YGO Academy
Chapter 5
Surreal Duel! Rika's Yang-Zings
A few days have passed since the first day of school as the bells were ringing for school to be over. Students left the seperate classes as they were heading their own seperate directions. Some left to go relax back at their dorms while others went looking for a duel as the stadium was almost always packed with duels. Mikee himself was packing up his things from class as he was usually the slow one. Today's lesson in Ms. Summer's class was simply about keeping pressure on the battlefield. It was a simple lesson too, as sometimes even setting Spells could trick your opponent into thinking you had Traps set.
Today, he was simply going to the Card Shop that the school had where they would pretty much sell cards to the students based on the credits they earned from winning duels. Students would duel often, earn credits to turn in for booster packs or even on some occasions, entire structire decks to learn the different archtypes or even card singles. These credits were also used in entering tournaments as a way to sort out the duelists who were trying to get in and for those who weren't dueling as often. Dueling also had an impact on your grades depending on how well you did. Either way, it was a test of wits and decks for many, and due to some of Mikee's victories, he was able to get a few new booster packs. He entered and noticed there was a line up at the counter. He walked up to the Slifer Red student in the back and asked what was going on.
"Oh, new shipments came in, and everyone's trying to get at least a few packs before they run out, again. It's got the new Quilphorts and those creepy Shaddoll things too. So much new stuff." The student told him.
"Cool, new stuff, anything for Synchrons?" Mikee asked. The student shook his head as the line was moving moderately fast. He just explained its new stuff and that there might be a new ban list, but the school only updates the ban lists until after the tournament. The student in front of him finally got his turn as he pulled a card from his Duel Disk and gave it to the attendant. "..Roy, gotcha, you have a thousand DP. What booster packs do you want?" She asked.
"Hey, Mikee, figured you would be here." Someone from behind told him as Mikee turned to find Neo waving to him. They high-fived each other as the Slifer Red in front of him got his packs and left for Mikee to have his turn. The woman at the register was someone different from what he remembered last year as it was now a blonde girl with short hair and a pink collared uniform. "Oh, welcome to the Card Shop, your ID Card?" She asked, her nametag displaying as 'Serena'. Mikee took it out of his Duel Disk and handed it to her. She put it in a machine as it scanned the card. His picture came up on the computer in front of the clerk as numbers popped up. "Wow, did you save up some points from last year? You have over 5,000 points here." Serena mentioned. He nodded as Neo looked at the available boosters. They weren't like the ones sold in cities or other places outside of Academies, these were specially made for the students. Some were introduction to Synchros packs or introductions to XYZ, they were formulated to introduce new things. There were also packs that had things for stuff that people used, it was basically a duelist's dream. It was like trying to pick candy at a candy store.
"Let's see, I'll just take 5 Spell Master packs, 5 Trap Master packs, and two of the latest stuff." Mikee explained to the blonde. She nodded and picked up the packs to scan through the computer. This just deducted the points from his card as the clerk gave him the booster packs. "Thanks, come again when you have more points." Serena told him as he left.
"So, are you looking for anything in particular?" Neo asked as he was opening his packs. Mikee shook his head as he was getting past the Spell Cards. "Nothing in particular, I'm just adding to my collection. Oh!" He exclaimed as he found a card in the packs. It was another Tuning Spell for his Synchrons. The others were a couple of staples and Spellbook cards. He figured that Luna would like them. "Sweet, another Tuning. I could add this for my own deck." Mikee pointed out.
"Speaking of Tuning, if you're looking for Tig, she's in the Duel Field. She's keeping an eye on Katsumi." Neo told him.
Mikee had to go back memory lane as he was opening his pack of monsters and earning a card in the pack of nine: An Infernity Doom Dragon. It was barely last year at Duel Academy as he recalled there was a notorious Duelist back then who loved using Infernities. The name was vague, but he remembered that his deck was insane with Special Summons. Archfiend was the key card as Mikee kept losing each time, and once it came out, it went downhill from there. After the duel was ended, the duelist would comment on how pathetic the Synchrons were. It was then that Neo and Tigara entered his life and stood up for him. Tigara was running her Zombie deck while Neo had his Silent Swordsman deck. He showed that even old cards had a chance at being good.
"Good times back then with this card." Mikee pointed out as he showed the Level 8 DARK Dragon to Neo. It took him a second before realizing it as he seemed to recall. "Oh yeah, what was that guy's name...Tch, he already graduated or transferred. It would have been fun to duel him again. You got your butt kicked plenty from him, huh?" Neo pointed out. Mikee nodded as he put the cards he got into his pocket. "It was insane how that guy ran the Infernity archtype. Synchons barely stood a chance." He answered.
