After docking, the four of us checked out the scenery. Quite the beautiful place, I must say. A big arena in the middle was surrounded by two big buildings.
Regardless, I followed the orders of the people who helped see us off the boat. We were instructed to head inside the main building. We managed to see a lot of duelists, so it was a bit nerve-wracking to see all the competition we were going to be put up against in the test areas.
The four of us stuck close throughout, being sure not to get lost in the crowd. Eventually, after a long wait in a longer line-up, we got inside the building. However, we were confused when we each received different numbers.
"I wonder what this means." I said as I walked away from the desks where we received our numbers.
"It's likely the order in which we're going to be dueling." Matt noted. "My guess is that it's the lack of proctors." Looking at the field, he noticed a lot of proctors. A lot of them were busy in a duel with one of the entrants. Matt noted the proctors' strategies.
"I can only tell you guys one thing…" he said. "Good luck."
Looking around, a few of the duelists had began taking seats, going off in groups as they watched the duels. There were a lot of strange-looking people in the crowd, but nobody really took notice to the fact that I was eyeing any of them. It was better that way; I didn't want dirty looks from any potential rivals.
Regardless, I was beginning to grow bored of the waiting. Numbers kept being called as more duelists went down. Some managed to defeat the proctors, but a few of them failed the duel examination, and some even failed the written portion, which was issued directly after the duel portion.
Eventually, the first of us was called to the field; Andrew. He managed to hold his own, but barely squeezed out a victory.
Directly after, I was called down. I was fighting the same proctor that Andrew had barely beaten.
"Game on!"
Leon: 4000 L.P.
Proctor: 4000
L.P.
"I'll go first, to allow you to calculate the move I make." the proctor said, drawing his card. "I summon a monster in face-down Defense Position." A face-down monster appeared on his field. "I'll also play a set Spell or Trap Card face-down. That ends my move."
What a robotic word choice this proctor had; it was almost…uncomfortable to hear this guy talk, I felt like a two-year old, for God's sake. "Draw!" Perhaps my spitfire style could breathe life into this match. "I summon Chipoff Beast in Attack Mode!" A lava-covered beast with sharp claws and melting skin stormed the field.
Chipoff Beast
FIRE
Level
4
Pyro/Effect
ATK: 1800
DEF: 1200
Each time Battle Damage
to either player is inflicted in battle involving this card, decrease
the ATK of this card by 300 points, and Special Summon 1 "Chipoff
Token (FIRE, Level 1, Pyro, ATK/300, DEF/0)".
"Now, my Chipoff Beast, attack his face-down monster!" I commanded. Despite its melting body, it was still able to charge at high speed towards his monster. However, that stopped once his monster was revealed.
"You've attacked my face-down monster; Stone Statue of the Aztecs!"
Stone Statue of the
Aztecs
EARTH
Level 4
Rock/Effect
ATK: 300
DEF:
2000
The Battle Damage this card inflicts to your opponent when
your opponent attacks this Defense Position card is doubled.
"Now, you're unable to destroy my Statue, and you take double recoil damage."
Leon: 3600 L.P.
Proctor: 4000 L.P.
"You've also revealed my face-down card, Destruction Punch!"
Destruction
Punch
Trap/Normal
When your opponent attacks a Defense Position
monster on your side of the field, and the ATK of the attacking
monster is lower than the DEF of your monster, destroy the attacking
monster.
"Now, your Chipoff Beast is destroyed." he declared.
"Before your Punch destroys my Beast, its effect kicks in." I said as my Chipoff Beast let its shoulder chip off. The chip reformed into a small beast of its own, with 300 attack points and 0 defense. "Whenever my beast is exposed to battle damage, he loses 300 attack points, and I get a token with 300 attack points. However, my Beast is still going to be destroyed."
The Destruction Punch managed to destroy my Chipoff Beast, but not the shoulder chip it just leaked.
"Now," I began. "I set two cards face-down, and end my turn."
"I draw." he said, stoically eyeing his draw. "I activate Chorus of Sanctuary!" He opened the field spell slot on his Duel Disk. The field changed to a luscious garden filled with angels and ideal images of serenity and peace.
Chorus of Sanctuary
Spell/Field
Increase the DEF
of all Defense Position monsters by 500 points.
"Now, all monsters who are defending gain 500 defense points!"
The defense points of his Stone Statue rose by 500, to 2500. The defense points of my Chipoff Token also rose to 500.
"Now, I set a monster face-down, and one Spell or Trap Card face-down. That ends my move."
