought as Herald of Orange Light leapt into the air followed closely by Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands. "Since when was your deck about Synchro Summons?"

"Since Djinn, Releaser of Rituals was banned." Hamden responded as he retrieved the card from his extra deck. "I Synchro Summon Herald of the Arc Light!" Hamden announced as he played the card and once the bright flash faded and another strange fairy appeared on the field though this one was a lot cuter than Herald of Orange Light (4/600/1000). "Herald of the Arc Light may not like much but he's still strong enough to destroy your monster! Herald of the Arc Light, destroy Key Mouse!" Hamden commanded and the fairy flew towards the mouse before ramming into it destroying the mouse.

"When Key Mouse is destroyed in battle, I can search my deck for a Level 3 or lower Beast Type Monster and add it to my hand." Andreas responded before he started inputting commands into his duel disk. "Anything else I should know?"

"Herald of the Arc Light has three effects but for now the only one you need to worry about is the first one." Hamden responded as Andreas retrieved the card from his deck, added it to his hand and let the deck auto-shuffle. "As long as it's on the field, any monster sent from the main deck or hand to the graveyard will be banished instead."

"And if that monster had more than a thousand attack points, that would worry me." Andreas thought as he stared at the strange monster. "Still, it seems like an odd choice for a Ritual Monster deck, why would Hamden include it? The other two effects must have something to do with Ritual Monsters." Andreas thought before glancing up at Hamden. "My move yet?"

"Go ahead." Hamden nodded and Andreas drew his card.

*in the graduating students' room*

"That monsters cute but it seems like its out of place in Hamden's deck." Nicola commented as she watched the duel with the others. "Anyone else think that or am I the only one?"

"I was just thinking the same thing." Ash nodded in agreement as he watched the duel. "Still, we know how powerful his deck is, just look at the graduation duel between him and Amelia Gray from last year."

"That was after my promotion duel to Ra Yellow but only a couple of weeks." Nicola commented before Marcus sat next to her with a few trays of food in his hands. "You are sharing that, right?"

"If you ask politely, yeah." Marcus responded with a nod before helping himself to the food. "What were you talking about? I wasn't paying attention?"

"Basically, Hamden now has a random Synchro Monster with low attack and defense points on the field." Ash responded and Marcus nodded before he continued to eat the food. "It has three effects, but the only effect he's revealed is that makes it so that any cards that are sent to the graveyard from the deck or graveyard are banished instead, I don't know about you, but it seems out of place in a Ritual Monster deck."

"True, but this is Hamden we're talking about, he's one of the best duelists among the faculty." Marcus pointed out before he offered Nicola a tray of food which she happily took. "He wouldn't just include a monster for no reason, and whatever the reason is, I bet its bad news for Andreas."

*back at the duel*

"I summon Lock Cat, in attack mode!" Andreas announced as he played the card and the cat with the golden lock around her neck appeared on the field (3/1200/1000). "And I use her effect to Special Summon Key Mouse from the graveyard." Andreas added as Key Mouse returned to the field. "And since I control two Beast Type Monsters, I can Special Summon Chain Dog from my graveyard!" Andreas added as he played the card causing the large dog wrapped in chains to appear on the field (4/1600/1000). "Now I activate Unity of the Pride!"

"Okay, I wasn't expecting that." Hamden thought as the facedown card flipped up depicting Green Baboon, Defender of the Forrest sitting on a throne made of bamboo and overlooking a group consisting of several other Beast Type Monsters. "I knew he got several cards when the Duel Academy Students traveled to Las Vegas for Battle City, but he never revealed which ones."

"Since I have three or more Beast Type Monsters on my side of the field, Unity of the Pride will increase their leaves until they match the strongest monster on the field." Andreas explained as Lock Cat and Key Mouse's levels increased to four. "Next I banish a Spell Card from my hand to summon Monoceros!" Andreas announced as he played the card and the beast with the large horn appeared on the field (3/1000/1000). "Let's get down to business, I tune Key Mouse and Monoceros together!" Andreas announced as the two Beast Type Monsters leapt into the air for the Synchro Summon. "I Synchro Summon Voltic Bicorn!" Andreas announced as he played the card and the large, black horse with the blue mane and twin horns appeared on the field (7/2500/2000). "As I used him and a Beast Type Tuner in a Synchro Summon Monoceros' effect allows me to Special Summon Key Mouse back to the field."

"This can only mean one of two things." Hamden thought as Key Mouse returned to the field again with its level back to normal. "Either he's planning an XYZ Summon, or another Synchro Summon, if that is the case then either Leogun, Lord of the Jungle or Lightning Tricorn are his targets."