"You know, why do you just stick with Synchrons in the first place? I mean, stuff nowadays is pretty high-tier. I thought you would have changed up your style when the XYZ monsters came out,-"
"Truth be told, I'm the most comfortable with my Synchrons. It's the only deck I built from the ground up. I am making a second deck, but I don't want to reveal what it is until I finish it, or get the neccessary cards." He interrupted Neo, as if he explained this a hundred times before.
"Yeah, I get it. Anyway, we're here." Neo said as they opened the double doors to the stadium where a lot of students were hanging around. There were only two duels going on as a Ra Yellow and an Obelisk Blue were dueling it out. Mikee didn't have his Duel Gazer activated, but he planned to as it just seemed like two students swinging their arms around, instructing invisible creatures to attack the other. The second duel he recognized as Katsumi, Tigara's sister. She looked almost like Tigara, but unlike her Obelisk Blue sister, Kat was a Ra Yellow with black hair. On her right cheek was a scar, which was also another way to distinguish the two. She was dueling with another fellow Ra Yellow as he looked terrified. As Neo stated, Tig was sitting on the bleachers, looking directly at the duel with her pink D-Gazer. "Hey Tig!" Mikee called out to her as she saw him and smiled.
"Ghostrick Stein, please finish off this guy, this is just embarrassing. Direct Attack." Katsumi commanded with a cool voice as the Duelist fell down to his knees. Tig shook her head as it sounded like the Duel ended as her sister took off the D-Gazer. "Such big and burly monsters fell to a girl playing with little spirits. That's gotta hurt your pride." She remarked as the other duelist had no words. The Ra Yellow walked up to the little group with no expression. "That was a bit rude, Kat." Tig told her sister.
"You don't use something as old-fashioned as Genex monsters against Ghostricks, you know." The Ra Yellow answered back. Her gaze went into the other side of the bleachers where Mikee recognized the Slifer Red from the card shop as he was looking through his deck. "Speaking of old-fashioned, where's your new friend, Loony?" She asked.
"Luna, and I dunno, she might be with other people." Neo pointed out as the doors suddenly opened as if someone shoved them open with force. They turned to look down and see Danielle. She was with only three people this time, Rika and another Obelisk Blue student. This one had medium length brown hair and a white shirt paired with his Obelisk Blue coat and grey pants. The entire stadium seemed to quiet down as the small group of three simply walked to sit down on the bleachers.
The Slifer Red from earlier stood up and almost ran toward them as he pointed right at Danielle. "Hey, Danielle, I challenge you to a duel! I want to pay you back for what you did against my friends!" He demanded, his Duel Disk activated as he was looking for a duel. Other students were looking interested at the commotion he was causing. Danielle looked at the black-haired boy and just didn't look interested. "And, who might you be." She asked.
"Roy, you insulted my friends just because they use Spellcaster decks, and I won't stand for it!" He answered to her, sounding angry. Mikee pulled his D-Gazer out of his pocket and activated it. This might have been the chance he was waiting for to see this Danielle duel. "Hm...oh, I remember now, you're friends with those little Spellcaster peasants. Their decks were such shame to the Spellcaster type, they weren't even worth dueling." She answered back with no regret in her voice.
"Well, you're...you're dueling me right now! Or are you afraid?" Roy taunted. But the taunt failed as she merely laughed. "Why does a lowly Slifer Red want to duel with an Obelisk Elite? Mind your place, Boy." She answered back. Rika looked towards the stands where Mikee was sitting as she noticed his presence and gave him a wink as she stood up. "Danielle, if I may, should I deal with him?" The sky-blue haired girl asked.
"I didn't come here to duel you, I want to fight Danielle!" Roy barked.
"Jeez, you're loud. Can't you see our boss has no interest in dueling you?" The Obelisk standing next to her told the Red.
"Actually...this might prove interesting. Rika, be a dear and duel this brat." Danielle told her Ra Yellow friend. Roy seemed on the verge of snapping as the Ra Yellow nodded and activated her Duel Disk.
"Let's make this interesting. Make it a Surreal Duel. And Toy-"
"Roy."
"Boy, if you defeat Rika, then you can face Derrick, and then I might consider dueling you." Danielle explained.
"Fine, I'll do whatever it takes to duel you, if I have to fight your minions, then so be it! Let's get this started!" Roy stated, completely obvious to the reactions of the students around.
