One night in the blue dorm, a soft breeze passed through Ibuki's room, the silhouette of a heavyset person entered through the window that had been left open to let the soft night breeze escape.
The figure walked slowly over to Ibuki's desk to see a dark brown wooden box with gilding on the sides giving it a luxurious look. He carefully opened the box, to find a deck inside. He took it and gently closed the box before leaving, all without waking Ibuki.
The day of Ibuki, Jaden, and Syrus' Punishing Duels finally arrived, Dr. Vellian Crowler walked through the hallway of the main Duel Academy building, noticing all the students who were part of the Slifer Reds.
"Look at them, the pathetic slackers littering the campus like vermin. The hallowed halls of MY Duel Academy are for the elite, not for the incompetent and especially NOT for Jaden Yuki." He thought before collapsing with a shout. "Only expulsion awaits people like him!"
This little outburst on his part sent the Red Slifer students scurrying into a nearby classroom.
"But soon, he'll pay dearly. Soon, it will be him who looks like a fool. And Ibuki will finally pay for his insubordination." He said with a smile.
"Dr. Crowler."
Crowler turned to see Chazz Princeton walking towards him.
"Ah, Chazz, how can I help you?" He asked.
"Let me take on Jaden and his friend during the elimination duel." Said Chazz. "This time I'm sure I can beat him and send him packing."
"That won't be necessary! I've already invited the best Duelists who specialize in Team Dueling." Said Crowler, making Chazz gasp. "Don't get me wrong, your skills are admirable, but I won't take any chances. If he and Syrus lose, they will be expelled from the Duel Academy. So, to make sure that happens, I'm going to make them face the greatest duelists in the world!"
"Then let me go against Ibuki! He's bringing shame to our dormitory by rubbing shoulders with these scum." Chazz asked desperately. "I'll take him down!"
"Sorry, but his opponent has already been chosen and it's not you. As I told you before, I'm not taking any chances. Moreover, thanks to the person I have chosen, there is little chance that he will be concentrated enough to win the duel." Answered Crowler before leaving, leaving Chazz confused and angry.
At the Red Slifer Dorm, Jaden and Syrus were in their room with Chumley, going over their decks.
"How can you be so calm? Chumley asked.
"How can we not be?" Retorted Jaden. "Another day, another duel, right, Syrus?"
Jaden's answer made Syrus groan a little.
"But it's not just another duel." Chumley declared. "It's an elimination duel, and if you lose, you're on the next bus out of here."
"That's totally why we're not going to lose today." Said Jaden. "And Chumley, we're on an island, why leave on a bus?"
"Anyway, maybe you should give me your meal cards just in case." Chumley commented with a sigh.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Jaden stated sarcastically.
"Well, someone has to eat your grilled cheeses if you go." Said Chumley.
Syrus looked at the Power Link spell card.
"I BELIEVE IN ME, JADEN!" Shouted Syrus suddenly.
Jaden turned away from Chumley to see Syrus leaping from the ground.
"Uh... that's great Syrus. Now come on, we need to get out." He said as he and his dueling partner headed for the door.
"Good luck guys! I really want you to win the match." Said Chumley as he watches them leave.
"More than you want grilled cheese?" Jaden asked as he looked at his friend, surprised.
"I'd rather have you as a friend than extra grilled cheese..." Replied Chumley.
"You know, I think I might just cry..." Said Jaden, sketching a smile.
"See you soon, Chumley!" Said Syrus, waving at him, then headed for the door, followed by Jaden.
"Yeah, I hope so." Chumley thought darkly as he watched his friends leave.
Meanwhile, in the Obelisk Blue dorm, Ibuki finished preparing for his expulsion duel after choosing to use a different deck than his Cyberbrain deck. Everything hinged on the duel he was about to have. It was either he won or he was evicted. He would show that he deserved to stay at the Academy and after that he would have two words with his main suspect about trying to harm him or his friends.
At the main dueling arena, once all classes were over for the day, all students, teachers and the chancellor took their seats.
"Attention! The first of two disciplinary duels is about to begin! Remember, these are sudden expulsion matches!"
Bastion sat in one of the many seats in the arena, noticing the school's students and teachers filling the arena, and he quickly listened to the announcement and crossed his arms.
"That's a little harsh, in my opinion..." He said.
"You're right..."