"Draw!" I declared as I drew my card. "I first summon my Mirage Apparition in Attack Mode!"
Mirage
Apparition
WATER
Level 4
Zombie/Effect
ATK: 2200
DEF:
0
At the end of the turn that this card is Summoned, shuffle this
card into your Deck.
"Now, I reveal my face-down card; Homunculus Blast!"
Homunculus Blast
Trap/Normal
Tribute
one monster on your side of the field. Special Summon monsters from
your Deck whose total ATK is equal to or less than the ATK of the
Tributed monster.
"I now tribute my Mirage Apparition to summon my Homunculus Soul in Attack Mode!"
Homunculus
Soul
LIGHT
Level 1
Spellcaster
ATK: 0
DEF: 0
The
soul of a homunculus, it is able to use the physical material of
whatever is around it in order to create a new body. Such power is a
wanted commodity among mortals who wish to obtain power in order to
upgrade their bodies.
"I'm also able to summon monsters with up to 2200 attack points. Meet my Rotting Beast Carcass!"
Rotting Beast Carcass
EARTH
Level
7
Insect/Effect
ATK: 0
DEF: 0
You are able to Special
Summon this card from your hand during either player's turn. This
card is destroyed during the End Phase of the turn that is
Summoned.
"Now, I still have 2200 attack points left, so let's keep looking for advantageous monsters to summon. How about a couple Alchemy Brainwave Beasts?" Two small blue beasts with giant purple brains stormed the field.
Alchemy Brainwave
Beast
WATER
Level 3
Aqua/Effect
ATK: 700
DEF: 300
When
this card is Summoned or flipped face-up, you can change the battle
position of one monster on the field. (If it is in face-down Defense
Position, change it to face-up Attack Position.)
"Now, my Beasts each can bring your monsters to attack mode!"
The Beasts approached the proctor's monsters. Stone Statue of the Aztecs and the revealed Giant Soldier of Stone were switched to Attack Mode.
Giant Soldier of Stone
EARTH
Level
3
Rock
ATK: 1300
DEF: 2000
"Now, for my next move; I reveal my second face-down card; Dissolve!"
Dissolve
Spell/Quick-Play
Tribute one
monster. Destroy one card on the field.
"Now, I'll rid myself of my Chipoff Token, and I'm able to rid myself of your face-down." I said.
His face-down card shattered.
"Impressive play, young man." the proctor complimented.
"You think I'm done yet?" I asked sarcastically. "I activate Polymerization!"
Polymerization
Spell/Normal
Send,
from your hand or your side of the field, monsters that are listed as
Fusion-Material Monsters on a Fusion Monster in your Fusion Deck to
the Graveyard, and Special Summon that monster.
"I now fuse my Homunculus Soul and my Rotting Beast Carcass to summon my Level 8 Homunculus!" Homunculus Soul and Rotting Beast Carcass melded. Appearing from the fusion was a large robot with 8 orbs on its body.
Level 8 Homunculus
LIGHT
Level
8
Spellcaster/Fusion/Effect
ATK: 2800
DEF: 2600
"Homunculus
Soul" + a Level 7 monster
This card can attack all monsters on
your opponent's side of the field once each.
"Now, for the best part. My Homunculus can attack each of your monsters one time each. So, if you do the math, my creature will do 2500 damage to you destroying your Stone Soldier, and 1500 when destroying your Soldier of Stone. That adds up to 4000; enough to give me the game. Go, my creature, end this duel now!"
My Homunculus swung its fists at the two stones, destroying them.
Leon: 3600 L.P.
Proctor:
0 L.P.
"Excellent." the proctor said. "A victory by turn 2. You have incredible promise, kid. I just hope that you'll do well on the written test."
I chuckled. "That's what I'm worried about, sadly. But thank you for telling me that." I said.
I headed back to Matt, Andrew, and Adam.
"Congratulations, Leon." Matt said.
"You sure as hell did a better job than me." Andrew said. "Those defenses are hard to break through."
"That's how his deck is built, though, Andrew." Matt said. "He sets himself up incredibly fast to win. His problem is that he lacks a strong creature that doesn't require Polymerization or a ritual spell card."
"Well, it seems my fusion alchemy deck worked better than my ritual alchemy deck did." I said. "Good thing…my ritual deck wouldn't have done nearly as well."
"Well, now you're supposed to do your written exam." Matt said. "Meanwhile, Adam and I are going to take the duel exam. See ya." They headed off to the field, where they each got to fight a proctor. Meanwhile, I picked up the pen and began my written exam.