Arena
"Alright, Central Academy." Charlie called out. "Step on up, and we'll show you just how North Academy duels."
"Rest assured, this duel shall not last long." Sergi declared.
"I don't know, Jaden and I can be rather persistent." Dimitri declared.
"Yeah, it's pretty hard to back even one hero into a corner." Jaden smiled. "Let alone two."
Everyone turned on their Duel Disks while the crowd cheered for their favorite side.
"Let's Duel!/Get your games on!" Three of the duelists/Jaden declared, drawing their starting hands.
(Central Academy 8000/North Academy 8000)
(Jaden & Dimitri: 35 cards in deck)
Turn 1: Charlie
"Visitors first!" Charlie drew. "I now summon Iron Chain Accursed(LV 3/1300/0)!" A tall corpse wrapped in iron chains appeared.
"Iron Chain Accursed?" Syrus wondered, having never heard of that card.
"Not that long ago, I heard two North Academy students caught Maxamillion Pegasus' attention." Zane, deciding to sit with the group, informed. "One of them, who I believe isn't here, was given a rare deck years ago at a regionals.
The other, who must be this girl, made a name for her use of chain cards to the point she won a rare prize at a tournament to design new support for any archetype of her choosing. In the end, it's said she came out with nearly full deck of Iron Chain cards."
"In essence, a rare deck of its own." Topher voiced.
"As I've normal summoned Accused, I'm permitted to use any other monster I wish from my hand for a Synchro summon." Charlie declared. "The only caveats are that both materials will be banished, and this next summon will be the only other one I can perform this turn.
Hardly a concern, as my LV 3 Accused will give the LV 2 Iron Chain Blaster in my hand a tune up to Synchro for 5. "Soar high to cast your wings of oppression over the battlefield. Synchro summon Iron Chain Eagle(LV 5/1000/2500) in defense mode."
An eagle, wrapped in iron chains, appeared before taking flight. "Once per turn, I can banish any Iron Chain monster I wish from my deck to inflict my opponent with 800 life points worth of damage. I'll be banishing Iron Chain Snake as the requirement, go Chain Feather Storm!"
Eagle beat his wings, firing off a storm of chains down at the opposing duelists (Central Academy 7200).
"Is that all?" Dimitri asked.
"What do you mean?" Charlie asked. "Taking damage in a turn where damage can't be dealt through traditional means is no simple matter."
"It is something, though we've been exposed to that tactic plenty from our school's own single rep." Jaden smiled. "That means we know how to deal with it well."
"If that's the case, let's see it." Charlie declared. "I set one card and call my turn there."
Turn 2: Dimitri
"I'll take you up on that offer!" Dimitri drew (Deck: 34). "It'll start with me discarding any 1 HERO I wish from my hand to special summon Vison HERO Faris(LV 5/1600/1800)." A purple and blue armored warrior appeared.
"In exchange for only summoning HERO monsters the rest of this turn, I can place any other Vison HERO from my deck in the spell/trap zone as a continuous trap. Let's go, Vison HERO Poisoner." A light purple armored warrior, with a blaster on his hand, appeared as an apparition.
(Deck 33)
"Charlie…" Sergi voiced.
"I know, Sergi." Charlie stated.
She wasn't familiar with the archetype, but the way in which it was functioning was another story. Sure, Jessie's monsters became continuous spells, but continuous traps were close enough, especially in an instance where both archetypes were already 'active'."
"We can't let our guard down, more so than we already weren't." Charlie declared.
"If you're weary around this, you're not going to like what else I got." Dimitri declared. "For instance, the HERO I sent to my grave was Elemental HERO Shadow Mist. Due to her being sent there, I can add any HERO I wish from my deck to the hand.
"I'll choose Masked HERO Inferno(LV 4/1800/1000), who I now summon." A warrior in a red and black suit appeared (Deck 32). "Upon being summoned, I can add any Masked HERO I wish from my deck to the hand."
(Deck 31)
"Sheppard, that boy must be another of your personal students." Foster accused.