"Did that guy just accept a Surreal Duel?" Neo asked, looking shocked as the two Duelists stood up on the Duel Field.
"Being a Slifer Red, I'm postitive he doesn't even know what a Surreal Duel is." Kat said and stood up. "I'm not watching the massacre. I'll see you around." She said and left the stadium as both of them shouted, "DUEL!"
Roy: 8000 LP
Rika: 8000 LP
Surreal Duel Mode activated. Damage Limiters set to Normal.
Begin.
"I guess I'll go first then." Rika stated and didn't draw due to the new rules in place as she placed a monster face-down. Danielle seemed to be the most interested in this duel as she was watching Rika's moves. "Fine, I'll draw!" Roy declared and started his turn. He seemed pleased with the hand he got as he started things off. "First off, I summon Evocator Chevalier in Attack Mode!" He declared as a plume of fire rose up from the ground as a knight came swinging with a sharp blade. Evocator Chevalier is a Level 4 FIRE Gemini monster with 1900 ATK and 900 DEF. He pointed at the Ra Yellow's face-down as he yelled the command to attack it. Evocator swung and slashed a white dragon creature. It was destroyed as the Attack and Defense points came up as 0.
"Thanks for that. Since my Chiwen was destroyed, his effect activates. I can Special Summon a Yang Zing monster from my deck. The one I choose to summon is Jiaotu, Darkness of the Yang-Zing!" Rika declared as a dark energy came from the ground. A new dragon-like creature crawled from it as it roared at the Slifer Red, taking a guarding position. Jiaotu, Darkness of the Yang Zing is a Level 2 DARK Wyrm Tuner with 0 ATK and 2000 DEF. "So, you play the new archtype? Well, this won't matter, I'll beat you! I'll set two cards and end my turn!" Roy declared as two face-downs appeared behind Evocator.
"Good, because it's my turn. Draw." Rika said as she drew. She smiled a bit as she picked two cards from her hand. "I activate Jiaotu's effect. By sending two Yang Zings to my Graveyard, I can Special Summon a Yang Zing with 0 ATK and a Yang Zing with 0 DEF!" Rika declared as the dragon seemed to take in the cards and bellow out a roar, pushing Roy back as fire and water shot up between the sides of the dragon. Two more popped up, roaring at the duelist. "I Special Summon Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zing and Bixi, Water of the Yang Zing!" Rika declared. Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zings is a Level 4 FIRE Wyrm monster with 1900 ATK and 0 DEF. Bixi, Water of the Yang Zing is a Level 2 WATER Wyrm monster with 0 ATK and 2000 DEF.
"Wow, that's the power of Yang Zings. They remind me of your Synchros." Tigara pointed out, the comment directed to Mikee as he was into the duel. They were a brand new archtype too as Rika noticed him watching. She raised up her hand as her two Fire and Water monsters flew up. "I tune Level 4 Suanni and Level 2 Bixi with Level 2 Jiaotu! Forming the brilliance that banishes all darkness, lend me your strength! Synchro Summon!" Rika declared as a brilliant light shone forth onto the battlefield. A huge dragon-like creature roared loudly enough for Roy to cover his ears. "Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing!" Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing is a Level 8 LIGHT Wyrm Synchro monster with 2300 ATK and 2600 DEF.
Roy took a step back as the dragon glowed red and gained 500 ATK. Baxia: 2800 ATK. "Baxia's effect activates! When Synchro Summoned, based on the number of different Attributes used for his Synchro Summon, cards on the field are shuffled back into the Deck. I used Dark, Fire, and Water, so that's a total of three." Rika pointed out as the dragon roared once more. Evocator and Roy's two cards were sent back into his deck forcefully as he looked shocked. The Ra Yellow smiled as she cleared her throat. "I'm not done either. I still have my Normal Summon. I summon another Jiatou." She said as another Dark Wyrm came onto the field. Baxia looked to the new monster as it roared. "I activate Baxia's effect. By destroying a card on my field, which will be my little Jiatou, I'm able to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower monster from my Graveyard." She commanded as her Synchro Wyrm sent out a beam of light, destroying the dark creature. From its shadow rose a green Wyrm monster with the face of a parrot. "I Special Summon Pulao, Wind of the Yang Zing!" She called forth the parrot Wyrm. Pulao, Wind of the Yang Zing is a Level 1 WIND Wyrm monster with 0 ATK and 1800 DEF. Another pillar of light shone forth as the monster Roy destroyed earlier came forth from the Graveyard. "Due to Chiwen's effect, if one of my Yang Zings was destroyed by battle or card effect, I can Special Summon it from the Graveyard, and Jiatou's effect of destruction lets me pull another Suanni." She said, no emotion in her voice this time as another fire Wyrm came forth. Roy didn't look so hot as Chiwen rose to the top of the stadium. "I tune my Level 4 Suanni and Level 1 Pulao with my Level 1 Chiwen! Upholding the justice with his attacks, come forth to my aid! Synchro Summon! Goyo Guardian!" She called forth a powerful looking human creature as it spun a weapon around, ready to fight. Goyo Guardian is a Level 6 EARTH Warrior monster with 2800 ATK and 2000 DEF.
