Chapter 16 - Mecha Exam 2: Siren of Fortune's Flames! Precarious Roulettes of a Passionate Heart!

. Bold words: Name Introductions; Card names; Monster Stats; 'Special Attacks'; Player(s) Life Points; Keywords / Change of Tone.

. (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 Paralysis Crystal; Lonly Wanderer (Story Proof-Read)

Author's Note: Precure, or Pretty Cure, is a Japanese Magical Girls anime series; Seinen is Manga for Young Adults

- PROLOGUE -

(Jasmine Flashback: 2 years ago)

Location: Shopping District, Domino City; Time: Evening Noon

It was a huge bustling mall district expectedly riddled with many colored lights, and deafening chatter, as per usual with places like these. Jasmine loved to spend a lot of her time there after school; a place of snazzy style, glimmering grace, and the redhead freely wandering around the area without the weight of expectations or in the shadow of someone else.

But this evening, her stroll down the sidewalk felt… off as if she was being closely followed by something or someone, sending a nagging sense of trepidation. Footsteps ever creeping about closer and closer behind her awoke the urge to leave the district as fast as she could.

She wearily turned a corner near her favorite fancy café and suddenly froze, whether by a certain force or in fear is unknown. The streets, once filled with varying chatter and noises, now the people in question were eerily still, their faces blank, their eyes white even the objects were still as well including a few vehicles. Jasmine barely had time to process the oppressive-feeling silence before a shadow loomed over her.

"Hello there!", a malicious voice cheerily shot through the tension.

Jasmine jumped in fear, her heartbeat increasingly quickening in panic; two figures in glowing, pale yellow, and violet uniforms approached her. And their eyes were gleaming with an unnatural light, cards hovering around them, but mainly around their hands as if drawn by invisible strings.

"P-Psychics? W-What the-", Jasmine stammered, stepping back instinctively.

"We've been looking for someone like you.", a man's voice sneered at her, cutting her curse off. "You're the exact type of person the Court of the King of Games would chase after, middling potential within you all things considered at best. Suitable bait if nothing else."

"The Hell!?" Jasmine couldn't help let her mouth slip as her mind frantically raced at the possibilities. 'THAT King of Games, Yugi Muto? T… They got to be wrong, I'm not even close to his house. But maybe Alexis does have something… or her older brother, maybe had a chance at crossing paths with Yugi once… That can't be enough to make me a target!?'

"... Y- You've got the wrong person!", the redhead girl further shouts in panic but the other Zealot-looking fellow in response couldn't help but give an eerily tranquil yet sharp grin, enjoying himself and quietly reveling in the redhead's fear.

"Don't bother with correcting us now. Your energy is exactly what we need to draw in the right kind of individual. If you're lucky, we'll get the King to show up. If not, well…"

Jasmine immediately tried to run away before she could be kidnapped, not even caring about this lunatic's explanation; But unfortunately, a light violet barrier of psionic energy entrapped the redhead. With a quick finger-snap from the sociopath and a flash of an alluring violet light, she felt her body being assaulted with wave upon wave of psionic energy but it wasn't painless to Jasmine like she expected, instead it was rather creepily soothing to the young redhead, she found herself quickly succumbing to unwilling slumber and the last thing she saw was that pair of eerily tranquil smiles.

Location: Abandoned Warehouse

When Jasmine had awoken, she found herself tied up in rope from her hands, arms, legs, and feet. The large warehouse had strange runes inscribed from an ancient language long dead glowing faintly on the walls, pulsating a different light she had seen in her captor's eyes, a harsh white light.

The more Jasmine tried to struggle, the harder she could feel the bindings squeeze the life out of her, her body part feeling a bit numb as they tightened even further; her mind kept buzzing relentlessly with frustration and fear, causing tears to leak from her eyes due to the seeming hopelessness of the situation.

'What did I do to them!? Why did this happen to me?'

She couldn't help but think back to Alexis and Mindy, her two best friends. They were the ones who always stepped in when Jasmine stumbled to save her sorry tail when things got too much; Alexis, who was ever the more confident one, probably would've known what to do in this situation.

'I can't even save myself… Damn It! Why do I always need someone else to save me?'

When the despair had grown too much to bear for the fearful redhead; suddenly the warehouse doors crashed inward.

"Guess I'm late to the party. Ain't that right, missie?", came a cocky but reassuring voice Jasmine instantly recognized from duelist magazines and worldwide tournaments on TV.

Rocking his signature blonde hair with a few strands falling onto his face, boyish features sharpening revealing a rugged but friendly demeanor, the grin of his unwavering. But devoid of his usual streetwise humor and more into the business at hand; Fit and sturdy looking but also wearing casual blazers, rolled-up sleeves, and padded-up shirts, ending with red duelist's gloves and necklace with a violet feather given to him by his beloved partner.
Joey "Valentine" Wheeler, Duel Monsters "Burning 4 Leaf Clover".