"Far from the truth, old friend." Sheppard smiled. "Not a card young Dimitri has is a Cyber card, after all." He chuckled. "No matter what you still think, Atticus Rhodes wasn't one of them either."
"I'll now activate Mask Change." Dimitri proceeded. "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 who shares an attribute with the sent monster.
The monster I'll send is Inferno. 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'll now be the ones taking 800 life points of damage."
A fireball rushed through the opposing duelists (North Academy 7200).
"Alright, Dimitri just ensured they gave as good as they got." Jasmine cheered.
I'd say he's gone beyond it." Greg voiced.
"To cap out my turn, I'll be setting one card of my own." Dimitri stated. "Back to your side."
Turn 3: Sergi
"Time to put this new deck to work!" Sergi drew. "As I control no monsters, I can special summon Solar Wind Jammer(LV 5/400/1200 effect), on the condition its ATK/DEF are halved."
A purple craft with white wings appeared. "Now by targeting the card you just set Dimitri, I can return it to your hand to special summon Magical Hound(LV 1/500/800)." A golden, machine dog appeared.
"That's a tuner monster." Sadie noted. "As he hasn't used his normal summon yet, he must be going for something big."
"Not too big." Zane crossed his arms. "At the start of a tag duel, one should not expend their best, and I believe North Academy would not allow someone to represent them who did not understand that."
"Now, I tribute my two monsters to summon Cracking Dragon(LV 8/3000/0)." Sergi declared, as a large, black metal dragon with green glowing parts appeared.
"Whoa, that monster has the same ATK at Kaiba's Blue-Eyes or Crowler's Ancient Gear Golem!" Dimitri exclaimed.
"A powerful monster it is, though its effect is where this mighty machine shall shine." Sergi laughed. "That comes later while now I set one card to end my turn."
Turn 4: Jaden
"Alright, let's see what I can manage." Jaden drew (Deck 34). "Sweet!" A transparent Winged Kuriboh appeared around him, making the Slifer smile. "I'll summon my Winged Kuriboh(LV 1/300/200)." A brown puffball with angelic wings appeared.
"I had hoped you'd summon something more, but I suppose it doesn't matter in the face of my dragon." Sergi voiced, as his machine began to glow. "Whenever an opponent summons exactly 1 monster, Cracking Dragon decreases their ATK by 200 x their level."
Winged Kuriboh(LV 1/100/200 effect) was afflicted by a green glow which made him feel a tad faint.
"Can't say I like you making my buddy sick like this, but it's not much of an inconvenience beyond that." Jaden noted.
"Lowering the ATK is just the first part." Sergi smiled. "Cracking Dragon then deals damage equal to the ATK lost through this effect."
Cracking Dragon roared as a pulse of green energy washed over the Central Academy side (Central Academy 7000).
"If that happens whenever we summon from here on out, that'll definitely be a problem." Dimitri noted.
"Fortunately, that dragon won't be stick around because I'm activating my Transcendent Wings." Jaden declared. "By sending Winged Kuriboh from my field and discarding two cards from my hand, I can special summon Winged Kuriboh LV10(LV 10/300/200) from my hand or deck."
A card popped out of his deck, and the Slifer played a Kuriboh with huge wings which flew over to the opposing field (Deck 33). "As a quick effect, I can tribute my evolved buddy to destroy all attack position monsters my opponent controls. Then, you take damage equal to their ATK."
"That'd be 4000 life points worth of damage between our two monsters!" Charlie realized.
"No, it shall only be 1000." Sergi declared. "First, Cracking Dragon's effect activates once more."
Winged Kuriboh LV10(LV 10/100/200 effect) was afflicted with the same instance of weakness as green energy washed over the opposing side (Central Academy 6800). Despite the weakness LV10 felt, he still began to glow with brilliant energy.
"I now activate my face down, Interdimensional Matter Transporter." Sergi declared. "Now, I can target Cracking Dragon and banish it until the end of the turn."
Cracking Dragon retreated into a wormhole just before Winged Kuriboh LV10 and Iron Chain Eagle were consumed by the light (North Academy 6200).
