Duel Academy:Gym
After the exhibition duel between Kai and Zane, everyone steadily streamed into the gym. Just as with the exam duels all those months ago, everyone sat in seats which lined the place. The only difference is that the duels would be strictly contained to those promoting or demoting
Despite such factors, Kai was still thinking about that duel with Zane. Whatever the final stipulation was could come later as his mind was now focused on just how often he'd flirted with loss. None of that even accounted for the fact he won.
Jasmine took a seat next to him. "So, how does it feel having defeated the best duelist on the island?"
"Surreal." Kai chuckled as he shook his head. "Almost feels like a dream I'll wake up from at any moment."
Suddenly, he grunted as the Amazoness user nudged him just hard enough to the point he couldn't deny feeling it.
"Nope, looks like you aren't dreaming." Jasmine winked at him. "Guess you can discard that and realize you pulled off something pretty amazing."
"Guess so." Kai chuckled slightly before smiling.
The two then went about chatting casually until the duels got started, with two of their group's Slifers being among those first duelists. Jaden and Raynos had apparently been paired off. While it wasn't an Obelisk opponent this time, that didn't seem to matter to Jaden.
"Alright, I've been itching to throw down with the new Slifer!" Jaden declared.
"Got to say, I've been feeling the same with you Jaden." Rayno smiled. "I've heard a great deal about you to the point I want to see just how I stack up to the best Slifer on campus."
"Get your game on!/Let's Duel!" Jaden/Raynos declared, getting right to it.
(Jaden 4000/Raynos 4000)
"Alright, I'll kick things off!" Jaden drew. "I'll activate Graceful Charity, letting my draw 3 cards in exchange for pitching 2." He followed through. "Next, I'll set one monster and throw down a face down to boot before ending my turn."
"A rather defensive start compared to what I've heard he's capable of." Raynos noted before drawing. "I'll begin by activating Shield Crush, allowing me to destroy that face down monster of yours."
A yellow beam came out of the card and hit the facedown, which flipped to reveal Wroughtweiler(LV 3/800/1200). "Next, I'll summon Speed Warrior(LV 2/900/400)." A white armored warrior appeared.
"Now, Speed Warrior will attack your life points directly!" Speed Warrior jumped into the air and did a diving kick towards Jaden. "I activate Speed Warrior's special ability. His attack points can double during the Battle Phase of the turn he was normal summoned."
Speed Warrior(LV 2/1800/400 effect)
"I chain my face down, Call of the Haunted." Jaden declared. "Now, I can special summon any one monster from my grave into attack position, and I choose Wroughtweiler(LV 3/800/1200)."
The machine dog appeared just to be destroyed (Jaden 3000/Raynos 4000).
Speed Warrior(LV 2/900/400)
"Did he not send more monsters than Wroughtweiler to the grave?" Chumley questioned, sitting with the other three Slifers of their group.
"Nah, Wroughtweiler's ability makes it a certainty he sent Polymerization and one of his HEROs to the grave through Graceful Charity." Greg remarked. "That same ability is why he brought that monster back specifically."
"Since Wroughtweiler was destroyed by battle, I can add 1 Elemental HERO and Polymerization, the ones I discarded for Graceful Charity, back to my hand." Jaden declared.
"I see." Raynos nodded. "In that case, I'll set this one card and call my turn there."
"My move!" Jaden drew. "I'll activate Polymerization to combine Elemental HEROs Avian and Burstinatrix. Fusion summon Elemental Hero Flame Wingman(LV 6/2100/1200)." A green warrior with a wing and red dragon arm appeared. "I'll attack your Speed Warrior!"
"Not so fast." Raynos declared. "I activate my Shadow Spell. By targeting your Elemental Hero Flame Wingman(LV 6/1400/1200 effect) he loses 700ATK, can't change battle position, and is prohibited from attacking."
