Chapter 3 - Mecha Entrance Exam: The Skies the Limit! Scrap the Ancient Bar!
. Bold words: Name Introductions; Card names; Monster Stats; 'Special Attacks'; Player(s) Life Points.
. (A) / (FM): Anime / Fan-Made - Cards used in the Anime/Manga; Cards created by the author.
. Italic: Non-English words; Epilogue and Prologue.
. " " - Normal Talk
. ' ' - Thoughts; Summon Chants
Special Thanks: Zeon Knight Paralysis; Will Isekai for Money (Story Proof-Readers)
- Continuation –
Turn 3
Jaden (J): 1400 LP
Dr. Crowler (DC): 1200 LP
The Duel between Jaden and Dr. Crowler continues. The soar of the mechanical Wyvern makes its entrance to attack the enemy.
"And now, Ancient Gear Wyvern; show his Blazeman no mercy. 'Precious Pursuit'!", the teacher's flying lizard started his pursuit to catch Jaden's Hero.
"Now's my chance. I activate my Trap Card; Draining Shield!"; a barrier was formed around the Hero, while the Wyvern screeched from not catching its prey. "Thanks to this trap card, your attack gets canceled; And I receive Life Points equal to your Wyvern's Attack Points."
(J: 1400 – 3300)
"Tch… Lucky slacker – no ne.", Dr. Crowler grunted.
Syrus placed his finger on his chin. "That was a weird move. Why would Jaden activate Draining Shield only at that time, and not when Ancient Gear Golem attacked?"
"That's because of Ancient Gear Golem's effect!", Bastion explained. "When Ancient Gear Golem attacks, the opponent can't activate Spell or Trap Cards until the end of the Battle. In this case, Ancient Gear Wyvern only cancels Monster Effects."
Dark Magician Girl's Spirit nodded in confirmation. 'That's right. My little bro was aware of that, as to why he could defend one of his beloved monsters this time with that scrapyard reject out of the way. Nice work, Jaden.'
Alexis and Zane were interested in the examinee's impressive performance.
"To think that Dr. Crowler, who never lost a duel after summoning that card, would fall to one of his examinee's traps. The good Professor isn't looking so hot here… this Jaden kid looks capable."
"My thoughts exactly", the girl smiled. "I thought his Life Points would quickly go down the drain, but now he's at a nice advantage. I want to see what more can Jaden do…"
Jaden wiped the sweat from his head, sighing in relief. "As expected of the rumors I've heard of you. Your 'Dark Medieval' deck looks strong and well-crafted, Teach."
"'Strong'? 'Well-Crafted' – na no ne? Don't you realize that I am the pride of Duel Academy? The practical training prodigy; he who can give elite duelists a promising future in their careers or end it before they take root. Why are you being so bloody flippant, slacker?"
'If only you knew…'; Jaden thought solemnly, but still smiled at the potential future challenges ahead. "That's what makes me love dueling. I'm touched, to know how a head teacher WANTS to duel me this seriously. That also means I can't fold now and give up so easily, right?"
Again, Dr. Crowler was speechless from Jaden's natural optimism.
'Does he have what it takes?'; he pondered for a tense moment but then shook the traitorous thought off and steeled his resolve. 'Non, Non! I have no intention of letting a slacker like him pass through the pristine gates of Duel Academy. I will not allow this!'
"I set two cards face-down and end my turn!", two set cards were placed on Dr. Crowler's Spell/Trap Zone.
Turn 4
J: 3300 LP
DC: 1200 LP
"Let's do this then. My turn, draw!", Jaden drew his card and smiled.
"You forgot something – no ne?", Dr. Crowler asked mockingly. "Since you activated Mirage of Nightmare last turn, you're now forced to discard 4 cards from your hand – na no ne."
Jaden nodded. "You're right. I'm indeed obliged to discard cards to my hand for Mirage of Nightmare's drawback; however, that only works if I still have it on my field. I flip over my Quick-Play Spell, Twister! By paying 500 Life Points, I can destroy my face-up Mirage of Nightmare Spell, no longer applying its effect!"; his Continuous Spell suddenly shuddered into particles from getting destroyed.
(J: 3300 – 2800)
"Sweet move, my love.", Yubel whispered, receiving a slight blush from Jaden for getting complimented.
"Alright. Let's kick it up a charge, Elemental Hero Sparkman!"; a blue-suited Hero, wearing golden armor and antennae on his back, created blue electrical charges from his hands. (ATK 1600 / DEF 1000).