He turned to see Alexis, and Chumley walk over and sit next to him.
"I just hope they'll be okay." She said with concern.
"Well, they better be okay. I heard that Dr. Crowler had three professional duelists, two of whom worked for the creator of Monster Duel. This isn't going to be easy for them." Said Bastion.
"Send in the defendants: Ibuki Kadoya, Syrus Truesdale and Jaden Yuki!"
Chazz sat there, angry that he couldn't face Jaden or Ibuki. As the three of them entered the arena, he kicked the empty seat in front of them, causing some obelisks to look at him. In fact, the kick was loud enough for Jaden to hear.
"The acoustics are great here, guys! It's going to be great." Smiled Jaden.
"Yeah... you think they'll count the echo like your partner?" Syrus wondered.
Jaden reached out and ruffled Syrus' hair.
"For the last time, you are my partner!" Said Jaden.
Syrus laughed and walked away from him.
"It didn't hurt to ask!" Said he.
"Relax Syrus, you have Jaden with you to help you. I'm sure it will go well for you." Ibuki assured him.
As the three of them made their way to the platform, Chazz gripped the armrests of his seat, his knuckles white.
"You Slifer scum and Obelisk shame...it should be me who eliminates you! But I guess as long as you're evicted, it doesn't matter who does it..." He said.
In the infirmary, Zane Truesdale lay in a bed, comatose from his little confrontation with Ibuki, a Duel Pilot at his bedside broadcasting what was happening in the main arena. Ms. Fontaine, the person in charge of the infirmary, thought it would be a good idea for him to have a replay of the Duel Punitives if he ever woke up during this event.
After the Slifers and Obelisk finally arrived on the arena, Crowler turned to the audience with his hand in the air.
"And now, for the first discipline duel! Ibuki Kadoya to the arena!" He said. "The next two defendants can take their seats here."
He pointed to the two empty seats behind Ibuki. Jaden shrugged as he walked to the seats with Syrus. Ibuki himself went to his side of the arena.
"Now it's time to introduce our first guest for the disciplinary duel!" Crowler announced.
The audience was silent as they waited for the duelist to appear. Suddenly, the sounds of high heels could be heard.
"Who could Ibuki's opponent be?" Jaden asked himself as he looked at the entrance in front of them as the noise seemed to get closer and closer.
At that moment a very beautiful woman who looked to be in her thirties entered the room and walked towards the other end of the arena. She had blue eyes that showed a certain softness, long platinum blonde hair, a slim waist and a glamorous figure.
She was wearing a beautiful dress comparable to the one you can see in the illustrations of the fairy accounts. She was wearing a Kaiba Corp Dueling Disc on her left arm.
Ibuki was shocked when he saw the woman. It was as if she was facing a ghost.
"Angelica Paradius!" Crowler announced as he left the arena.
"Angelica Paradius?" Alexis gasped.
"Impossible..." Chumley groaned.
"Oh God..." Said Bastion. "She disappeared five years ago!"
"Rumors say she retired to spend more time with her son. How did Dr. Crowler convince her to return to duty to fight Ibuki." Alexis added in amazement.
"Oh no... now I'm really worried about Ibuki." Syrus said visibly worried.
"Yeah... facing a professional duelist is no easy task. But don't worry about him, he will succeed." Said Jaden a little worried too.
"I'm going to enjoy it!" Snickered Chazz.
Back on the dueling arena, Angelica looked at Ibuki with a sweet motherly smile on her face.
"Hello sweetie, I'm so happy to see you again. I hope you're happy to see me, I've come a long way to find you." Said Angelica.
Ibuki recoiled at the sight of him. There was sweat on his forehead and his hands started to shake. His breathing became ragged.
"Crowler..." Sheppard said, obviously not liking it. "Who did you call to confront Ibuki? It can't be Angelica Paradius and you know it."
"Even though he was cleared of all charges. It is necessary to give an example to all those who would transgress the rules to dissuade them. Retorted Crowler, looking desperate, quickly regained his composure and turned to the two duelists. "Now duelists, mix your decks!"
Angelica and Ibuki began to shuffle their decks.
"This is... impossible." Ibuki said.
"And yet it is me. We're going to duel like in the old days." Said Angelica.
"Now switch decks and shuffle again!" Said Crowler.
The two players shuffled from each other's decks and then switched them.