"I activate De-Fusion." Jaden countered. "By returning Flame Wingman to my extra deck, I can special summon the materials if they reside within my grave. Welcome Elemental HERO Avian(LV 3/1000/1000) and Elemental HERO Burstinatrix(LV 3/1200/800)."
A green suited warrior with wings and a female warrior in a red attire appeared. "Avian will now attack Speed Warrior." Avian fired feathers at the opposing warrior, destroying him (Jaden 3000/Raynos 3900). "Burstinatrix will follow up with a direct attack."
Burstinatrix conjured and threw fire at the opposing duelist (Jaden 3000/Raynos 2700).
"Well, can't say I've faced that out on the streets." Raynos commented.
"Just wait." Jaden smiled. "My turn isn't over yet since I can still normal summon. I'll tribute Avian and Burstinatrix for Elemental HERO Bladedge(LV 7/2600/1800)." A golden hero with blades coming out his arms appeared. "I'll then set one card and call my turn."
"Looks like I need to step things up." Raynos drew. "This will do nicely. As you control monsters while I control none, I can special summon the Level 3 Level Warrior(LV 4/300/600 effect) as a level 4 monster." A red suited warrior appeared. "That leaves me with my normal summon.
I'll use that to bring out Jet Synchron(LV 1/500/0)." A small, bipedal jet engine appeared. "I'll have Jet Synchron give Level Warrior a tune up to synchro for 5. Synchro summon Jet Warrior(LV 5/2100/1200)." A black, bipedal jet appeared.
"That's a cool looking monster, but unless it's got a sweet effect, it won't overcome Bladedge." Jaden declared.
"Fancy you mention his effect because he happens to have one." Raynos declared. "Well, he has 2, but the only one that matters now is what happens when he's Synchro summoned. I can now return any one card you control back to your hand. Return your Bladedge."
Bladedge glowed with a black aura before vanishing from the field as Jaden picked him back up.
"Oh no, Jaden only had a set card left to defend him!" Syrus exclaimed.
"Raynos' deck is full of removal options, it seems." Greg noted, remembering his duel with the Slifer.
"Now, Jet Warrior will launch a direct attack." On Raynos' command, Jet Warrior went unimpeded as he punched through the opposing duelist (Jaden 900/Raynos 2700). "What's the matter, that face down of yours a bluff?"
"More like something I'll use when the time is right." Jaden returned.
"Alright, I'll set one card of my own to end my turn." Raynos stated. "Your move."
"Draw!" Jaden smiled at what he got. "I'll now activate another Polymerization to combine Elemental HEROs Bladedge and Sparkman from my hand. Fusion summon Elemental HERO Plasma Vice(LV 8/2600/2300)." A blue spandexed warrior with golden armor appeared.
"One of this card's effects lets me discard 1 card to then target 1 attack position monster you control and destroy it. The only one you got is Jet Warrior. With that out of the way, I'll have Plasman Vice launch a direct attack."
"This is going to hurt, but I have Des Counterblow set." Raynos thought. "With that, I'll be able to destroy Plasma Vice which will leave Jaden with whatever he could potentially normal summon to defend himself with."
Jaden grinned as it was time to activate his face down. "I now activate my set Soul Union. This trap lets me select 1 Elemental HERO I control and 1 Elemental HERO chilling in the grave. I target Plasma Vice and Bladedge. Now, my first pick gains ATK equal to the second pick's."
Elemental HERO Plasma Vice(LV 8/5200/2300 effect)
"5200 ATK!" Raynos exclaimed. "That's more than enough to take all my life points!"
Plasma Vice formed a large sphere of electricity above itself before launching it at the opposing duelist (Jaden 900/Raynos 0).
"That's game!" Jaden declared, felling satisfied.
This was something the Gladiator Beast user noted. "Does Jaden not feel the duel was hallow?"
"Looks like I have a lot to learn." Raynos commented.
"Maybe, but that was still a sweet duel." Jaden complimented.