"Now for the second part of my turn, I use Lock Cat and Chain Dog to build the Overlay Network!" Andreas announced as the dark portal opened up and Chain Dog and Lock Cat where sucked in. "I XYZ Summon Diamond Dire Wolf!" Andreas announced as he played the card and the large, diamond wolf appeared on the field (Rank: 4/2000/1200). "I activate his effect, detaching an overlay unit to destroy Key Mouse and Herald of Arc Light!"

"Good move Andreas, but not good enough! I activate the second effect of Herald of Arc Light!" Hamden responded as Herald of Arc Light vanished from the field and too Andreas's shock took Diamond Dire Wolf with him. "I could've activated this at any time, but I wanted to make you waste your cards first, when a Spell, Trap or Monster Card's effect is activated I can tribute Herald of the Arc Light to negate and destroy it."

"Perhaps, but it wasn't totally wasted, you left yourself wide open with that move." Andreas pointed out and Hamden nodded.

"Perhaps, but when Herald of the Arc Light is sent to the graveyard I can search through my deck for a Ritual Monster and add it to my hand." Hamden explained and Andreas's eyes widened as it hit him. "And I think you know what I'm summoning on my next turn."

"Shinato." Andreas nodded with a frown on his face as Hamden inputted the commands. "I summoned Voltic Bicorn because I had hoped to use its effect to make Hamden mill Shinato before he could summon it, but that's not an option anymore." Andreas thought before he decided on a course of action. "Fine, but I'll still attack your life-points, Voltic Bicorn, attack his life-points!" Andreas commanded and the horse charged into battle as soon as Hamden had finished searching for his ace card and rammed into him bringing Hamden's life-points down to 5500. "That's first blood to me."

"But at what cost? I activate Damage Condenser!" Hamden responded as his facedown card flipped up. "I use its effect to Special Summon Djinn, Cursenchanter of Rituals!" Hamden added as the overweight genie appeared on the field (4/1700/100). "We'll get to it's effect on my turn but by my estimate your time should be almost up."

"I had almost forgotten about the turn time limit." Andreas thought before going over his hand. "It's your move."

"Note to self, put Unity of the Pride on a future limited list." Sophia thought as Hamden drew his card. "Between Adrienne Beaumont basically using that card as a fast track to retain the French National Championship and Andreas's move just now it might be a lot more broken than I initially thought during the test phase." Sophia thought as she took a sip of her drink. "And if things get too out of hand, ban it outright."

"Now the stage has been set, I activate Shinato's Ark!" Hamden announced as he played the card and the large arc appeared on the field causing Djinn, Cursenchanter of Rituals and a new monster that resembled a monk in robes (4/1500/1200) to be sucked in. "I use Djinn, Cursenchanter of Rituals on my field and Ritual Priest in my graveyard to ritual summon Shinato, King of a Higher Plane!" Hamden announced as he played the card and the large, multi-winged angel appeared on the field (8/3300/3000). "Any questions?"

"Now that you mention it, yes." Andreas responded as he folded his arms. "I'm not familiar with this Ritual Priest monster but I was under the impression that the only cards that could be used in Ritual Summons from the graveyard where he Djinn monsters."

"What can I say? I needed a replacement for Releaser of Rituals." Hamden responded as he held up Ritual Priest. "Ritual Priest is the only non-Djinn monster with that ability, also if I use him in the Ritual Summon of a Light Type Ritual Monster, I can draw a card." Hamden added before drawing his card. "And don't think about using something like Lightning Tricorn to weaken Shinato, because if I use Cursenchanter then all Synchro Monsters lose their effects on the field." Hamden added before pointing to Voltic Bicorn. "Shinato, attack Voltic Bicorn now!" Hamden commanded and Shinato clapped his hands together causing a shockwave to speed towards Voltic Bicorn destroying it and bringing Andreas's life-points down to 7200.

"As you said, they lose their abilities on the field." Andreas responded as he pushed his glasses up the ridge of his nose. "But not in the graveyard, when Voltic Bicorn is destroyed and sent to the graveyard we are both forced to mill seven cards from our decks." Andreas added as they sent the top seven cards from their decks to the graveyard. "In truth I had hoped to make you mill Shinato with this effect before you could summon it."

"Would've been a good strategy, if I didn't have three copies of Shinato and its Ritual card in my deck." Hamden refuted with a smirk before motioning to Shinato. "And speaking of Shinato, when he destroys a defense position monster by battle that monster's attack points come out of your life-points so don't think for a second that your life-points are safe." Hamden added before going over his hand. "I end my turn."