Jaden pointed to his Orange-Suit Hero. "And check out my Elemental Hero Blazeman's special effect! By sending my Elemental Hero Heat from my deck to the Graveyard, my Blazeman's Attack and Defense will become equal to the discarded Hero. 'Flare First-Aid'!"
His Hero suddenly gripped his fists tighter, feeling the warm soul of a supportive Hero, ready to throw down for his comrades. (ATK 1200 – 1600 / DEF 1800 – 1200)
"Next, I activate my Spell Card, Miracle Fusion! It lets me fuse my Heroes on the field or graveyard, by removing them from play."
"It does that, huh?", Crowler asked curiously.
"That's right. Which means I can fuse my Elemental Hero Sparkman, and Liquid Soldier from my Graveyard!"; both Heroes' spirits appeared on the field and then fused to make a bright vortex. Heralding the arrival of a great hero, as Jaden chanted.
"'Bright Hero of Hope! Warrior Pure of Soul! Become the White Knight of Justice and let the Luster guide your Nature'! I Fusion Summon! Bring on the Light, Elemental Hero The Shining!"
A tall white armor Hero landed on Jaden's field; the light attribute hero had ruby-like gemstones on several parts of his armor; also wearing a spiky helmet and shining gold spikes on his back (ATK 2600 / DEF 2100).
"The Shining has an effect; he gains 300 Attack for every 'Elemental Hero' that is removed from play.", Jaden explained, while his Fusion Monster started emitting Light from his golden spikes (ATK 2600 – 3200 / DEF 2100)
"That hero looks so cool… and also bright."; Syrus smiled while covering one of his eyes from the Fusion Hero's natural light.
"Hmm~… A spell card that fuses 'Elemental Hero' monsters from the field and graveyard. It's not every day that I see a Fusion Spell Card doing that."; Bastion mutters, looking at the luminous superhero as if studying it and the conditions of its arrival. "Something uncommon to look into it seems."
Dr. Crowler wasn't so amused by the new Hero's appearance, shaking his head in exasperation.
"For THE Shining Hero to be summoned by a not-so-bright duelist; Too busy playing Super Hero to pass basic math? Not if you want to join this Academy, you won't. My Ancient Gear Golem has 3600 Attack Points, which is still stronger than your Fusion Hero – na no ne."
Jaden could hear a significant amount of snickering coming from his close spirit friend. "The crossdresser isn't completely off the mark there, my love. Just that Mommy Dearest would kill him if he'd tried again."
'Really Yubel, not the time'; Jaden chuckled awkwardly and turned back his attention to Crowler. "Why you're getting so impatient? The fun just getting started!"; he then picked out one of his cards.
"My Elemental Hero Liquid Soldier was banished as a Fusion Material, so that means I get to activate his effect; I get to draw 2 cards, and then discard one."; he drew his cards, and then discarded one; suddenly started glowing.
"And the card I sent to my Graveyard was no other than my Elemental Hero Shadow Mist; the time she's sent to the Graveyard, I get to add a 'Hero' monster from my deck to my hand. Like my Elemental Hero Captain Gold!"
"Yes, yes… more Heroes to play pretend with – no ne. That still didn't get to the point…"; Dr. Crowler said, more to himself with a deadpan look towards Jaden.
"Teach, it seems you're underestimating my 'Hero' power.", Jaden smirked, receiving the teacher's attention. "The reason I added my Captain Gold to my hand, was because I knew from the start that my monsters alone were weaker than yours. Teamwork makes the dream work, and someone has to set the stage…"
"A stage?"
"That's right, a stage! Because by discarding my Captain Gold…"; Jaden explained while adding a card from his deck. "I get to play my Field Spell, Skyscraper!"
(A) Skyscraper – Field Spell
When an "Elemental Hero" monster you control battles an opponent monster with a higher ATK, the "Elemental Hero" monster you control gains 1000 ATK during damage calculation only.
Holograms of giant buildings started covering the field; Dr. Crowler and his monsters were in the center of the skyscrapers, while Jaden's Heroes were at the top of some buildings.
"Two Modern Heroes versus Two Medieval Machines? Heh, so cruel the march of time can be…", Yubel smugly stated while watching the scene close to Jaden.
"Then wait and see it! Let's start our Battle! The Shining, attack Ancient Gear Golem!"; Jaden declared.