And behind him stood with a smile too sweet not to be filled with venom was his wife, Mai Valentine "Wheeler" Duel Monsters' "Fair Feathered Mistress", tagging alongside the police detective, Tristan Taylor. Looking around the abandoned warehouse to see if no one was inside to attack them directly…

"Wait… Y-you found me!?" Jasmine stammered out in relief.

"Easy there, no need to panic. You'll be out of here soon", reassures Tristan with a more solemn but comforting tone. Both Mai and Joey carefully approached the fallen girl to free her from the bindings so that the redhead could be safely escorted out of the danger zone. "We need to get out of here as fast as we can, or they'll have us trapped."

"NOT SO FAST!", shouted one Zealot from behind the intruders, while his partner joined in short order to lend his aid. "Welcome to our base, and it seems the girl has done her job as bait."

"We've been waiting for your presence. Ah, if it isn't the Legendary Duelists, Joey and Mai Wheeler. We're so glad you could come to our hideouts to join the Lunar Tears."

"'Join', ya say? Why don't you join me and have a good round of my fists up your ass!"

"Barking as usual, are we? More things change the more they remain the same, but we've studied you extensively.", one of the zealots calmly yet challenged proclaims, revealing his duel disk. "We would prefer to do this the easy way, but I had my hopes on getting your cooperation the hard way. Mind a dance in the sunset with us?"

Joey stood his ground, not very intimidated by the challenge, looking at the two duelists; then his partner, Mai standing next to him…

"Guess this will give us another warm-up for our next Tag Duel Tournament. What do you think, Hothead?", pondered the blonde woman, her anger waiting to be unleashed upon these cultists.

Grinning alongside her, Joey stretched his arms and picked up his duel disk.

"Normally I'd speak to 'em edgy creeps with my fists in this; but since we have a hostage, I have no choice.", he then looked at their would-be two opponents. "Fine. Two-on-Two, if you lose… I hope you have a number on you in prison."

Jasmine felt greatly relieved in the aid she received in this moment; not daring to even think what would've happened to her if they didn't come. But Jasmine wasn't feeling too comfortable, not with those two Zealots in front of her.

"B- Be careful! They are Psychics; Their powers aren't 'Solid Vision', so it would be better if you left me here…"

"Miss, it'll be okay." Tristan trying to console the teenager. "You're underestimating these pro-duelists, who had come here to rescue you. Normally I would escort you out of the line of fire… but now, since we were set up for a trap there's no other option but to wait for the duel to be finished. Just hang tight and you'll be safe with us. Your parents were worried about you."

"I… thank you.", Jasmine smiled slightly as she was soothed by Tristan's words, and her confidence was partially restored as she looked at the duel about to happen in front of her eyes.

The Duel raged on between Joey and Mai against the two Zealots. By Jasmine's words taken as a warning of what they were in for, the two pro-duelists initially weren't too worried but certainly did not underestimate them, their trepidation proved fortunate due to the zealots reading their minds and making the monsters' just as real as they were. They had studied Joey and Mai's capabilities greatly just to even compete on their level and it was barely enough to stalemate them.

But due to the Two Zealots' psionic advantage, they took full control of the field with their decks…

Round 6

Team Tears: 2000 LP

- Master Gig (ATK 2600/DEF 1400)

- Psychic Emperor (ATK 2400/DEF 1000)

- Dragon Capture Jar

- 1 Set Card

Team Valentine: 2500 LP

- Red-Eyes Black Dragon (ATK 2400/DEF 2000)

- Harpie's Pet Dragon (ATK 2000 - 2600/DEF 2500)

- Cyber Harpie Lady (ATK 1800/DEF 1300)

- Harpie Lady (ATK 1300/DEF 1400)

- Hysteric Party (Summoned Cyber Harpie Lady & Harpie Lady)

Joey drew his card for the turn and looked at his partner with a trusting nod. They knew it was time to turn things up a notch.

"You two should give up already. With our Trap the Dragon Capture Jar, none of your Dragons can change their battle positions and are forced to become food for our Psychic monsters.", reminded one of the Zealots. "Face it! Your chance of victory is null."

"Wrong, you psycho cheapshot. Because it's time to kick things up a notch with this monster in my hand and Mai's support. Let's Turn up the Heat, as I sacrifice Harpie Lady and Cyber Harpie Lady. To Tribute Summon a Knight of White-Hot Fire; Rise, Phoenix Gearfried!" Joey slammed the FIRE monster's card into place on his duel disk as a flame-like aura billowed fiercely around him, the energy's heat augmented pressure washing over the field, causing the psychokinetics to cringe as if they were being burnt.

The two Harpies on the field let out sharp cries of pride and valor as they morphed into streaks of golden fiery light, their energy spiraling into the ground, creating a phoenix-like sigil upon the ground. A powerful heatwave erupted from the sigil, sending shockwaves throughout the warehouse as the floor cracked beneath the monsters on the opponent's field; a shroud of golden flames erupted from the sigil, as a Knight clad in white phoenix-shaped fire leaped onto the field taking the place of the two Harpies.