"It was a nice try, though now Jaden is out his normal summon and four cards from hand." Alexis voiced worriedly.
"Jaden knows what he's doing." Zane voiced, confident in that much.
"Since my Iron Chain Eagle left the field due to you, you two must send the top 2 cards of your decks to the grave." Charlie declared.
That caught the Central Academy pair's attention as they were both forced to do as such.
(Dimitri's Deck: 29)
(Jaden's Deck: 31)
"A mill strategy on your opponent's deck?" Topher was recalling his own duel with Blair, though the Lightsworn took from her deck instead.
"This isn't lichious." Chumley stated.
"I'll say." Raynos nodded. "Now, those two are going to have to be weary of their life points and decks."
"Well, you got me there." Jaden laughed good naturedly. "I'll set one card and call it a turn."
A wormhole opened up on Sergi's field as Cracking Dragon(LV 8/3000/0) reappeared.
(Central Academy 6800/North Academy 6200)
Turn 5: Charlie
"Back to me!" Charlie drew. "First, I'll activate my face down Call of the Haunted, to return Iron Chain Eagle(LV 5/1000/2500) to the field in attack position. "I'll then utilize his effect once more by banishing another Iron Chain Snake from my deck.
Go, Chain Feather Storm!" Eagle beat his wings, firing off a storm of chains down at the opposing duelists (Central Academy 6000). "I'll now summon the Iron Chain Salamander(LV 2/900/2000) I drew this turn." A salamander, wrapped in chains, appeared.
"Another tuner…" Jaden muttered.
"Salamander will now give Eagle a tune up to Synchro for 7." Charlie continued. "I call upon the mad warrior of oppression. Synchro summon Iron Chain Berserker(LV 7/2700/1500)." A large, muscular man, wielding a hammer and whose torso was wrapped in chains, appeared.
"When this mountain of a man is Synchro summoned, I can banish any 1 Iron Chain monster from my grave to inflict damage equal to 300 x that monster's level. I now banish the LV5 Iron Chain Eagle. Go, Banished Hammer!"
Berserker gave a mighty yell as he slammed his hammer down on the field, summoning a wormhole. A transparent Iron Chain Eagle appeared before falling into said wormhole, which then glowed with a gray energy that discharged on the opposing side (Central Academy 4500).
"Looks like those HERO cards can't deal with burn damage." Chazz muttered from the sidelines.
"Come on, Jaden and Dimitri!" Kai cheered. "You two got this!"
"Now that we can attack, I'll be launching a direct one at Jaden!" Charlie declared.
"I activate my face down, Negate Attack." Jaden countered. "This not only stops your attack, but it's officially the end of the Battle Phase to boot."
"Very well." Charlie voiced. "I'll end my turn with one set card."
Turn 6: Dimitri
"Alright, here goes!" Dimitri drew (Deck 28). "Perfect! I'll activate Mask Charge, allowing me to add any 1 HERO and 1 Quick-Play Change spell from my grave to my hand. Now, it's time to use the unique function of my Vision HERO treated as a continuous trap.
By tributing any 1 HERO monster I control, like Faris, I can special summon Vision HERO Poisoner(LV 3/900/700) to a monster zone. When he's summoned in this way, I can halve the ATK of any 1 monster on the field. I choose Cracking Dragon(LV 8/1500/0 effect).
"Be that as it may, Cracking Dragon's effect still goes off." Sergi countered. "Your Poisoner now loses 200 ATK for every level, and you shall take damage equal to that decrease."
Vision HERO Poisoner(LV 3/100/700 effect) was afflicted by a green glow which made him feel a tad faint. Cracking Dragon then roared as a pulse of green energy washed over the opposing side (Central Academy 3700).
"A small price to pay for what I can now accomplish this turn." Dimitri smiled. "Wildfire, destroy Cracking Dragon!" Wildfire blasted the machine dragon to pieces (North Academy 4900). "Now, I activate Mask Change on Faris.