Syrus gasped. "Wait. Why would Jaden attack his Fusion Monster against his Golem? He knew that his monster's Attack is weaker."
Bastion confirmed. "I know why. Skyscraper is a Field Spell that makes an 'Elemental Hero' gain 1000 Attack Points during a battle against a monster with higher attack."
Syrus sheepishly smiled in surprise at that answer as if he missed something obvious. "Ah, I get it now! Jaden summoned The Shining, which has an attack lower, but closer to Dr. Crowler's Golem. But… hold a second."
He watched intensely, quickly calculating the current play. "4200, plus 2600… Subtracting by 3600, and 1700. And Dr. Crowler has only 1200. Does that mean…"
Dee couldn't maintain her composure, raising her excitement for the Duel climax. "That's right. The lipstick disaster over there wasn't aware that Jaden did pass Basic Math. If his Heroes defeat his monsters; Jaden wins!"
Yubel nodded. "Finish this duel, my love!"
"You got it.", Jaden raised his fist. "Let's go Battle, The Shining! Make Ancient Gear Golem feel a Hero's light; 'Optical Storm'!"; his Fusion Monster jumped from one of the tall buildings, using the fall using the momentum of the great heights to turn himself into a luminous projectile against the giant mechanical Golem. (ATK 3200 – 4200 / DEF 2100)
"Ehehe… Signor Jaden, you're trying your hardest to tickle my funny bone.", Dr. Crowler mocked, again. "It shames me how you're attacking my monsters without noticing my set cards – na no ne! I activate my Trap Card; Zero Gravity!"
His Trap created a bluish-green barrier around the monsters, which forced Jaden's Fusion Monster to the ground unable to move let alone attack.
"The Shining… What happened to him?", Jaden curiously asked.
Dr. Crowler laughed. "So silly of you to ask what Zero Gravity does; it makes all face-up monsters on the field change their battle positions!", he crossed his arms while seeing his Machine monsters shielding themselves; the same thing was happening to Jaden's monsters, forcing themselves to form defensive stances.
AGG (ATK 3600 / DEF 3000); AGW (ATK 1700 / DEF 1200)
EH TS (ATK 3200 / DEF 2100); EH B (ATK 1600 / DEF 1200)
"Heh… nice defense, Teach. But, even if my Heroes fail the first time; they'll always get the job done, even if only one remains. I throw down a set-down, and end my turn!"; Jaden declared with one set card on his field.
Due to the end phase, Elemental Hero Blazeman's effect wore off, returning to its original stats. (ATK 1600 – 1200 / DEF 1200 – 1800)
Turn 5
J: 2800 LP
DC: 1200 LP
'There won't be a next try for you… I promise you that.', Dr. Crowler drew his card. "My turn – no ne! Perfetto! I play my Spell Card, Ancient Gear Inspection!"
(A) Ancient Gear Inspection – Normal Spell
Target 1 "Ancient Gear" monster on the field; return it to the hand, the draw 1 card.
"With this Spell Card, I'll return Ancient Gear Wyvern to my hand; to then draw a card – na no ne.", the flying machine lizard returned to his host's hand, while the teacher smirked when he drew a card from his deck.
"Ehehe… Maestoso (Magnificent). I never knew I would need to bring Him for this registration duel… Such a pity.", he murmured with a restrained but impish grin on his face
Yubel looked at Jaden; her face for the first time in the duel not smiling, not nervous but more curious; the obvious sign being her raised eyebrow. "Jaden, stay sharp. This teacher had more than just hot air in his bag of tricks."
'Then we're on the same wavelength. I'm feeling goosebumps here…'; the brunet thought as his body tensed up in anticipation and the smile on his face got bigger. 'What's behind the curtain, Teach?'
"Be prepared, signor Jaden. I summon back my Ancient Gear Wyvern!", his flying mechanic lizard shrieked on his field (ATK 1700 / DEF 1200). "And with Wyvern's effect; I'll be adding another 'Ancient Gear' card to my hand. And since you like to add cards to your hand, I'll be adding them as well; with my Ancient Gear Box's effect!"
"What? Ancient Gear Box has an effect activated on hand?", Syrus questioned.
Bastion nodded. "Sure does, and a feisty one. Since Dr. Crowler added that card from outside of drawing it, he's allowed to add an 'Ancient Gear' monster that has Attack or Defense equal to Box's Attack."