"Draw!" Andreas called out as he drew his card. "The card I banished with Monoceros's effect last turn was Card from a Different Dimension, now that a turn has passed, I return that card to my hand and we both draw two cards." Andreas added before he retrieved the card from his pocket and they both drew two cards. "I summon Playful Possum to the field!" Andreas announced as he played the card and the small brown possum appeared on the field (2/800/800). "This activates his effect, as you have a monster that is a lot more powerful than my possum he is destroyed!"

"Only one reason why you'd play that card." Hamden commented dryly as a loud roar echoed throughout the room and Andreas's life-points dropped to 6200 as Green Baboon, Defender of the Forrest appeared on the field (7/2600/1800). "If your trying to summon a bigger fish as the old saying goes, well, you failed, Green Baboon is stronger than Voltic Bicorn but Shinato still outclasses him." Hamden added as he folded his arms. "And if you want to keep summoning him over and over using Playful Possum's effect, go ahead, but there are faster ways to surrender than slowly draining your life-points to zero."

"I have my reasons." Andreas responded before picking up the cards he drew with Cards from a Different Dimension. "I set two cards facedown and end my turn." Andreas announced as the two facedown cards appeared on the field and Hamden frowned before drawing his card.

"I know Andreas is a talented duelist, he wouldn't be a two time Battle City Semi-Finalist if he wasn't." Hamden thought as he glanced towards Green Baboon. "So why would he summon Green Baboon when I have the clear advantage? Well, if he has something in mind for those facedown cards, he's in a rude awakening." Hamden thought as one of his facedown cards flipped up. "I activate Ritual Rites! As I control a Level 5 or higher Ritual Monster on my side of the field, I can render your trap cards useless for the rest of the turn."

"In that case, I may as well use one now." Andreas responded as his facedown card flipped up. "I activate Interdimensional Matter Transporter to remove Green Baboon from play for the rest of the turn."

"Wait, what?" Hamden asked with a confused tone of voice as Green Baboon disappeared from the field. "And now his move makes even less sense, what is he up too?!" Hamden thought before shaking his head. "I wasn't kidding about there being faster ways to surrender Andreas, Shinato, attack his life-points directly!" Hamden commanded and the angel clapped his hands together again sending the shockwave towards Andreas and knocking his life-points down to 2900. "You know Andreas, if you like this island so much that you don't want to graduate, you could've just said."

"And put up with another year of Martin's lectures? I think not!" Andreas responded as he got back to his feet getting a laugh out of the crowd. "And you just know that all the laughing Obelisk Blue Students will be getting detention once Summer Break is over." Andreas thought before turning his attention back to Hamden. "Is that all?"

"I set two cards facedown, otherwise? Yes, you can take your turn." Hamden nodded in response and once Green Baboon returned to the field Andreas drew his card.

"First of all, as I destroyed Playful Possum through his effect last turn, he returns to the field." Andreas added as the small possum returned to the field. "But don't get too attached! I activate Sacrifice to the Jungle Lords! I destroy Playful Possum again to allow Green Baboon to attack twice this turn." Andreas added as his trap card flipped up and Playful Possum vanished whilst Green Baboon let out a powerful howl. "Why would I do that? Simple, because your direct attack allowed me to use this safely! I equip Green Baboon with Megamorph!"

"Well, that explains a lot." Hamden thought as Green Baboon doubled in size and strength as its attack power skyrocketed to 5200. "I still have a sizeable lead but unless I draw something on my next turn this duel is over."

"Green Baboon, attack Shinato!" Andreas commanded and the baboon charged into battle before whacking Shinato over the head with his club destroying him and bringing Hamden's life-points down to 4600. "It appears this duel is over, Green Baboon, finish him!" Andreas commanded and the baboon charged into battle…...

"Jeff used one line that is often repeated among teachers, here's another, look before you leap! I activate Dimensional Prison! Now your baboon is banished!" Hamden added and Andreas's eyes widened as Green Baboon was sucked into the portal. "If you were going for death or glory then sorry, death wins this time!"

"Shinato is in the graveyard and for all we know? So are your other copies." Andreas pointed out and Hamden frowned. "And even if they aren't, who's to say that your other two copies of Shinato's Ark aren't?"

"True, but I guess I'll have to take that risk if I want to win this duel." Hamden admitted with a nod. "Are you done?"

"I set one card facedown and end my turn." Andreas announced as he set the facedown card and Hamden drew his card.