A shining statuesque warrior clad in fiery phoenix-themed armor wielding a massive blade set alight with white-hot heat; the Knight in question let out a thunderous roar, his crimson wings flaring wide as embers of white flickered and billowed about his general vicinity (ATK 2800/DEF 2200).

Jasmine was awestruck by the Knight's majestic, almost ethereal summoning in front of her eyes as if an angel of fire came from the heavens to her aid, as Joey's determination was about to overwhelm the two psychics. The blazing aura of the Knight filled the warehouse, and the runes dissolved into ash from a great deal of the heat-filled pressure.

"W-What's with this monster's powers? Feel like my head is about to fry…", the Zealot gasped, his mind fraying from the sheer pressure of the monster's aura.

"Hehehe! What, psychic powers can't handle the kitchen? But we're just gettin' to the best part? Phoenix Gearfried! Set your sword to broil and Attack the Psychic Emperor! 'Flash Flare Crash'!"

Gearfried roared in approval of the order as white flames enveloped his blade, engulfing the whole arena in a cascade of billowing white fiery light; the knight swiftly charging forward, his very approach leaving behind a trail of white fire.

"You're out of luck, Wheeler; Because I'll activate my Trap Card, Psionic Syphon!", one of the opponents rasped out as he flipped up the set card on his field, which manifests an electricity-like psychic voltage that binds the two Psychic monsters on their field. The violet surge of energy glowing brighter with every passing second…

(FM) Psionic Syphon - Normal Trap

If an opponent's monster attacks your Psychic monster: Target 1 Level 5 or higher Psychic monster you control; your attacked monster gains ATK equal to that target's ATK.

"This Trap card will transfer the Attack Points of Master Gig to my Psychic Emperor; Defeating your Gearfried in this battle.", the psychic tiredly explained as the enlightened rotund android transferred its power to the emperor beside it. Psychic Emperor (ATK 2400 - 5000/DEF 1000)

"... Counter-attack now, Psychic Emperor! 'Domination Wave'!" The Emperor raised his hands, its eyes aglow with the fuchsia-tinted light of its immense mental might; and in short order strands of dense red and black psionic energy began to radiate around him, crackling about with destructive force poised to pulverize the approaching knight of fire…

"Ya think I didn't see that one comin'? Guess 'Great Minds do Think Alike'! Time to show off my friends a bit with this Quick-Play Spell, Ties of a Dragonic Legacy!" He flipped up a Magic Card that showed the picture of two dragons encased in white and dark shades roaring pridefully next to a famous yet studious-looking Magician of the Dark Arts.

(FM) Ties of a Dragonic Legacy - Quick-Play Spell

If your monster attacks an opponent's monster that has higher ATK than yours, and you control 1 or more Dragon monsters: Make your attacking monster gain ATK equal to the combined ATK of all your Dragon monsters until the End Phase.

"Oh yeah, it's punishment time! Since your precious Psychic monster has higher attack points than my monster, this Spell lets my Phoenix Gearfried gain the combined strength of Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Harpie's Pet Dragon until the end of the turn. Let's see your so-called Emperor take the heat!"

The Zealous cultist's smirk fell dead in quick session as the holograms of the Two Legendary Duelist's Dragons roared in unison. Imbuing pink and crimson draconic energy into the knight's phoenix-like aura, his blade igniting with a ferocity that greatly dwarfed his earlier attack. Phoenix Gearfried (ATK 2800 - 5200 - 7200/DEF 2200)

"7-7200 ATTACK POINTS?!" Shouts Jasmine with shock on her face, her mouth agape watching how the raging white flames around the Knight had manifested into a serene yet wrathful kaleidoscope of colors as if all the shades of the rainbow were condensed into a person; An intense sun-like heat radiating from Phoenix Gearfried as the knight raised his burning blade in a circular motion, this setting up of a stance made more alluring thanks to the blade now enhanced with the combined might of dragons and a phoenix.

"This is for the girl you nabbed! GO Gearfried; 'Flash Flare – Rainbow Slash!" Joey shouts pressing his advantage, his voice brimming with triumph and confidence; the warrior of the phoenix swiftly yet effortlessness cut through the Psychic Emperor's dense black stream of psionic energy seeking to overtake and overload his mind into oblivion and the knight in response to the challenge posed by the emperor slashes right through the Emperor's neck with a burst of rainbow-colored phoenix embers.

The sheer strength of the attack shattered the opposing monster's body into fragments of sparkling pink light, yet as if further showcasing its skill and power the sheer force of the knight's slash made a Large Phoenix-like indent on the warehouse's wall. The psionic zealots painfully screamed as they recoiled in pain as if the flames and pressure of the finishing move were more than they could handle, their Life Points dropping to Zero as did their consciousness with their eyes shut but thankfully alive.