'I have a real bad feeling about this…'; Dee twitched her lips from getting nervous. 'Something tells me something huge is about to come.'
Dr. Crowler couldn't help, but laugh to himself; while Jaden was feeling that uneasiness again.
"What's with the laugh, so I can join in?"
"Oh Please; My apologies for my lack of self-control. You see, I'm an expert on pushing lackadaisical hopefuls like you to the limit. Considering you had enough sense to look into my reputation; In each duel, I've summoned my Ancient Gear Golem, I haven't lost a duel in a long time…"
Jaden smirked. "So, you expect to win this duel as well; Just by summoning your Legendary Rare card?"
"'Just summoning him?' Non, Non, Signori.", Dr. Crowler grins with excited but vindictive intent. "My Ancient Gear Golem is far more than a rare beat-stick to brandish; He's the key for my next Medieval Marvel! And since you're quite familiar with this Spell Card, allow me to use it as well! I activate Polymerization!"
His Spell Card resulted in shocked looks from the audience from Chazz, his lackeys; Alexis and Zane; Syrus, Bastion, Dee; and all the other students and applicants that were spectating the duel.
"Here it comes…"; Jaden murmured.
"I'll be fusing my Ancient Gears Golem, with Box and Knight from my hand!", the Spell Card absorbed the metal from the Spirit machines summoned on his field. Sparks of dark electricity formed a vortex, while Dr. Crowler raised his hands.
"'Rusted Weapon of the Past; Show all your Vaunted Strength. By Uniting the Machines at Last; Remake an Emperor that calls for your End'! FUSION SUMMON – NA NO NE! Feel the Mechanical Wrath of the Medieval Era; Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem!"
A Gigantic Centaur-like Machine appeared from the holographic wrecked city floor sharpening its appendages for the coming battle; destroying a good few of the holographic buildings thanks to how humongous the Fusion Monster was. It had the Ancient Golem's head, and the right arm's weapon looked like a cross between a claw and the pincher of a crab; Emitting a dark electrical energy, on standby waiting for his master's command. (ATK 4400 / DEF 3400)
"Th-That Fusion Monster… feels so-so terrifying.", Syrus gulps, wide-eyed at the sheer size of the monster staring down the examinee's field. The blue-haired teen felt a sharp chill down his spine.
Bastion sighs. "Methinks Jaden's confidence rattled the hornets' nest too much. I can see this duel ending in multiple ways mostly in Professor Crowler's favor, as to be expected."
Just like Dr. Crowler, Chazz was also enjoying the seemingly imminent defeat of a cocky upstart.
"Serves him right for mocking the professor's skills; once Dr. Crowler gets building, this is the result of going against the big fish. Hope this clown wasn't planning a comic series."; Chazz snidely states and, as if mocking Jaden's efforts, he pretends to raise a glass in honor of Jaden's seemingly bullheaded bravado.
"Farewell… Crushed Heroes: It was nice seeing you squirm."
Alexis sighed. "I guess it's the end for the rookie; Dr. Crowler likes to be thorough when pressed. But even I feel bad; That's the Dueling World for you, competition is as steep as a ravine at points."
"I wouldn't feel that way.", Zane retorted. "That kid; He made it this far and isn't panicking." he idly spoke out further making his thoughts known.
Dr. Crowler could hear the awes coming from the public; the pride he was feeling that moment, the beauty of his dueling…
"You should feel privileged for facing my strongest monster, signor Jaden; But I suppose a weak Hero suits a small player – no ne. Maybe next year you'll learn to come to the registration duels on time to not face these types of threats again."
"Hmm~… The more late I am, the tougher the opponent!? I hit the jackpot, teach! Thanks!"; Jaden stated, while his passionate spirit nearly caused him to make a reckless play. But he controlled himself and had one more thing to say in this verbal exchange; his jovial face suddenly condensed into a resolute look. "But giving up now means never looking at the people who helped me get this far in the eyes ever again! Now then, show me your best against my worst!"
"If that's what you WANT, it's what you'll GET! Because the moment my Ancient Gear Golem was sent to my Graveyard, my Ancient Gear Tank effect activates! You'll be taking 600 points of damage – na no ne!"; Jaden gritted when felt sparks coming from his duel disk.
(J: 2800 – 2200)
"Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem, time for Battle! Destroy his Elemental Hero The Shining; 'Ultimate Clang'!", his Giant Golem lifted his weaponized arm, and swung down at fast speed to destroy the defending Hero. "No matter what you do, you cannot activate Spell or Trap cards when my Golem attacks; As well as the piercing damage you're about to take!"