The first of the group's duels were done, right alongside the first wave of duels that would be done that day. More would come and go before the next duel would take place. Obviously, there was jubilation and disappointment depending on what duel you faced, promotion or demotion.
It all came about from the results with only one Obelisk, so far, heading off to resign. Something Mokuba predicted would happen, given the last time Obelisks were up for demotion, so he had a table set up to accommodate that.
While he suspected they wouldn't see anywhere near the number of drop outs today, the fact remained they pretty much really want that lot here. Giving up when faced with a little push showed they weren't Pro material.
People like Seto, who could still trash talk with the best of them, would not go easy just because you had some money. Mokuba was also busy documenting these duels. They would be used to help update the Entrance Exams and be sent to duel preps to hopefully clean those up a bit.
Later…
Chumley had been paged for his duel not long before Greg was, so it didn't come as too much of a shock that they had been paired off to duel. In fact, the beast user was already awaiting him where they would duel.
"Can't say I necessarily expected I'd have to face one of my friends to advance, but I'm going to come at you with everything I got Chumley." Greg activated his duel disk.
"I won't back down either, given this is my first ever chance to advance myself." Chumley activated his own duel disk. "So, I'll answer your determination with my own."
"Let's Duel!"
(Chumley 4000/Greg 4000)
"I'll take the first turn!" Chumley drew. "I'll set one monster and end my turn."
"I draw!" Greg looked at his hand. "That could be Des Kola, but if that is the case, I don't have a way to shut down its effect in hand. I'll just have to settle for ensuring it doesn't stick around and minimize the potential loss of life points."
He nodded. "I'll start by summoning Gladiator Beast Andal(LV 4/1900/1500)." A bipedal black bear in blue armor appeared. "I'll then set two cards before moving to attack that set monster of yours."
Andal surged forward and slashed through the set monster revealing Nimble Momonga(LV 2/1000/100), a flying squirrel.
"When this monster is destroyed by battle and sent to the grave, I gain 1000 life points." Chumley declared as he was sprinkled with green particles (Chumley 5000/Greg 4000). "Additionally, I can special summon any number of Nimble Momonga(LV 2/1000/100)x2 from my deck in face down defense position."
Two more flying squirrels appeared before going face down.
"Not what I expected and potentially worse since that's two monsters." Greg recognized. "In response, I'll flip my first face down which is the continuous spell Gladiator Rejection. This card has two effects, but the only one that matters now is your inability to target my Gladiator Beasts with card effects outside the Battle Phase. With that, I'll call my turn."
"Wait, why didn't Greg have Andal return to his deck?" Syrus asked.
"Gladiator Beast Andal is a normal monster, one of the few Gladiator Beasts that lack that gimmick." Dimitri informed.
Chumley drew. "I tribute my two face down Nimble Momonga to summon Big Kola(LV 7/2700/2000)." A large blue kola appeared.
"You've triggered my trap card, Gladiator Beast Charge." Greg countered. "Since I control one face up Gladiator Beast, I can destroy one face up card you control and that would be your Big Koala."
Big Kola shattered.
"I have more cards in my hand and life points; however, he's managed to counter the big play I had this turn. With Andal, all he needs is Bestari to go into Gyzarus." Chumley contemplated. "Do I even risk setting anything from my hand?" He nodded. "I set one card and end my turn."
Ultimately, Chumley recognized he needed to at least attempt protecting himself without a monster already on the field.
"My move!" Greg drew. "Since I control a Gladiator Beast, I can special summon Test Tiger(LV 3/600/300)." A tiger in blue and orange armor appeared. "Now, I can tribute Test Tiger to shuffle any 1 Gladiator Beast I control back into my deck to exchange it. Return Andal.
It will be summoned as though through a Gladiator Beast." Test Tiger shattered. "I summon Gladiator Beast Augustus(LV 8/2600/1000)." A hulking, scaly Winged Beast appeared. "When Agustus is special summoned, I can special summon a Gladiator Beast from my hand.