Team Tears: 2000 - 0 LP

Duel's Result: Victory

The Victor: Team Valentine

Adjusting his duel disk, Joey grinned as he watched the flames around the holographic fading proud warrior die down, as he gave an appreciative nod to his partner. "And that's game! Shouldn't have thought you could tangle with the Godfather of Games now, did ya!"

"Took you long enough. But I'll admit - You made it look good!" Mai smirked while flipping her hair and stepping beside her beloved partner.

"What can I say… 'Teamwork makes the dream work', right?" Joey winks coyly; after the couple hears a coughing sound behind them, Tristan walks alongside an awestruck but somewhat scared Jasmine; His next job being arresting the two unconscious Zealots before they could act quickly.

Relief washed over Jasmine, akin to a tidal wave as the traces of the duel faded. She stumbled forward, her voice shaky and nervous.

"Y-You actually did it and saved me. I… I couldn't do anything, I f-felt… useless."

Both Joey and Mai looked at each other with a tense expression on their face after watching Jasmine let out emotional tears leak out of her eyes; Mai with a small smile gave a small gesture to Joey to help the kid out. Joey without skipping a beat went to comfort the crying girl.

"Hey, don't talk like that, Missie. Everyone's gotta start somewhere…"

"But… I don't want to be the one who always needs saving. I want to be useful too!", the girl whispered angrily while receiving a little self-deprecating chuckle from the gentle yet punkish adult.

"Ya think I got here by being perfect? Nah, trust me. I used to be the wimp, then I turned into a bit of a bully, and then things changed a bit with a few friends… My good pal Tristan here would give you a whole film of my screw-ups. But you know what I learned? Ya can't do it all at once. Give yourself time and space to grow."

"Do… D-Do you believe I can do that?", Jasmine glumly asked, after wiping her tear-stricken eyes.

Joey's response to the sad inquiry, while receiving an approving but curious nod from Mai; The punkish duelist reached into his deck and pulled out the Phoenix Gearfried card to hand to her.

"Here. Take this card for now; It'll remind ya of where and when you met us, and what you can be. But promise me… that you'll give it back when you are sure you don't need it anymore. When you've grown a backbone strong enough to carry yourself with pride. Gotcha?"

Jasmine held the card and gave a contemplative look at the monster in question, the events of the duel flashing through her mind; The phoenix-themed knight blazing with confidence and power, the eyes of the card surprisingly comforting to the redhead. The awe of the duel's finale and hope the knight inspired sparked within Jasmine's chest, and her confidence was consequently re-ignited in response to this challenge from a legendary duelist as more happy tears leaked down her face. She couldn't help but respond in kind.

"Gotcha!"

Location: School Gym

The first portion of the Duel Exams had been passing by with moderate fanfare, one of the first duels that had gotten a lot of the audience's attention was the surprisingly quick but chilling match between the Second-Year Goro Goodlin and the First-Year Alexis Rhodes, both hailing from the Dorm of Obelisk Blue.

Despite the raw power and preparation present in Goro's strategy, the duel resulted in Alexis' victory; Her flexible approach had allowed her to calmly counter Goro's aggressive dueling style, exploiting his assuredness and trepidation for a quick but decisive win. The duel had been intense, but Alexis's adaptability and precision had given her the win in the end.

Departing from the gym after his ill-fated match, a pondering Goro found himself then intercepted in the hallway by another second-year Obelisk Blue duelist, slowly but sarcastically clapping his hands in mocking applause; He was a tall, athletic-looking young man with short, spiky auburn hair and piercing green eyes. His uniform was neatly tailored, his serene but smug smirk somehow complementing his polished appearance.

"Well, Goro." He snarkily says, sauntering toward him with said smirk, humorous intent littered all over. "Congratulations on being the first second-year Blue to lose to a first-year in this Exam. Despite your declaration about a certain blowhard, you gave a repeat performance, didn't you?"

"Dante… just save it. I have no time to hear you yammer on." Goro's grits out, his teeth tightened but he keeps his gaze steady and one of his hands rubbing his head in annoyance. "Unlike him, Alexis is a far greater duelist and winner than he is; And she earned the victory fair and square."

"'Fair and Square' you say? Don't make me laugh, Mr. 'Cards Crawl in My Skin' Goodin!" Dante Myles snipes at the moodier Blue, leaning casually against the wall where he is standing. "You call her a great duelist; Are you kidding me? Please. She's a first-year with a few flashy cards and a bit of luck. You're just trying to save face after she wiped the floor with you."

Goro couldn't help but roll his eyes at Dante's mockery.

"Luck had nothing to do with it. She caught on to my plan, outplayed me, and stayed a step ahead the whole match; Outmaneuvering is a good skill to have. Start paying attention to the people around you and reading them instead of recklessly running that mouth like it's a marathon."

Dante's smirk widened, though his green eyes gave a dangerous but challenging glint toward the annoyed dorm member.