"This is bad!", Bastion gasped. "Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem has 4400 Attack Points, while The Shining has 2100 Defense Points. And Jaden only has 2200 Life Points; If the attack reaches, it's Game Over!"
"Jaden, NO!", Syrus screamed, seeing the brunet still smiling from the attack's impact causing a smoke cloud to cover his field. They couldn't see him, not after the smoke left from his side; Syrus was trembling from his spot, his shaky legs faltering even further. "And here I thought I would get to know a cool guy like him more…"
Dee frowned at the blunet. 'I know that feeling so well… But something bothers me.'; she thought with her closed arms. 'Why is Skyscraper still on the field? Jaden is reckless, but he wouldn't go out like this.'
After a long, tense, and silent moment, the smoke finally disbursed from the field; Giving the students and applicants the decisive conclusion of the clash. They were in for a surprise when they saw Jaden with his arms crossed.
As if the attack didn't make him flinch and he was just showing off a bit, as if Jaden was savoring the shocked reactions of the audience members.
(J: 2200)
"W… WHAT?", Dr. Crowler asked. "Why have you not lost any Life Points – no ne?"
"Wanna know how?", Jaden picked up a card from his hand; it was a brown fluffy creature. "I activated my friendly Kuriboh's effect from my hand; if I would take battle damage from an attack, I can discard it to reduce that damage to zero."
Zane showed an amused smirk at the revealed card. "Well, that's a surprise I wasn't expecting. But certainly, a welcomed one…"
"And yet, you had hope that he could bring that card from his deck?"; the girl asked him, used to his cryptic mannerisms.
"Why would I? The world of Dueling is fathomless; anything can happen without you knowing it."
Alexis looked back to Jaden. "Just who is this boy?"
Bastion's eyes widened in sudden realization. "Kuriboh? That's utterly impossible; I don't believe THAT Ultra Rare card would be reachable to get. There's only one person I know who holds it, let alone knows how to play it properly."
"I know too.", Syrus answered. "But it can't be just a coincidence. That duel disk… and his determination. There's just one person I know who's capable of holding all these features. The King of Games!"
Dee gave a quick laugh at the teen's reaction. 'My, My. Don't ruin the surprise now, sweet cutie-pie~…'
Dr. Crowler saw how Jaden was placing the card in his graveyard. "Mind telling me how you were able to get that Kuriboh in that deck of yours to act as the hero team mascot?"
"How?"; Jaden asked surprised, crossing his arms and slowly moving his head to each side. "Hmm… I don't remember exactly when or where, but if I had to answer; in a Booster Pack?"
He could hear Yubel gushing from her laugh on his back; she was facing the other side so that he couldn't see her losing her composure. And he knew the reason why.
A question mark appeared on Dr. Crowler's head; Jaden wasn't being serious with him.
"A booster pack. From all the answers I was waiting for, that one was one of the most foolish ones I heard in my time as a professor, signor Jaden – no ne. You do realize that card isn't available on any booster packs in Domino City, as far as I was informed."
Jaden placed his hand on his chin, with a thinking look. "Then… what if it was a Legendary Rare Booster Pack? Maybe from 2, 3… 4 years ago, I think? I don't remember the exact date, but I know Kuriboh has always been my best pal."
That little white lie and that last sentence made the laughing demon hug herself while doubled down, freely laughing her ass off. "His best pal, he states. From a date he doesn't remember when! I can't… I'm losing it! You're killing me with your jokes, my love! Ahaha!"
'Hey now, stop it; your laughter's contagious. You don't want me to start laughing, not in front of… the academy's practical training professor.'
Dr. Crowler sighed impatiently. "There's no point in asking you any inquiry, it seems. You're just wasting my and these applicants' time while you're just playing around – no ne. No matter, you're clearly at a disadvantage here."
"Or am I?", Jaden states smirking. "As far as I'm concerned, my Heroes' efforts and war cries set alight the signal and stage for all my heroes! I activate my Trap Card; Hero Signal!"; The trap created a light signal pointing to the sky between the skyscrapers, showing a big 'H'!