"Now gentlemen, ladies, go back to your sides." Said the vice chancellor, the two duelists obeyed? Both returned to their sides. "Now let the duel begin!"
"DUEL !"
Ibuki: 4000 LP
Angelica: 4000 LP
"Is it me or does he seem to know himself?" Chumley asked.
"Looks like it." Bastion agreed. "Ibuki didn't tell us much about her past. Maybe it has something to do with her.
Alexis nodded in agreement with Bastion, even though inwardly she was worried about her friend. Seeing Angelica seemed to disturb the Cyberdark user.
"I'll start." Said Ibuki as she drew a card. "I... I place a monster and a card face down, and finish my turn."
"Then it's my turn." Said Angelica as she drew her sixth card. "I summon the Iron Bucheron, and thanks to its effect I can summon the Iron Knight from my deck, which I play in defense mode." She said as the two monsters she mentioned appeared on the field. "Thanks to its effect, the Iron Bucheron gains 1000 attack points for each Iron Knight on the field. But the Iron Knight's effect causes him to lose 1000 attack points."
Iron Hans (LV04, Type : Warrior/Effect, Attribute: Earth, Atk: 1200-2200 Def: 800)
Iron Knight (LV04, Type : Warrior/Effect, Attribute: Earth, Atk: 1700-700 Def: 700)
"Now the Iron Hans will be able to attack your monster face down."
The Iron Hans ran to the back card and slashed with an axe, revealing that Ibuki's monster was Agido, now sliced in half before disappearing.
Agido (LV04, Type : Fairy/Effect, Attribute: Earth, Atk: 1500 Def: 1300)
"Then I pace a card face down and finish my turn." Said Angelica as a card appeared in front of her.
The audience was surprised by Ibuki's defensive strategy. Especially since he didn't seem to use his deck from the last time.
"It's strange. He doesn't even seem to be thinking of a strategy." Said Bastion as he looked at Ibuki who seemed to be on the verge of shaking like a leaf.
"It worries me. It seems that all the confidence that was in her is gone since she entered the arena." Said Alexis.
"Hey Jaden, do you think he's okay?" Asked Sirus.
"I think so. And he's sure to win, she's a retired professional duelist. I'm sure she hasn't touched a card in years, I bet." Jaden answered him carelessly.
"It's a bad start for the Obelisk shame. We'll finally be rid of him." Said Chazz, shivering with joy at the idea of Ibuki being expelled.
Without saying anything Ibuki drew a card and looked at his hand.
"I reveal my face-up card, Metal Reflect Slime. This trap card, once activated, becomes a monster set in defense mode with 3000 defense points." Explained Ibuki as a sort of liquid metal mass appeared on the field with the trap card underneath in defense position.
Metal Reflect Slime (LV10, Type: Aqua, Attribute: Water, Atk: 0 Def: 3000)
"Next, I play Nightmare's Steelcage. For your next two turns, none of our monsters can attack." He said as his side of the field was surrounded by an iron cage. "Then place a card face down and I'll end my turn."
"It's strange, you usually bet more on the attack than on the defense." Said Angelica while drawing a card.
"What..." Ibuki murmured.
"I'm summoning Prinzessin in attack mode." She said as a Cinderella-like princess appeared on the field.
Prinzessin (LV04, Type : Fairy/Effect, Attribute: Light, Atk: 600 Def: 300)
"Its effect allows me to summon Pumpkin Coach from my deck, which I play in defense mode." She said as her monster appeared on the field.
Carrosse-Citrouille (LV03, Type : Plante/Effect, Attribute: Earth, Atk: 0 Def: 300)
"Since I can't attack because of your cage, I'll finish my turn." She said in a more neutral tone.
"I should have known..." Ibuki muttered.
"What did you suspect, sweetie?" Angelica asked as intrigued by this statement as the audience.
"You are not her!" Ibuki suddenly shouted, now enraged, surprising everyone and even more her friends who had never seen her get so angry. "You are not Angelica Paradius!
"What are you talking about? It's me, sweetie." Said Angelica with an innocent smile on her face as the audience was surprised by this new information.
"Is he the son of an undefeated professional duelist?" Said an Obelisk Blue, surprised.
"But if this is his mother, why was he terrified when he saw her?" Bastion wondered.