"Oh, but I am. I'm more wondering how someone like you—who's supposed to be an Elite of the second-year Obelisk Blues, by the by—let some first-year show him up. It's a rather embarrassing look for us, Goro."

One of Goro's hands was on the other wall of the hallway and he dragged it, as he rubbed his temples with the other hand as he got closer to Dante; His voice low and sharp as he clenched one of his hands into a fist.

"Got a lot of fire to spit out for someone who didn't duel the Queen over there, if YOU of all people think I'm that pathetic? Then huff out that hot air again, I dare you."

Dante gave a snicker as he stood his ground, his smug smirk unwavering, although his muscles tensed up as if preparing for a fight.

"Ooooooh~, scary… Do we have an edgy badass over here in our midst? Face it, Goro—you're all talk. No wonder Alexis—"

"Enough."

Both boys froze their thoughts of an incoming scrap halted and dead in the water as they turned their attention to someone else walking down the hallway as well to their vicinity; his rough yet measured voice cutting through the squabbling like a hot blade through butter. Just like them, a second-year Obelisk Blue, but his composure signifies an air of strength and tranquility. His slightly wavy, shoulder-length dark blue hair framed his sharp features, and his Obelisk Blue jacket is worn casually, giving him a relaxed yet confident appearance.

He approached with an almost too casual stride, his piercing yet warm blue eyes locking onto Dante.

"Dante, step away please", he states calmly with a tone that broke no room for argument.

"Oh, come on, Kai.", Dante huffs out petulantly as he stares right back at him, his smirk faltering for the briefest of moments under Kai's gaze to Goro's amusement before returning. "We're just having a little chat. No harm done."

Kai Vassilios' expression didn't waver.

"Yet mind you. Whatever point you're trying to make, is worth starting a free show and now in an exam. You may as well ask for Gerald's punishment right now."

For a moment, it seemed like Dante might push back… but then he shrugged, stepping away with a huff and a mocking chuckle for Goro.

"Sheesh… Fine, I'll go. Guess I'll save this stiff embarrassment of losing big twice in one day." He relents but not before shooting one last cat-like smirk at Goro before turning and walking down the hallway.

Goro exhaled sharply, his fists slowly unclenching as the tension in his body began to ease.

"Thank you, Kai. I was two seconds away from knocking that smug fool off his block."

Kai calmly placed a hand on Goro's shoulder, his voice steady but reassuring.

"Don't let him get to you. Dante thrives on verbal tap dancing like that, he's not worth losing your temper over. You dueled pretty well, trying to pull a One-Turn Kill on an exam was rather gutsy even for me, you even got close to defeating the Queen there."

Goro's lips curved into a small, appreciative grin.

"Yeah, but… that only counts in horseshoes. It just wasn't enough this time. She's incredible with those strategies. I didn't see some of her counters coming."

Kai nodded thoughtfully before giving a less complementary and more honest take on his dorm mate's exam performance.

"True, she is sharper than most students. But that's kinda the point of these duels, isn't it? While winning is nice and all, I saw your reaction when Alexis showed up on your PDA… You almost had a panic attack and your head went wild coming up with plan after plan to not lose. I warned you that some of those plots had a few holes, and then you pulled this 'One-Turn Kill' stunt in an exam. You could be at risk of failing big time and maybe suffering a demotion. These duels are a showcase of how far we've come as duelists, not how much we fear our opposition. Alexis kept her composure throughout the whole match, from the starting banter to the final exchange. She was even having fun with you during the duel. In a sense, Alexis won before the duel truly began; So try not to gamble that high again, please."

Before Goro could respond to the tangent, a familiar voice cut in, the sound holding a supportive warmth yet electrifying in its cheery exuberance, carrying a spark of energy that made Goro lighten up and had the two teenagers both turn to the interloper.

"Well, if it isn't the man of the ten minutes.", Goro's classmate, Kassidy Davis, with a joking but sincere tone, putting her hands together with a playful grin.

"Here to chastise me too, Kassidy? Get in line.", Goro straightened slightly, as if trying to go back brooding in response to Kassidy's lax but cheerful demeanor.

"Hardly.", she said as she tilted her head, feeling a little bit legitimately offended by Goro's opinion. "I just had to see the guy who gave Alexis such a hard time in a short three turns. You do know most duels don't even get that intense so quickly, right?"

Kai couldn't help but chuckle lightly at Kassidy's genuine if somewhat jokey response.

"She's not wrong. Three turns, and you both were launching missiles at each other. It could've gone either way.", he said in a way that made Goro grit his teeth.

"But fortune favored the bolder of the two opponents though, didn't it? I was spooked and went all in on my second turn, and she still outmaneuvered me on her third. What's so impressive about that?", he questions, not noticing Kassidy leaning on the wall next to him.