Due to all Vision HEROs being dark attributed, I'm allowed to bust out my favorite Masked HERO from the extra deck. Transformation summon Masked HERO Anki(LV 8/2800/1200)." A warrior in full on dull gold and silver armor appeared. "I'll now attack Berserker!"
Anki rushed forward and punched his fist through Berserker, resulting in the monster shattering from the inside out (North Academy 4800).
"When Iron Chain Berserker is destroyed by you and sent to the grave, I'm permitted to special summon Iron Chain Dragon(LV 6/2500/1300) from my Extra Deck. Arise, Dragon of oppression." A dark blue dragon, whose torso was wrapped in chains, appeared.
"You're not the only one who can activate an effect in the face of your monster's destruction." Dimitri grinned. "As Anki did destroy one of your monsters through battle, I can add any quick-play Change spell I wish from my deck to my hand." (Deck 27)
The card I added was my Form Change, which I'll use now. Through its effect, I can return either of my current fusions, such as Wildfire, to the extra deck. Then, I can bring out any other Masked HERO with the same level.
Transformation summon Masked HERO Koga(LV 8/2500/1800)." A warrior in radiant yellow armor appeared. "He gains 500 ATK for every monster my opponent controls." Masked HERO Koga(LV 8/3000/1800 effect)."
"That monster's now strong enough to destroy your dragon, rather than clash with it." Sergi voiced.
"He could also deal a powerful blow by just attacking you." Charlie realized.
"I certainly could attack directly, but Koga is a HERO better suited to engaging with monsters." Dimitri smiled. "By banishing any HERO from my grave, Vison HERO Faris(ATK 1600), I can decrease your Dragon's ATK by that monster's ATK. Go, Radiant Surge!"
A transparent Faris appeared before being transformed into a brilliant light which washed over Iron Chain Dragon(LV 6/900/1300 effect). "Now, Koga will destroy your dragon!" Koga rushed forward and pierced through the dragon (North Academy 2700).
Masked HERO Koga(LV 8/2500/1800)
"Alright, Dimitri just cleared the field in one turn!" Mindy cheered.
"It was certainly an impressive maneuver." Bastion agreed.
"Now, I'll set two cards to conclude my turn." Dimitri declared.
Turn 7: Sergi
"My move!" Sergi drew. "I now use the power of Magical Hound(LV 1/500/800) once more, forcing you to return the set card on your right to special summon this monster from my grave."
"That monster can be summoned from your grave!?" Dimitri exclaimed, more stunned at that fact than having to return one of his two set cards.
"It is a most useful effect." Sergi smiled. "I now normal summon Tin Goldfish(LV 4/800/2000)." A colorful, machine goldfish appeared. "When this card is normal summoned, I can special summon any Level 4 monster form my hand. That shall be Blue Thunder T-45(LV 4/1700/1000)." A white space craft appeared.
"My math skills may not be that good, but I'm seeing a level 1 tuner with two level 4 monsters." Jaden noted. "That should be a Level 9 Synchro, right?"
"That checks out." Dimitri voiced.
"Well, that's not good." Jaden voiced.
"It very much is not." Sergi chuckled. "Magical Hound now gives Tin Gold Fish and Blue Thunder T-45 a tune up to Synchro for 9. I now build the machine of war. Synchro summon Vermillion Dragon Mech(LV 9/2700/1800)." A mech dragon appeared.
Masked HERO Koga(LV 8/3000/1800 effect)
"I shall banish my partner's Iron Chain Salamander, within her grave, to use my monster's effect." Sergi declared.
"Once per turn, Dragon Mech can destroy any 1 card on the field by banishing 1 Tuner from the duelist's hand, field, or grave." Charlie continued.
"With that, I shall blast Koga off the field!" Sergi declared, as his monster blasted Koga. "Now, I launch a direct attack on Jaden!"
"Not so fast!" Dimitri declared. "You misfired with your Magical Hound as my remaining set card is Attack Guidance Armor. With this, I can destroy your Mech or redirect its attack. I believe I'll redirect the attack to Anki!"