It just must be in defense position and will be shuffled back into my deck should it still be on the field at the End Phase. I'll special summon Gladiator Beast Laquari(LV 4/1800/400)." A tiger in orange and white armor appeared.
"Due to being special summoned this way, his original ATK becomes 2100." Gladiator Beast Laquari(LV 4/2100/400 effect). "Gladiator Rejection's second effect now activates. Once when I special summon from my deck, I can special summon any other Gladiator Beast from there.
It just must be a different type from those I already control and will also be put in defense position. I choose Gladiator Beast Hoplomus(LV 4/700/2100)." A rhino wearing dull gold armor appeared. "With this, everything is in place."
"Three monsters from just a string of plays." Chumley noted.
"Three will become one." Greg held up his duel disk up. "I return Laquari, Hoplomus, and Agustus to my deck. I now conduct fusion without the aid of a spell to call upon the beast of fiery devastation. Appear, Gladiator Beast Heraklinos(LV 8/3000/2800)." A bipedal, muscular tiger appeared wielding an axe and shield.
"Oh, that's not a good monster to be facing." Kai noted, naturally having a great understanding of the Gladiator Beast user's deck from when they dueled together. "With two cards in his hands, Greg has two shots to knock out any spell/traps Chumley might play."
"Do you think Chumley has anything that can get around that fusion?" Jasmine asked.
"He's got the monsters to handle it, but it comes down to actually getting them." Kai responded.
"Heraklinos, attack Chumley directly with Shield & Axe!" Greg commanded.
"I activate my set Battle Instinct." Chumley tried. "As you're conducting a direct attack while I control no monsters, this trap lets me special summon any Level 4 or lower beast-type monster I wish from my hand in attack position."
"Heraklinos allows me to pitch one card from hand to negate the activation of a spell/trap and destroy it." Greg did just that.
Battle Instinct sparked with red electricity before shattering. Heraklinos then charged at Chumley, swinging its shield through him before slashing with the axe (Chumley 2000/Greg 4000).
"I believe I'll end my turn there." Greg declared.
"Spells and traps won't work while I don't have any monsters in hand that can deal with that monster." Chumley had a hand of four right now, but none of that would matter if he couldn't draw the right card now. "Here goes!" He drew before smiling. "Alright, Lichious!
"I activate Reload to shuffle these remaining four cards in my hand back into the deck. Then, I can draw that same number of cards." He completed the steps before grinning. "As I control no monsters, so the ATK of all monsters you control are more than that of the monsters I control.
That means I'm allowed to special summon Alpha, the Master of Beast(LV 8/3000/2500). That's not all. I reveal Gallis the Star Beast. Now, I send the top card of my deck to the grave. If it's a monster, you take damage equal to 200 x its level, and I can special summon Gallis."
He put his hand on his deck. "Here goes." He drew and grinned. "Nice, this here is my Behemoth the King of All Animals (LV 7) meaning you're about to take 1400 points of damage while the monster I revealed gets to appear."
Gallis the Star Beast(LV 3/800/800), a black furred, red armored gryphon appeared (Chumley 2000/Greg 2600). "Now through Alpha, I can target any Beast, Beast-Warrior, or Winged Beast I control and return them to my hand.
Then, you're forced to return an equal number of cards you control back to the hand, no targeting required. In return, Alpha just can't directly attack this turn. That won't matter as Gallis and it are the monsters I return to my hand."
"That means both fields are now clear." Greg noted, recalling this same strategy from Chumley's duel with Topher all those months ago.
"That won't stay that way for long since I still have my normal summon." Chumley declared. I'll put it to good use on Des Kangaroo(LV 4/1500/1700)." A bipedal, green kangaroo appeared. "Let's show him how we do things down under!"
Des Kangaroo lunged forward and punched through Greg (Chumley 2000/Greg 1100).