"Thanks to this trap, I Special Summon my Elemental Hero Clayman in Defense Mode!", next to the shielded blazing Hero; the ground erupted to welcome a massive clay Hero with a soil armor and red helmet that was almost hard to see. (ATK 800 / DEF 2000)
"That makes now two Heroes for you to protect me; while you still have your Wyvern, which you may have forgotten to change to Attack Position. It wouldn't matter, since my Heroes have stronger defense than your monster's attack."; Jaden smirked.
"Attacking your monsters? Such impudence… why would my Wyvern need to attack your pesky Heroes, when all I need is right beneath your eyes – no ne?"; Crowler smirked back, leaving Jaden clueless. "I activate my Trap Card, Ancient Gear Reaction Shock!"
(FM) Ancient Gear Reaction Shock – Normal Trap
If 'Ancient Gear Golem' or a Fusion Monster that lists 'Ancient Gear Golem' as Fusion Material destroys a monster by battle: Tribute 1 other 'Ancient Gear' monster you control and target 1 monster your opponent controls; destroy it, then inflict damage to your opponent equal to the destroyed monster's ATK.
"Due to The Shining getting destroyed, my Ancient Gear Wyvern will now get sacrificed!"; his flying mechanical lizard was grabbed by the giant hand of Crowler's Fusion Monster. "Which then lets me destroy your Blazeman, and smash your Life Points with your monster's Attack!"
The Centaur Golem threw the destroyed Wyvern right into Blazeman's direction; clashing with him, and making the Hero and Jaden squirm, the last one shielding himself.
(J: 2200 – 1000)
"And that becomes the end of my turn."; Crowler declared with pride. "How was that for your confidence mark? Can you stand up against my strongest, with such a stopgap Hero on your field? Skyscraper won't save him, and you have no other cards on your field. Draw your last card, so I can end this duel…"
"Didn't you mock me for my impatience?"; Jaden asked, his eyes showing off from his bangs; his smile never leaving him. "Neither you nor I will ever know what will happen next turn, teach. That's what makes a duel so dang fun to play. Each turn that is played, a tide is turned, new miracles are created; and I'm sure this next card will decide it all!"
Turn 6
J: 1000 LP
DC: 1200 LP
"My Turn!"; Jaden drew his card and nodded. "As I predicted, a miracle happened. I activate the Spell Card, Fifth Hope! By returning from my Graveyard, the Elemental Heroes Avian, Flame Wingman, Shadow Mist, The Shining, and Blazeman to my deck; I get to draw 2 cards!"
Meanwhile, Dr. Crowler couldn't contain his mental laughter again.
'Draw all the cards you need, signor Jaden. What you're not aware of, is that you're falling right into my Trap. Even if you try to destroy my Fusion Monster, you won't be able to survive this turn; Thanks to my Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem's destruction effect, I'll be able to Special Summon my Ancient Gear Golem from my Graveyard.', he thought, then looking to the cannon on his back.
'And since my Golem will be the only monster on my field, my Ancient Gear Spark Shot effect will activate; dealing you 1500 points of damage and reducing your Life Points to a round zero. Muahahah! What will you do, Slacker?'
Using her magic wand to see up close the opponent's separate hands; Dee saw the cards the brunet drew, and a wide smile was shown on her face. "Jaden won. He did it…"
Jaden smiled as well, as he saw the path of his victory. 'It's about time…'
"Exactly, my love. Time to end this farce once and for all."
"Alrighty then! I play my Spell Card, Fusion Recovery; From my Graveyard, I add Elemental Hero Burstinatrix and Polymerization back to my hand. Which lets me now fuse Burstinatrix, and Clayman on my field!"
His Hero spirits appeared together on the field to fuse. Said Fusion signified by the deep red magma ball that appeared on the field and then quickly cooled off and hardened a new hero bursting forth from the hard blackened substance.
"Fusion Summon! From the barracks to the ranks; Jump into the Fray! Elemental Hero Rampart Blaster!", the massively armored Heroine had the same Clay armor as the Earth Hero, she was holding a shield on her left arm, and a missile gun on her right one; protecting herself, while pointing her weapon at her foe (ATK 2000 / DEF 2500)
"Heh… what can that Cheap Comic Book Heroine accomplish? She's nothing more than a fancy-looking shield waiting to be shattered!"; the teacher responds mockingly not noticing the clenched teeth of the Superhero Duel Monster at the insult.
"But you see, teach; Heroes are all about triumphing over long odds. It's never too late to make a difference. But calling her an easy shield to be crushed may've gone too far. After all, I needed her on the field so that I could activate this Quick-Play Spell Card, Dimension Explosion!"