"What's great about this is that you forced her into a corner right out of the gate, even when you gave the first turn to her. Most duelists would've folded against the kind of pressure you put on her. But Alexis isn't like most duelists, now is she?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Goro asked; Kai's face was littered with curiosity as well at the last part, glancing at Kassidy for an explanation. She smirked, clearly reveling in the moment.

"You didn't know? Alexis was personally tutored by Zane Truesdale. THAT Zane - Kaiser of Duel Academy."

"The Kaiser!? The best of this Academy!?" Goro blinked, his face doing a double take at the little tidbit. "Him, who crushed a lot of notable duelists topside, even a few Pro-Duelists last year and even the year before that, teachers included… trained her?"

"Bingo, my moody friend," Kassidy said with a grin. "That's why she's as sharp as she is now. She learned from the best. And if you managed to make her sweat—even for a moment—that says a lot about your skill, Goro."

"Zane Truesdale." Kai whistled, clearly impressed. "That explains why Alexis is so precise with her plays. But still, Goro you nearly got her a few times, stand proud for that much. It's just another pitstop on your journey."

"Yeah, thanks for the cushion for my pride. But still, I wanted to win. Some of the plan was meant for you, Kassidy. Guess I got too eager.", Goro rubbed the back of his neck, a faint hint of a smile breaking through his frustration.

Kassidy gave him a light tap on the shoulder.

"Overeagerness was understandable, considering her title. Next time, you'll be ready. But honestly, I wanted to see how well you'd handle her. I had a feeling it'd be a good match."

"'Handle her'? Huh?" Goro narrowed his eyes slightly, a certain thought crossing his mind. "Wait a sec, Kassidy… You didn't happen to—"

"Didn't happen… to what?" She raised an eyebrow, her grin widening.

"You didn't rig anything, did you? Just to see one of us go up against Alexis?" Goro asked, half-serious but unable to hide the suspicion in his tone.

"Now, why would I do something like that?" Kassidy gave a wry smirk, clearly delighted by the question.

"That's not a No," Goro says while crossing his arms with a deadpan expression, while receiving another chuckle from Kai.

"Looks like you're not getting a straight answer either, Goro."

"What can I say? I enjoy a good duel. You two are free to think whatever you wish. Now if you'll excuse me, my little Seisha asked me to buy some more candy." Kassidy winked, turning to leave. As she walked away with her long black hair shining in the light as Goro sighs, shortly after a small grin couldn't help but appear at his lips.

"She definitely did something."

"Maybe she did, maybe she didn't.", Kai gave a pat on his dorm mate's shoulder. "Either way, you got something out of it—a chance to push your limits. That's what really matters, right?"

Goro nodded slowly, the fire of determination rekindling in his eyes.

"Yeah. Next time, I'll walk out with a win."

Location: Main Campus

At the School Canteen, Alexis was casually enjoying her lunch, a warm veggie-riddled meal, a satisfied yet thoughtful expression on her face. Her recent duel against Goro had been intense, but she had secured the win with a bit of flare from her partner. She wasn't expecting visitors, but the sound of hurried footsteps distracted the blondie from her lunch. Her attention was now on a rushing Jaden and Syrus who had shown up to her to hopefully get some answers on a certain aspect of her duel…

"Hey, Lex… Cool duel you had with Goro back there.", Jaden greeted with a cheerful voice.

"Thanks.", she smirked while revealing one card among many of her that was on the table she was sorting through as she ate. "Goro was strong, but he couldn't keep up; had to respect his onslaught with one of my own… May you show yourself for me, Icy?"

Summoned by Alexis' words, Ice Queen materialized with a flash of icy-blue light and crystalline snowflakes shimmering about beside the blonde siren; Jaden and Syrus could see the Ice Spirit during the duel but the faint shimmer of light and the quick shift in pressure and temperature along with Icy being right in front of them… it was proof enough to say Alexis had a Neuro-Link of her own and her powers were quite real also very formidable.

"So it is true! Your Ice Queen has been with you this whole time?" Jaden whistles by witnessing her royal presence.

"For a year or two…", Alexis answered simply while drinking her tea, her eyes calmly studying their expressions. "And judging by the looks, I'm not the only one here with a spirit partner, am I?"

"... So you also knew. Oh boy this is awkward…", Syrus grinned sheepishly, picking up his card too. "Well, yeah… I've recently had someone watching out for me too. Dee, please come out."

With a shimmer of bright pink light, Dark Magician Girl appeared beside him. Her demeanor was as cheerful as ever, and she gave an interested Alexis a playful wave.

"Hi there, Alexis! I've been with Syrus after his duel with you, but I've been keeping an eye on him a little before that."

"Oh really?" Alexis blinks in surprise at her presence. "I'm surprised to know that a Spirit like yourself, one from the ranks of the King Of Games, Yugi Muto, had been hanging out with him. Dare I ponder?"