"I activate my facedown card, Rituals from Beyond the Grave!" Hamden announced as the facedown card flipped up depicting Dark Ruler Ha-Des casting a ritual in a graveyard (on a dark and stormy night no less) with Goblin Attack Force as the sacrifice. "I pay half of my life-points but in exchange I can Special Summon one Ritual Monster from my graveyard with its effects negated." Hamden added as his life-points dropped to 2200 and Shinato returned to the field. "As I said, he loses his effect, but 3300 attack points is still more than enough to finish you Andreas." Hamden added and Andreas lowered his head seemingly in defeat. "Looks like the streak is broken, Shinato, finish it!" Hamden commanded and the angel clapped his hands together one last time…...

"I activate Defense Draw!" Andreas responded as his trap card flipped up and he took the hit but none of the damage as he drew his card. "I'm still in this Hamden."

"We'll see how long that lasts, I end my turn." Hamden nodded and Andreas drew his card.

"I activate Obedience Schooled! I use this Spell Card to Special Summon the Tuner Monster Elephun alongside Mogmole and Baby Racoon Tantan!" Andreas announced as he played the three cards causing them to appear on the field (2/500/200) (2/800/800) and (2/0/800). "And for my normal summon, I bring out Mine Mole!" Andreas announced as the mole in the workers hat appeared on the field (3/1000/1200). "I suppose there's no getting around it, I tune Elephun, Mogmole, Tantan and Mine Mole together to Synchro Summon Leogun Lord of the Jungle!"

"I was wondering when he was going to make an appearance." Hamden thought as the four monsters leapt into the air for the Synchro Summon and once the bright flash faded Leogun appeared on the field with a roar (9/2900/2000). "Mine Mole's effect activates allowing me to draw a card." Andreas added as he drew a card. "It's over Hamden, I've won."

"This old cliché again?" Hamden chuckled as he folded his arms. "Leogun is powerful but if you use his effect, you can't attack the same turn."

"Who said I was using his effect?" Andreas asked causing Hamden to give him a confused look. "It starts with my facedown card, Synchro Strike! With this Leogun will gain five hundred attack points for each Synchro Material Monster I used to summon him." Andreas announced as Leogun's attack points went up to 4400.

"That's still only 1100 points of damage, I'll survive this round." Hamden pointed out and Andreas grinned.

"Like you, I tend to have more than one copy of a card in my deck." Andreas added as he held up the card he drew with Mine Mole. "In this case, Megamorph! And yes, I am aware that I have more attack points than you." Andreas added as he played the card. "Which is why I equip it to Shinato!" Andreas added and Hamden lowered his head in defeat as Shinato shrunk in size and power to 1650. "Unless you have Honest in your hand, this duel is over."

"I don't run that card for my own reasons." Hamden responded with a respectful nod and Andreas grinned. "Congratulations on your graduation Andreas, you've earned it."

"Thank you, Leogun, attack Shinato!" Andreas commanded and the lion leapt at Shinato before slashing it with his claws bringing Hamden's life-points down to zero.

"The winner of the duel is Andreas Freshier, and at the rate the graduation room is going, we might need a second one!" Martin announced over the cheering crowd as the holograms disappeared, unbeknownst to Andreas however Sophia nodded in approval.

"Good, he's still as good as I remember." Sophia thought as he watched Andreas hop off the duel arena. "Seems I made the right choices for Duelist Kingdom's 40th anniversary Afterall."

"Congrats Andreas!" Chelsea greeted him happily as they shared a fist bump, however the grin on her face quickly disappeared. "And I'm up next." Chelsea added as she glanced over towards where Tyler was sitting. "It still doesn't feel reel that I actually have a chance of graduating."

"Chelsea, since the Orichalcos Incident you have been one of the hardest workers I've seen in this academy." Andreas pointed out as he put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I'm not saying that dueling Kaiba's stepson for your right to graduate is something I'd wish on anyone, but you've got this."

"Thanks Andreas." Chelsea responded with a grin before he walked off, Chelsea watched him leave in silence before that silence was broken.

"The next duel will be the next one to feature a former student as Duel Academy's resident troublemaker Chelsea Cunningham of Obelisk Blue duels Tyler Kaiba for her right to graduate." Martin announced and Chelsea took a deep breath before stepping onto the duel arena.

"Bet you never thought that you'd find yourself in this situation." Tyler commented as he stepped onto the duel arena. "How do you feel?"

"You know the old phrase "butterflies in my stomach"?" Chelsea asked as she glanced out to the crowd and spotted her family in the front row. "Replace butterflies with vultures and you have how I'm feeling."

"You'll do fine Chelsea." Tyler nodded in understanding as they activated their duel disks. "And it is my honor to help you graduate!"