"Just like that, Chumley has completely flipped the momentum!" Jaden cheered.
"Yeah." Dimitri nodded. "Sometimes innovation is great, but there are times a solid combo like that has its place."
"I now end my turn." Chumley declared.
"Alright, my move!" Greg drew before grinning. "Well, how about that. As I started my first turn, so to shall my last. I summon Gladiator Beast Andal(LV 4/1900/1500). Now, I attack your Des Kangaroo!"
Andal rushed forward and slashed through the opposing monster (Chumley 1600/Greg 1100).
"You called this your last turn?" Chumley questioned, confused. "I still have 1600 life points."
"That's because the only other card in my hand, aside from the Rejection you returned, is Gladiator Beast Vespasius(LV 7/2300/0)." A bipedal, aquatic lizard in blue and gold armor appeared. "If A Gladiator Beast monster battles another monster, I can special summon him.
As he was now summoned the way most Gladiators enjoy, all monsters I control gain 500 ATK." Gladiator Beast Andal(LV 4/2400/1500 effect) & Gladiator Beast Vespasius(LV 7/2800/0 effect)." Now Vespasius, end this with a direct attack!"
Vespasius rushed forward, thrusting his sword through the opposing duelist (Chumley 0/Greg 1100). With the duel concluded, the two as of now Slifers, though that would naturally be changing for the winner soon, walked off to rejoin the others.
"Those Gladiator Beasts of yours are one tough deck." Chumley commented, good naturedly.
"That all beast deck of yours is something else as well." Greg returned.
Later…
Duel after duel were conducted with some Obelisk trickling out to that table where they would drop out. In the end, their losses, as well as those from the emergency demotion exam done prior, would be more than made up for with the Ras which would be promoted.
The various vacancies there would be taken up by Slifers who've genuinely been showing real promise throughout these duels. This would see the Slifer dorm have significantly less people, but that could be seen as a net positive given what that dorm was supposed to stand for.
At the end of the day, it was safe to say the overall level of skill across the academy would see a significant uptick from all of this. A new standard which would tickle down to the entrance exams and duel preps to further elevate the next generation to greater heights.
As the dueling was dying down, the final duelists scheduled for today were getting their shot. Dimitri and Syrus were both paged at the same time to have their duel. It was no surprise then, given there was only one field open, that they were to duel.
"Since you're duel with Jaden, I've hoped to face you." Syrus stated, still set on his new goal of taking on strong duelist.
"Can't deny I've wanted to see how I stack up against you myself, Sy." Dimitri smiled. "No matter what, I'm determined to show everyone now just how far I've come."
"Let's Duel!"
(Dimitri 4000/Syrus 4000)
"I'll be the one kicking things off." Dimitri drew. "I summon Masked HERO Inferno(LV 4/1800/1000)." A warrior in a red and black suit appeared. "Upon being summoned, I can add any Masked HERO I wish from my deck to the hand." A card popped out of his deck, and he took it. "I'll then conclude my turn by setting one card."
"The Masked HEROs are a problem given each of the main deck ones have two effects." Syrus would keep that in the back of his mind as he drew. "I summon Steamroid(LV 4/1800/1800)." A cartoonish train appeared. "Now, destroy Inferno. Whenever Steamroid(LV 4/2300/1800 effect) attacks a monster, he gains 500 extra ATK for that battle."
Steamroid(LV 4/2300/1800 effect) ran down Inferno, destroying him (Dimitri 3500/Syrus 4000).
Steamroid(LV 4/1800/1800)
"Not bad Sy; however, destroying a monster of mine activates my face down SOS." Dimitri declared. "Now, I'm permitted to special summon any Level 4 or lower Masked HERO I wish from my deck.
I summon Masked HERO Ray(LV 4/1800/200)." A warrior in a white and gold suit appeared. "Upon being summoned, I'm permitted to special summon any Level 4 or Lower Masked HERO I wish from my grave.