"Hai, that's on me…", Jaden quickly answers, while Dee only anticipates the incoming excuse about her presence here. "You see, remember that Entry Duel I had against Dr. Crowler and I had a Kuriboh with me. Well, I also pulled out a Legendary Dark Magician Girl card from that Secret Pack all those years ago. Lucky, ain't I?"

"Yeah, something like that.", Dee continues without skipping a beat as if to not to give away Jaden's connection to the King of Games too soon and further sell the explanation to Alexis and Icy which by most accounts was a decent one to blondie while Icy seemed to be mostly satiated by the conversation.

"And that's how I saw Syrus duel valiantly as he could against you. That duel was what convinced me to take him on as my disciple. He's got a lot of potential tucked inside—and a good heart. I couldn't resist picking him as my apprentice."

"Interesting…", Alexis muttered to herself, her gaze shifting to Syrus. "So that's why you've been improving so much lately. I was wondering what gave you the edge."

"I know, right? Dee's been a big help.", Syrus chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "But that duel with you pushed me to want to be better. I didn't want to be discounted like that again."

"It's good to know you've got a great mentor," Alexis admits with her tone of voice genuine and a bit warmer than expected.

"So, does the Jester here have a surprise partner among us as well or not?" Icy ponders somewhat condescending aloud towards Jaden, who grinned in response to the inquiry.

"Actually… I've saved my best friend for last! Yubel, you're up!" Jaden pulls out his favorite card, and his guardian spirit emerges from the card; With a quick burst of golden and black energy to hug him from behind.

"My liege and I have been together for years." The tender yet resolute voice from a clingy Yubel purred closely, while rubbing his cheek like a protective cat. "There's nothing we can't face together."

Alexis smiled after witnessing Yubel's more humble entry and the seemingly close friendship between her and Jaden. As if it was a fun contrast during Jaden's fortunate performance against Dr. Crowler, Yubel being the finishing card that had led Jaden to victory against the Professor's more lesser-known but powerful ace, the Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem. Both monsters were High-Level, yet Yubel had the advantage not in power, but through a powerful rebound effect.

Her studying glance lingered at the two spirits who seemed to be friendly to each other almost sisterly, her fascination growing by the minute.

"So… Syrus and Jaden; Dee and Yubel. I want to say this again - Thank you, for assisting my friend Jasmine in her time of need in her match with Gerald." The blonde duelist states courteously as she and her spirit partner bow their heads in respect and gratitude, the four individuals either being surprised or proud.

"Oh t-that? You don't need to thank us, r-really…", Syrus tilts his head in confusion. "Gerald was a jerk, he kind of deserved it."

"Yeah, but it wasn't just about overcoming the Twilight fan.", Jaden happily shrugs, his grin being less wide than usual but more calm, while placing a hand on his blue-haired friend's shoulder. "I've heard from Yubel - You really came through for Jasmine when she needed it, Sy. She was about to give up, but you gave her the leg up to keep fighting."

"Maybe, maybe not", Icy ponders, chiming in with her elegant voice. "But without your intervention along with the other voices of her friends and allies, Jasmine might not have as easily found the courage needed to turn the duel around."

Alexis nodded a small but grateful smile on her face.

"Normally it would be mine or Mindy's duty as Jasmine's closest friends to pull her out of the fire; And while I don't know what you said to her, Syrus, it obviously meant a lot. Lately, Jasmine… has been more in the clouds than on the ground. And she's been dreaming a lot about you while hugging her pillow. What kind of dreams I'll leave to your imagination."

"D-dreaming about m-me?" Syrus couldn't help but stammer as he blinked in surprise, his face slowly turning red. "B-but why and how?"

"I wonder… She's been in a better mood the past few days, and you seem to be the reason why. She hasn't told me much, but it's clear you've left quite an impression on her.", Alexis ponders innocently, while Icy had a little chuckle at Syrus' great lack of awareness.

Syrus's mind raced back to the duel's conclusion; Specifically in how Jasmine hugged him tightly while calling him by 'Her prince', had relieved tears in her eyes, and physically affectionate gratitude. He remembered her blush, her bright smile, and how she held tightly onto him for just a little too long. Not to mention the time where she sat next to him during lunch, complimented and gave him that surprise hug. And when his Big Brother told him that he gained a 'new girlfriend'… Syrus thought that Zane was just joking and teasing him like he used to do in the past.

"You mean to say..." Syrus nervously muttered to himself, his face growing even redder. "Jasmine... She really has a crush on ME!?"

Jaden immediately burst out laughing in surprise at Syrus' revelation.

"Wow Sy, that's impressive! I only thought you and Jazz would make a good pair! Didn't think she would agree with me on that one. Funny how things work out."

"It's adorable how out of the loop you can be sometimes." Yubel joked covering her mouth, to hide her mirth as her crimson eyes sparkled with amusement. "Wake up, Syrus. It's been almost two weeks."

"Big Bro, Yubel… You knew for that long?!", the Slifer in question trembling from the nervousness surging through his entire being; Until he turned around and saw the Sorceress whistling innocently and not looking at him. "Dee?"