"Yup, she's definitely like you. But these Yang Zings are good." Neo commented as the only thing they could do was watch as Goyo Guardian glowed red and gained Attack points. Goyo Guardian: 3300 ATK. "Thanks to Suanni for being a material, he gives my friends a 500 ATK boost. As for the other effects, well, let's see if you can find out. Baxia, Goyo, attack Roy directly!" She commanded for her two monsters to attack the Slifer Red. Goyo Guardian threw his weapon first as it hit Roy hard in the stomach as he groaned, it looking and feeling like it hurt. Baxia's light wasn't any better as Roy was knocked to the ground. Roy's LP: 1900 "I'll throw down a face-down, and end it from here. Your turn, if you think you can handle it." Rika said as Roy groaned out. He struggled to get up as he stumbled back down. "Damn, this is a Surreal Duel all right, he looks hurt." Mikee pointed out, looking a bit concerned.
"No shit, he took 6100 damage to the face from direct attacks. This duel is over anyway." Tigara said as Danielle was laughing a bit. "This is better than I expected. You don't hold back on your punches, Rika. What will you do now, boy?" The Obelisk Blue asked.
"I'm...I'm..." He was grunting as he was barely able to stand on his feet. Rika looked a bit surprised as the Slifer Red put his hand on his deck. "I...draw!" He declared and drew his card, getting gasps from the audience. He looked at his card as he glared at Rika. "If I'm going down...I'm going to hit you with what my deck gives me! I summon the Summoner Monk!" Roy called forth a familiar Spellcaster, which got Danielle's instant attention as the old monk went into Defense position. "With his effect, I ditch my Double Summon Spell card and Special Summoned Tuned Magician!" The Slifer Red called forth a green and yellow magician as it laughed on the stage. Tuned Magician is a Level 4 WIND Gemini Spellcaster monster with 1800 ATK and 1600 DEF.
"Next, I equip my Magician with Supervise! What this does is give any Gemini monster equipped with this card...and gives them their effects! Ugh..." Roy said, his injuries becoming apparent as fire came before the magician as it glowed with the Synchro Rings. His Tuned Magician tuned with his Summoner Monk as he raised his hand in the air. "I...tune my Level 4 Summoner Monk with my Level 4 Tuned Magician. Synchro Summon! The King of all Dragons, Red Dragon Archfiend!" Roy called forth a familiar dragon as it roared onto the battlefield. Red Dragon Archfiend is a Level 8 DARK Dragon monster with 3000 ATK and 2000 DEF. To the side of the Dragon was Roy's Tuned Magician as the Supervise card was no more. "T-Thanks to Supervise, I can Special Summon my Tuned Magician back...Now...Red Dragon Archfiend, attack Baxia!" Roy commanded as the fist of the mighty dragon burned through Rika's Wyrm, destroying it as Rika guarded from the cinders. Rika: 7800 LP
"I got...your monster-"
"Trap card activate: Yang Zing Creation. When a monster of mine is destroyed by battle, I can Special Summon a Yang Zing from my deck. Come forth, Taotie, Shadow of the Yang Zing. And I'm sure you're familar with Chiwen's effect." Rika said with a snarky attitude as two more Wyrms appeared, the new one larger than Suanni as it looked dangerous. Taotie, Shadow of the Yang Zing is a Level 5 DARK Wyrm monster with 2200 ATK and 0 DEF. Roy flinched as he looked down at his hand.
"Each time those things get destroyed, almost two more take its place...She's not playing around either. Damn." Mikee said outloud as Roy looked at his options, his decision on a card in his hand. "I...I activate...Gemini Spark! With this...I can tribute my Tuned Magician, and I target...your Goyo Guardian!" Roy commanded as the Spell card fired its blast straight at Goyo Guardian as the impact hit.