"I'm asking myself the same question, but something tells me that it won't be long before we get the answer to that question. Said Alexis.
On his side Crowler was starting to panic.
"Oh no. I wanted him to be too scared to fight properly. Then he would have lost and been kicked out." He thought as he saw the rage burning in Ibuki's eyes.
"Crowler, I don't think it's necessary to explain any more. We'll soon find out what you've been up to with this duel." Said Shepard, eyeing Crowler warily.
« Tu n'es pas elle, pouriture. Et je vais le prouvé. » Dit Ibuki en piochant une carte. « Parfait. »
« Qu'est-ce que tu as pioché sweetiee ? » Demanda innocemment Angelica.
"You'll see this. I play three Fiend's Sanctuary." He said as three copies of the same card appeared on the field. "Thanks to this I can summon three Metal Fiend Tokens on the field."
Metal Fiend Token (LV03, Type : Fiend, Attribute: Dark, Atk: 0 Def: 0) x3
"But don't get too attached to them, because I'm going to sacrifice them to summon a monster... a monster that rivals if not surpasses the Egyptian gods."
Everyone began to murmur and Crowler loudly proclaimed that no such cards existed. All those who wanted the "shame of the Obelisks" expelled agreed and said that Ibuki was simply invoking Gilford, The Lightning. Barron, for his part, shook his head.
"So that's what he had." He said as Valkyrie-Dritte appeared beside him.
"If that's who he's talking about, she's done for." She said.
"You deny it... but I have proof. Come and consume the unworthy!" Said Ibuki as black clouds covered the ceiling of the arena and the wind picked up. "Bathe this ground in fire and darkness! Release your unholy roar and rise!"
Lightning cracked the clouds, thunder rumbled. The wind turned into a storm.
Many students grabbed onto anything they could get their hands on: chairs, walls, railings, anything. Shepard turned as white as a sheet when he realized what the student was going to summon.
"So he's the one who has them." He realized.
« LÈVE-TOI ! THE WICKED ERASER ! »
With a mighty thunderclap, accompanied by the wind, a groan from the earth and an explosion of fire, Ibuki played the card he had in his hand. Hellfire erupted around the arena, the sky becoming so dark that it was night. The flames surrounded Angelica, wrapping around her like a snake. Angelca danced to avoid the fire, feeling the intense cold coming from it as she panicked.
The fire disappeared, revealing a long black tail that wrapped around the arena. Several spikes appeared next, reminding many of the sky dragon Slifer. A large silver chest emerged, with more spikes. Two massive black wings unfolded, projecting black fire as two arms formed, four claws on each, three on top of the hand and a single one at the tip. The head was made last, a massive silver head with two blood red eyes. The beast lowered its head with a shrill cry.
The Wicked Eraser (LV10, Type : Fiend/Effect, Attribute: Dark, Atk: ? Def: ?)
The whole school looked at the monster, fear and terror written all over their faces.
"You are definitely not Angelica Paradius..." Said Ibuki as she saw the woman shaking with fear. "... Because Angelica Paradius... my mother is dead... because of me... Because of what I can do... And she never summoned Prinzessin in attack mode! She would never have put her favorite card on the field, so she wouldn't get hurt!"
Following this statement, silence reigned. Nobody knew what to say about this revelation. Crowler, for his part, began to tremble, his deception falling apart at that moment.
The silence was pierced by the false Angelica who started to tremble before letting burst a maniacal laugh. Her body suddenly began to grow until it burst like a suit, just like her dress, revealing a corpulent man with green hair and pink dressed in a black suit.
"Good eye, kid. I am the Impersonator of Death. " Revealed the man.
"That's disgusting!" Commented one student followed by several students who began to protest the method of play of the Impersonator of Death.
"Crowler really crossed the line." Alexis commented.
"Yeah. Getting that guy to impersonate Ibuki's dead mother is by far one of the worst things he's ever done." Bastion added.
"I thought Yugi had taken care of you in the Duelist Kingdom." Said Ibuki as he looked at his opponent.
"Oh, it's true that I haven't duelled since. But let's say that Crowler's offer was attractive. The most complicated part was to break into your room to steal your dear mother's Deck. But I did and you didn't even know it. It seems the Vice Chancellor is really determined to exclude you." Revealed the Impersonator of Death, startling all the students as Shepard clenched his fists upon hearing this.