(A) Dimension Explosion – Quick-Play Spell
Return 1 face-up Fusion Monster you control to the Extra Deck, then both players target as many of their banished monsters as possible; Special Summon them.
"Eh? Wasn't that one of the cards that Dr. Crowler checked on Jaden's hand?"; Syrus asked curiously.
"Indeed, Dr. Crowler saw that card by his Confiscation Spell Card.", Bastion nodded, then smiled. "And now that Jaden activated Dimension Explosion, ONLY he's allowed to Special Summon his removed from play monsters, by returning his Rampart Blaster to his Extra Deck!"
"Wait…"; Syrus remembered. "So that's why he used his Miracle Fusion Spell Card in the first place? And Dr. Crowler doesn't have any banished monsters with him. Jaden is amazing…"
"I know right?"; Dee cheered while giggling like a loon. "But, you're not the only amazing guy here; am I correct, Jaden?"
Listening to Dee's words from above, Jaden nodded back. "Come forth, my Heroes! Liquid Soldier, Sparkman!"; he raised his hand, his field showing off two of his Heroes. His Water Hero was wearing a dark-teal suit, a light-blue helmet, and armor on his chest and his arms; Surging waves of water were covering him.
(ATK 1400 / DEF 1300); (ATK 1600 / DEF 1400)
"Don't be shocked now for what's coming for you, teach. Because I'm sacrificing both Heroes… to summon my Ace Monster, my best friend! Appear, Guardian Devil of Darkness; Yubel!"
The two monsters disappeared with a burst of black and gold energy signaling the monster's arrival; the loyal demoness appeared on the field descending like a demon lord from ancient myths, ready to fight for eternity if her master simply gave the order. (ATK 0 / DEF 0).
"Eh… EEEEH?! A Level 10 monster, but has 0 Attack Points?", Syrus gasped. "What's the reason behind all this?"
"I don't know either… but it's a Level 10 monster, right?", Bastion asked. "Why haven't I heard of this card before? And why do I feel like her presence will change this match?"
Dee felt the show of power from Yubel, and gave a deadpan look at her theatrics 'And the crowd goes wild for my bestie coming to the rescue. Jaden wouldn't call her his Ace Card for no good reason.'
"May I offer you a free one-time-only lesson?"; Dr. Crowler asked, as if sensing something off with Yubel. "A duel requires none of your extraneous talk. However, do remember this! By tributing two of your monsters with average attack points, and summoning a monster with 0 Attack Points, it's like you summoned a Scapegoat to bait me. So, the question is, does it have a powerful effect?"
Jaden whistles in appreciation for the guess and retorts. "Impressive, Teach. I wouldn't be where I am now without Yubel as my Ace card; She isn't my best Guardian for nothing – Yubel's the Pinch Hitter of the Heroes; She's always there when things look bleak. And what's more, her effect is a pretty cool one," he started to sport a dark smirk as he continued.
"Don't you love Mirror Force?!"
(A) Yubel – Effect/DARK/Fiend/ATK 0/DEF 0
Cannot be destroyed by battle, also your opponent takes any battle damage you would have taken from battles involving this card. Once per turn, during your End Phase: Tribute 1 other monster or destroy this card. When this card is destroyed, except by its effect: You can Special Summon 1 "Yubel – Terror Incarnate" from your hand, Deck, or GY.
"The Stage is set! Take it from here Yubel! Attack his Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem!"; Yubel flew gracefully and quickly placed herself on the top of the tallest skyscraper she could find.
Crossing her hands, she sighed. Of course, she doesn't have a full moon to pose in front of to top it off. Yubel would have to settle for the light of the coliseum... for now.
But she looks toward the beast she was called upon to fight with a battle-hungry smile on her face.
"A battle between two Level 10 monsters. Finally, an opponent worth my time; I pray this Battle will last!", she leaped from the tallest point of the building, using the momentum gained with her great descent and with her great experience with her wings to increase her already impressive windspeed, allowing her to easily dive toward Crowler's monster at said high speeds with practiced ease.
"Scherzi (Jokes)! You must be joking! This is downright asinine; you'll destroy yourself!" he paused for a second, and noticed how Jaden kept his full smile; And had a panicked look on his face, as he muttered sharply "Unless!?"
Crowler's Fusion Monster raised his dark electric fist; while Yubel did as well, with a golden flare surrounding her fist; Both fists clashed causing the coliseum to shake a bit with golden fire and dark electrical energy spewing forth from the clash.