Return Masked HERO Inferno(LV 4/1800/1000). As he was summoned again, I can once more add any Masked HERO I wish from my deck to the hand." A card popped out of his deck, and he took it.
"There's not much I can do beyond setting two cards." Syrus declared.
"Alright, my turn." Dimitri drew. "I'll now summon Masked HERO Dusk Crow(LV 4/1200/1000)." A warrior in black and purple, with a black cape, appeared. "Whenever this HERO hits the field, I can fetch a Change quick-play spell from my deck.
"I chain my first face down, Torrential Tribute!" Syrus countered. "As your monster hit the field, every monster on the field is destroyed."
"As it's no longer the turn I just used it on the field, I can now banish SOS from my grave to prevent the destruction of 1 Masked HERO." Dimitri countered. "I'll preserve Inferno."
Ray and Dusk Crow were destroyed alongside Syrus' Steamroid.
"That was pretty clever." Raynos remarked. "Shame Dimitri had a counter like that."
"Sy's turn isn't over yet." Jaden grinned. "He's got plenty of tricks up his sleeve."
"That's not all." Syrus declared. "I now activate Loaner Delivery. Whenever a machine-type monster is destroyed, this trap lets me special summon any Level 4 or lower machine-type monster from my deck."
"Figures." Dimitri smiled.
"The monster I special summon is Einroid(LV 4/200/1800) in defense position." Syrus proceeded, summoning forth a cartoonish engine.
"I'll admit that was pretty good." Dimitri stated. "Though, I still have a Masked HERO on the field, and I retrieved Mask Change with Dusk Crow earlier. I now target one HERO I control and send it to the grave. Then, I can special summon any Masked HERO from my extra deck.
It just needs share an attribute with the sent monster. Transformation summon Masked HERO Wildfire(LV 8/2800/1300)." A warrior in full on red and orange armor appeared. "As Inferno was sent to the grave via spell effect, you now take 800 life points of damage."
A fireball rushed through Syrus (Dimitri 3500/Syrus 3200). "Now, Wildfire will destroy Einroid." Wildfire blasted the machine. "When Wildfire destroys a monster by battle, once per turn, yet deals no battle damage, I'm permitted to deal another 800 life points of damage to you."
Another fireball was shot Syrus' way (Dimitri 3500/Syrus 2400).
"When Einroid is destroyed by battle, I can send any 2 roid monsters from my deck to the grave." Syrus declared, two cards popped out of his deck before he sent them away.
"That's four roid monsters in his grave, with one of those behind getting them there through a specific effect." Dimitri recalled hearing about the monster that beat some user of the Psycho Style. "I set two cards and call my turn there."
"Alright, it's my move!" Syrus drew. "I activate Pot of Greed which allows me to draw two cards. This is even better than I thought I'd get. I'll now activate Shield & Sword, which will switch the original ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field until the end of this turn."
Masked HERO Wildfire(LV 8/1300/2800 effect)
"Next, I'll activate Cybernetic Fusion Support. For the cost of half my life points, any fusion spell I play to Fusion summon a Machine monster can banish the required cards from my hand, field, or grave." (Dimitri 3500/Syrus 1200).
"I now activate the magic of Power Bond, and I'll fuel it by banishing Gyroid from my hand along with Einroid, Steamroid, Drillroid, and Ambulanceroid from my grave. "Five become one to Fusion summon Barbaroid, the Ultimate Battle Machine(LV 12/4000/4000)."
A large, red and white robot appeared while readying its gears. "It's ATK will double due to the effect of Power Bond." Barbaroid, the Ultimate Battle Machine(LV 12/8000/4000 effect). "This is my deck's ultimate power!"
"Way to go Syrus!" Jaden cheered.
"Whoa, little guy is getting serious about winning this." Raynos remarked.
"I'm not sure if now was the time to go busting something like this out." Greg noted. "Unless Syrus has a way to deal with that face down of Dimitri's, I suspect it could instantly turn this duel into a loss rather than a win."