"You crossed the line Crowler!" Shepard finally shouted shocking the students even more. "I haven't said anything about a lot of the things you've done, or the way you've behaved towards the Slifer Red, but this is the last straw! This duel is over!"
"NO!" Ibuki finally shouted, startling the chancellor. "This duel is not over. This scum dared to take my mother's deck and her appearance. He will pay. And on my terms." He said, rage dripping from his words.
Seeing the look in his eyes and all the hatred that came out, Shepard sighed and let the duel continue. He just hoped that even if such a scheme couldn't be used on Jaden and Syrus that Crowler wouldn't go so far with them.
"Good." Said Ibuki as he focused back on the duel. "I'm ending my turn since the Cage effect is still active."
"Then this is mine." Said Impersonator of Death as he drew a card. "I summon a second Iron Knight in defense mode. This grants a new bonus of 1000 attack points to Iron Hans, even though this Knight also loses 1000."
Iron Hans (LV04, Type : Warrior/Effect, Attribute: Earth, Atk: 2200-3200 Def: 800)
Iron Knight (LV04, Type : Warrior/Effect, Attribute: Earth, Atk: 1700-700 Def: 700)
"Then I'll play the Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your Nightmare's Steelcage." He said as a tornado appeared to destroy Ibuki's Cage. "Now the Hans will be able to destroy that Eraser you seem so proud of." He said before the Hans charged Eraser to be destroyed by The Wicked which spat black fire on the opposing monster and lowered its hit points. "What?!"
Ibuki: 4000 LP
Impersonator of Death : 2200 LP
"I understand better why Dueling schools were created. Seeing as some so-called professionals still don't understand that monsters have effects." Ibuki laughed, annoying his opponent. "Eraser, being a Slifer homologue, has the effect of gaining 1000 attack points, except that it's not based on the number of cards in my hand, but on the number of monsters on my opponent's field. To make a long story short, you have increased my monster's attack all by yourself."
The Wicked Eraser (LV10, Type : Fiend/Effect, Attribute: Dark, Atk: 5000 Def: 5000)
"Oh no!" Realized the Imitator of the Dead.
"Lucky for you, by destroying your bucheront he lost some of his power. But be careful because the next round will be the last." Said Ibuki.
"That's what he thinks, but he's attacking Prinzessin, he's going to have a nice surprise thanks to my face up card." Thought the Impersonator of the Dead. "I'm finishing my turn."
"It's time to end this!" Said Ibuki as she drew a card. "I'm playing the same card you played earlier, Mystical Space Typhoon. And I'm going to use it to destroy your face-up card."
"No, my Mirror Force!" Shouted the Impersonator of Death as his face-up card was destroyed.
"Now Eraser..." Ibuki began, hesitating to finish his sentence. "...destroy Prinzessin." He muttered before finally looking at his opponent with rage.
Ibuki's monster's burst was so powerful that when it hit its target, the entire field was covered in huge black flames so dancing that no one could see what was happening in the arena. Ibuki's eyes glowed so brightly that the Impersonator of Death could see that he was looking right at him.
Impersonator of Death : 0 LP
"You stole my mother's deck, and defiled her memory and her heart. You will pay for this! Mind Crush!" Ibuki shouted, pointing his left hand at the Impersonator of Death.
The latter, hearing these familiar words, was filled with terror, as he was thrown backwards while his vision was obscured.
After that, despite the darkness that continued to shine, the shape of Ibuki's body was clearly visible to all. But darker than the flames themselves as if he was a shadow, his golden eyes still shining.
"Crowler... consider this duel a warning! You used an impostor to sully the deck and the memory of my mother! That's unforgivable! If you try anything on me, or any of my friends, nothing and no one will stop me from giving you the punishment you deserve! Heed my warning, Crowler!" Ibuki shouted before the glass of all the spotlights on the ceiling shattered and the light slowly dissipated, revealing Ibuki standing as the Impersonator of Death lay unconscious on the ground, all the deck he used was now scattered around him.
Silence reigned in the room of the dueling arena, until groans could be heard due to the acoustics of the room. Jaden, Syrus, Alexis, and Bastian who was still looking at Ibuki noticed his shoulders shaking before he raised his head to look up revealing that he was crying.
"I did it... I finally mastered it... Mom..." He said before falling unconscious.