However, the smoke cleared as Goyo Guardian was glowing green. "Thanks to my lovely Pulao being a Synchro Material, Goyo Guardian is unaffected by all Spells. Your attempt was futile." Rika said as Roy drew his card and was forced to end his turn as he braced himself.
"Draw." She stated and summoned another Wyrm to the field, it roaring at Roy. He couldn't do anything as she picked one more card. "It's fuilte to challenge my friend, Danielle. If you don't stand a chance against me, you don't even come close to the others. I activate Dark Hole." She activate the Spell Card as a black hole opened up in the middle of the battlefield. Her three Yang Zings fell into it along with Red Dragon Archfiend, but her Goyo Guardian remained due to Pulao's effect. Her Trap Card shone as three new Yang-Zings appeared on the field: Taotie, her last Suanni, and Jiaotu. Her hand was raised in the air one more as she closed her eyes. "I tune my Level 5 Toatie and Level 4 Suanni with my Level 2 Jiaotu! Devouring all light nights in the sky, lend me your tremendous strength! Synchro Summon! Star Eater!" She declared as a now gigantic dragon lowered onto the battlefield, it bigger than the area itself. Star Eater is a Level 11 LIGHT Dragon monster with 3200 ATK and 2800 DEF. Roy looked defeated as the gigantic monster glowed red from Suanni's power up. Star Eater: 3700 ATK.
"Star Eater, end this duel." Rika commanded as the gigantic dragon reared its head back as it fired off a huge ball of bright red fire from its chest, hitting Roy square-on, ending the duel almost instantly.
Rika: 7800 LP
Roy: 0 LP
Rika is the victor.
People stared in disbelief as Roy was on his back, breathing hard as his clothes looked a little burned from the recent attack as the holograms disappeared. Rika took off her D-Gazer and pushed her blue hair back. "Don't mess with us, and don't you dare underestimate me." She coldly told the struggling Slifer Red as she went over to Danielle's group. Mikee couldn't hold back anymore when Danielle started laughing. "That was truly pathetic, boy. You thought you had the audacity to challenge someone as strong as Rika? You-"
"At least he tried, damn it!" Mikee yelled as he jumped down to the floor and pointed right at Danielle. "You're the one he challenged and you decided to disrespect him?! What the hell is wrong with you?!" The Ra Yellow demanded. She wasn't remotely moved as she looked over to the male. "Derrick, who's this again?" She asked.
"That's Mikee Aeros, semi-finalist in last year's tournament, he runs a Synchron Warrior deck with Stardust Dragon." He told the magenta-haired student.
"He was in our last class with Miss Summers." Rika also pointed out as Danielle's eyes seemed to glow a bit. "Oh, right. The lucky one. You see, I don't deal with duelists who are lower class than I am. You and that Boy, I can already tell you would be no match for even Rika, the lowest rank of my group. I don't deal with peasants like the both of you." She told him as something popped up on her D-Gazer. She got up as Rika and Derrick both rose up. "If you would move out of my way, I have something to do. Ta-ta~" She told him as the group of three left. The stadium was quiet still as if a cold wave washed right through. Neo and Mikee went over to the fallen Slifer Red as they helped him up.
"You've done well, Rika." Danielle told her Ra Yellow friend as they were walking outside of the Academy walls and onto a forest path. The sky-blue haired girl nodded as she looked at her cards. "Yes, but I still managed to get damaged."
"Not to mention there were other moves you could have done to show the true terror of our group. You held back." Danielle mentioned.
"He was a Slifer Red, and in a Surreal Duel too. I didn't want to hurt him too much." Rika told her.
"You don't, hold back on trash like Slifers. They're all worthless, pathetic. They know not of the power that I hold with my cards, and thus, if they want to get on an even playing field, they need to know true power." Danielle explained, having a dark tone with her voice. Rika took the thoughts into consideration as she didn't seem okay with the thought. "These are Surreal Duels, Danielle. We're hurting people like this."
"That's how it is, it's the real world. You fight or you get stepped on. Derrick, any other duelists I should look out for?" She asked the Obelisk Blue male who was quiet the whole time.
"Well, there's a Slifer Red by the name of Luna, she supposedly runs an entire deck of Spellcasters. She beat the guy who got mad at you too during the ship ride." He commented.
"Luna, huh? I need to see how she duels...there will be only one Spellcaster deck in this school, my little puppets will need to handle her personally." She said to herself, laughing a bit at the end.