"Barbaroid, attack Wildfire!" Syrus declared.
"I activate my first set card, Forbidden Chalice." Dimitri declared. "This quick play lets me target one monster and boost their ATK by 400 while negating their effects until the end of the turn. I choose Wildfire."
Masked HERO Wildfire(LV 8/1700/2800 effect) became grayed out as his strength rose.
"That's not enough to protect you." Syrus noted.
"I know, which is why I set Nutrient Z!" Dimitri retorted. "When I'm about to take more than 2000 life points worth of damage, this card first grants me 4000 life points."
Dimitri was sprinkled with green particles (Dimitri 7500/Syrus 1200) before Wildfire was destroyed by one, powerful punch (Dimitri 1200/Syrus 1200).
"You've kept yourself in the game; however, one of Barbaroid's effects deals my opponent 1000 life points worth of damage if it destroys a monster by battle." Syrus declared. "Let him have it!"
Barbaroid released steam which washed over the opposing duelist (Dimitri 200/Syrus 1200).
"That was one heck of a turn." Dimitri grinned. "At the end of it all, I'm still standing. That means, you're about to take the full repercussions of Power Bond."
"I won't because of this last card in my hand." Syrus declared. "It took me a while to secure one for myself, but I got it." He played the card. "I still have my normal summon and will use it on Cyber Kirin(LV 3/300/800)." A small mechanical hound rose up. "By tributing him, any effect damage I take this turn becomes 0."
Zane, watching by himself, gave a small smile at this. "You really have grown a lot…"
"Looks like I got quite the mountain to climb!" Dimitri drew before smirking. "Of course, why climb the mountain when you can go around it instead. "I summon Vision HERO Minimum Ray(LV 3/1200/700)." A black suited warrior with aqua marine armor appeared.
"One of the best parts of my Vision HEROs is that every one of them are dark attributed which means I always have access to one of my favorite fusions. I activate a second Mask Change and target the dark attributed Minimum Ray.
Transformation summon Masked HERO Anki(LV 8/2800/1200)." A warrior in full on dull gold and silver armor appeared. "Masked HERO Anki has the special ability to launch a direct attack for half his ATK!"
Anki rushed forward, circumnavigating the powerful fusion, to phase his fist through Syrus (Dimitri 200/Syrus 0).
"I did it…" Dimitri was a bit stunned.
Despite how far he's come, the masked/vision user had fallen in rank within this room. To in turn win now, it was surreal. Syrus took a deep breath, being far more accepting of a loss now than he would have been prior, before approaching Dimitri.
"Yeah, you won." Syrus nodded. "It was a pretty cool way to do it."
"Please, busting out a five-way fusion with the effects it had and that ATK…" Dimitri let out a laugh. "If what I did was cool, what you pulled off was something in a league I can't even see." He held out a hand. "Regardless of all that, it was an awesome duel."
Syrus nodded and shook the offered hand. "Yeah."
"The final duel for has concluded. We look forward to the changes today will bring to Duel Academy."
The impromptu promotion/demotion day is over. Plenty of duelist have risen in rank, a few were demoted, even fewer ended up dropping out over this, and one person that day would end up denying his promotion…Jaden. In the end, all around, it was a successful day.
I could have let all the Slifers we know promote; however, Jaden always seems to belong as a Slifer. Aside from that, I think it's more interesting if the Slifers we know go head-to-head, at this stage in the story, for that promotion. Ultimatly, the big changes are that Greg finally promotes into Ra while Dimitri gets to return to the rank. This means Raynos gets his own room, just as Greg had prior...Of course, at this time all Slifers could have their own room due to all the promotions. At least, it'd be close enough.
Vital Info: The final stipulation will be addressed in the chapter after this next one since I want to return to Chazz in North Academy. When it comes to Jaden's inclusion, I liked the idea of all six Slifers battling it out for those spots.