"You'll shield the damage a bit, but we aren't taking the hit." Charlie declared. "As the partner is free to use quick-play spells at this time, I activate Shrink to target your Masked HERO Anki(LV 8/1400/1200 effect) and cut its original ATK in half until the end of the turn."
As the Masked HERO was cut down to size, he was blasted straight into the grave (Central Academy 2400).
"I'll now chain my set card, Iron Chain Punishment." Chalie declared. "If an Iron Chain monster was used to Synchro summon or used by a Synchro monster to fuel its effect, I can deal half that Synchro monster's original ATK as damage to my opponent.
Chains shot out before whipping through the two Central Academy duelists (Central Academy 1050). The North Academy crowd was now cheering, as they were on the cusp of a victory.
"Looks like my side has this." Foster smirked. "Once they've beaten your tag team, all Chazz must do is beat Kai, and that prize will be mine."
"I shall now set this last card in my hand before calling an end to the turn." Sergi chuckled. "Your move, Jaden."
"Man, you two don't disappoint to the point I think we need to step it up." Jaden grinned before drawing. "Step it up we shall because I'm kicking off this turn with Miracle Fusion. By banishing materials from the field or grave, I can fusion summon any Elemental HERO.
I'll banish the Light attributed Masked HERO Koga from Dimitri's grave and Elemental HERO Clayman from my grave to bring the light. Fusion summon Elemental HERO The Shining(LV 8/2600/2100)."
A radiant, white suited warrior with a golden hoop behind him appeared. Shinning here gains 300 extra ATK for every Elemental Hero I got chilling in the banished zone. While all I got there is Elemental HERO Clayman, that's more than enough."
Elemental HERO the Shining(LV 8/2900/2100 effect)
"You have enough ATK to end this by attacking Charlie." Sergi smirked. "Go ahead and try it."
"Oh, I plan to after using this last card in my hand." Jaden declared, slotting the spell into his back row. "I activate R – Righteous Justice!"
R Righteous Justice?" Charlie questioned.
"Jay's spell is a good one because it destroys spell/traps his opponent controls equal to the number of Elemental HEROs on his field." Dimitri grinned. "While he only has one of those, one is all he needs to destroy Sergi's face down."
Sergi's own Negate Attack was revealed before shattering.
"No way!" The North duo gasped.
"It's time to finish this." Jaden declared. "The Shining, attack Charlie with Optical Storm!"
The Shining radiated a light so powerful; it depleted the opposing side's remaining life points (Central Academy 1050/North Academy 0). Naturally, the group was the loudest, except for Zane who wasn't one for being loud in general.
"They won." The Cyber user thought with a small smile.
"That's game!" Jaden declared before high fiving Dimitri. "Good job keeping us in the duel partner, not to mention the fact you took out more life points than I did."
"You still brought it home with that Omni HERO of yours." Dimitri grinned. "Plus, that Wing Kuriboh of yours really got things rolling."
Charlie and Sergi left the stage, feeling a little dejected.
"Even the fact those two remind me of Jessie doesn't make the loss feel any better." Charlie voiced before they came to stand in front of their school's first seat.
"Chazz, we're…" Sergi began.
"Don't apologize." Chazz spoke with no anger or frustration at their loss, such things would do nothing to change the result. "As I've said before, just watch me now."
He walked past them before staring at Kai, just as Jaden and Dimitri joined him. "Get up here, Kai!"
"I'm coming, Chazz." Kai returned, passing by the Slifer and Ra.
"You got this Kai!" Dimitri cheered.
"Good luck, man!" Jaden called out.
Kai came to stand across from Chazz, both were ready to duel…Both knowing this duel would not end the same as their last.
Vital Info: Ah yeah, it was just a fun day before getting into the School Duel. Of course, the big moment comes where Chazz asserts himself to his brothers. As he hit an even lower rock bottom than canon, before then having to work harder to reach the top of North Academy, he's developed quite the strong backbone. The Tag duel ends here with Central Academy's victory, putting it all on Chazz to, as it stands, cinch a potential tied score through victory or lose the whole match.