"The Heroes always win in the end! My Yubel cannot be destroyed by battle, and any battle damage I take from attacks involving her is reduced by zero."; Jaden explained. "Instead, you'll be the one taking damage equal to your Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem's Attack, teach."
"Oh, the luck of it all – no ne!", Dr. Crowler's face red with frustration at his incoming loss.
"Take this; 'Skydive Nightmare'!'"; Yubel's strength increased, to the point of breaking the Fusion Monster's arm off with a great push, and the mechanical appendage fell to the ground; the same area where Dr. Crowler was and tried to dodge the claw, but the arm fell on him in a heap of holographic scrap and rubble.
"Mmm… MAMA MIAAH! My Life Points – na no neee…", the teacher sniffed.
(DC: 1200 – 0)
JADEN WINS THE DUEL
Jaden winked impishly while raising his indicator, middle finger, and thumb in Dr. Crowler's direction. "Gotcha! This was one of the funniest duels I ever had, Teach!"
The holograms have finally dispersed, only showing the Arena where both Jaden and Dr. Crowler started their duel. Dr. Crowler was still on the ground, his body still trembling and himself dazed by the upset duel…
"How? How could I lose to a Slacker such as him?"
Chazz and his lackeys were also in awe, not just by the loss but by the dueling ability of both the Professor and the Upstart. As if a bar had been set for everyone to reach, a preview of what's to come…
"I can't believe this one bit… Our Instructor Crowler lost to an examinee?"
The dark-teal teenager sighed while smiling. "That was indeed an interesting duel to watch. Such back-and-forth… the way that kid played his cards let his potential shine."
Alexis was quiet; something about Jaden's deck, that one card that he played. Her quiet words made her wonder more about this Jaden person.
"So, he has this card, Yubel…", she asked, while leaving her spot. "I wonder what more does he have in his bag of tricks."
Meanwhile, Syrus and Bastion were celebrating Jaden's victory.
"Great work, #50!", the blunet shouted.
"You might make a good rival, #1. Can't wait to face you… at Duel Academy!", Bastion says genuinely smiling and interested in the challenge Jaden poses.
Dee floats away from her watching area and descends close to Jaden and Yubel, her arms opening to the demoness for a big hug.
"I knew you could do it, Yubie! I knew it, I knew it…", she rubs her cheek over Yubel's chest; the demoness smiling back while patting the sorceress's head as if she was a pet.
"Hey, now… I'm the one who won the duel, okay? Give me a break, jeez…"; Jaden told them with a defeated sigh.
"I'm afraid your company is coming down here for you, my love."; Yubel pointed her finger at the two boys walking down the stairs to approach Jaden. "It seems this going to be a Big Day!"
- End of Chapter 2 –
It was nighttime, a dark bedroom; an adult walked in, his care for Jaden snoring while sitting on his chair. Cards were spread over the table, while his head was on top of his closed arms.
"My turn… and I summon Clayman… Attack Mode…", the brunet sleep-talks.
"Dear me, what am I going to do with you, kiddo?", he smiled, while approaching. Just like Jaden, the adult could see and interact with Spirits. Looking to his left, he sees a smiling Yubel sitting on the corner chair of the room, guarding her loved host.
"Shh… let my love sleep. He's preparing himself for tomorrow's Exam Duel."
"Is that so? Still, it's been almost 5 years that I've been taking care of him; Jaden still couldn't learn how to sleep in the early hours; I hope he doesn't regret being late for the Exam.
Yubel winked at the adult. "You know that with my powers, he'll be there no matter how late he is."
The adult laughed. "I do know. And I know that you two will behave yourselves in the Academy if you pass this Exam; can you promise me that?"; He looked towards the demoness, his eyes playful but brokering no argument.
"Of course, we will; Duel King, Yugi Muto!"
Yugi nodded, picking up Jaden to get his unconscious body to the bed. Covering him with the bedsheets, Jaden was peacefully slumbering on his fluffy pillow; a satisfied smile showing his innocent face. After opening up his deck slot, looked over his deck, and selected a card to place in Jaden's deck.
"Don't tell Jaden, that my Kuriboh will be his lucky charm for tomorrow's duel. I only request it back to my deck by tomorrow evening, promise?"
Yubel waved at him. "I'll remind him of it. Good night…"
"You two sleep well. Your future is just getting started…", Yugi waved and walked away