"What? A crush? Jasmine? On you? How? Oh no, I had no idea..." She trailed off, her tone dripping with an all too sweet innocence as she futilely attempted to feign her awareness.

"Dee… Don't act like you didn't know!" Syrus' face kept on getting redder by each passing second. "You totally knew, didn't you? I haven't forgotten what you said back when you agreed with my Big Brother…"

She gave him a sly smile, her jealousy expertly hidden by professionalism gained through years of mediation and arcane experimentation.

"... So if you remembered, why asking? It's not like I wanted to say anything, since we were so focused on studying for the Writing Exam. That's your Pandora's Box to open, but don't worry… You'll be fine, I think."

"Sy, this duel is gonna be a riot to remember!" Jaden laughed harder, slapping Syrus on the back to rouse his spirit up for the upcoming challenge. "You've got a heck of a fangirl for an opponent, and you didn't even realize it."

"Ugh… Why is this happening to me?!" Syrus groaned, burying his face in his hands. "This is going to be so embarrassing! I'm going to DUEL HER, for pete' sake!"

While the three either teased or comforted Syrus or some mix of both, Alexis and Icy observed the interaction with a quiet amusement.

"They're quite the odd bunch." Alexis remarked, a finger on her chin in thought but a small smile tugging at her lips.

"The connection between the Demon and the Jester is… stronger than most." Icy's stern gaze lightened and her expression gave way to a more inquisitive glance in her otherwise cold demeanor. "They may tease and laugh so crudely, but their strength is clear as crystal."

"Honestly, it's… rather refreshing" Alexis nodded in agreement, feeling a soothing warmth from Jaden and Yubel.

"A bit too casual for my liking, yes. But certainly… something far different." Icy hums, her face studying Yubel in varying ways, particularly in regard with the title Yubel saw fit to call the jolly red student.

Time: 10 minutes later

"Good work for the first portion of the exam, everyone. You may now take a break, either take your seats or take a lunch if you didn't; Because the second portion of the Duel Exam is about to begin…", the voice of the Gym's loudspeaker chirps out to the School Canteen.

After a fair share of small talk between Duelists and their Spirits to better know each other, it was finally time for both Syrus and Dee to depart to the arena for their Exam match.

"Don't forget, Syrus. Pace yourself and hold yourself high", Alexis advises, inwardly wishing him luck for the duel ahead. "I know you'll do great in your duel against Jasmine."

"Don't make my wielder look like a fool by losing, young Syrus.", Icy idly warns the blue-haired student.

"May the Gentle Darkness guide you to victory, Sy.", Yubel wished her liege's friend the best in the exam, and now awaiting Jaden's usual cheer.

"Sy, remember what I said a few days ago? 'There's no superiority among duelists, we're all still learning'. Jasmine here just wants to learn with you with an all-out match, you just gotta respect that!" Jaden says glibly to his friend.

"... Thanks, Big Bro.", Syrus states nervously while hiding his bright-red face in embarrassment, while the other four had different reactions to the attempt, Jaden gave a supportive smile and thumbs up for his friend, Yubel herself gave a raised eyebrow if while amused by the blue-haired one's panic was a bit curious how far this duel will push him out of his shell, Icy gave an amused chuckle towards Syrus' trepidation, and finally Alexis gave him a nod of encouragement as Syrus was about to make his way to the arena.

"Aw man, now I'm feeling a bit dizzy from the thought of dueling her in front of an audience."

"It'll be okay, Sy. You'll have me helping you through it.", Dee consoles him with a bright smile, instead of the usual blushing, this surprisingly raises Syrus' spirit a bit.

"... I- I think I'm ready for this. See you guys later…", Syrus muttered more for himself as the student and instructor made their way straight to the Gym Field where they would start the duel; The group eagerly awaited the upcoming thrill ride. Yubel and Icy secretly make a bet on the outcome.

"Alright." Jaden said, clapping his hands together and pulling out his PDA to record the duel. "Let's go and cheer Syrus on. This duel's gonna be one for the camera!"

The group head towards the Gym, ready to support both Syrus and Jasmine in their upcoming match.

Location: School Hall

"Good work for the first portion of the exam, everyone. You may now take a break, either take your seats or take a lunch if you didn't; Because the second portion of the Duel Exam is about to begin…", the voice of the Gym's loudspeaker chirps out, while the students of the first portion that just ended their duel were walking away from the Duel Arenas with mixed emotions of either satisfaction for the winners, frustration for the losers. After all, the Duel Exam was what counted the most for the student's rank at that moment.

This while was a Test of Skill, this affair had certainly felt like Survival of the Fittest for many of them… And was still ongoing, for the second portion of Duels was about to begin. And two of the duelists would face each other rather soon in that portion - Jasmine Makurada vs Syrus Truesdale.

The red-haired girl in question was sitting cross-legged near the entrance hall of the school gym; Plucking petals one by one from another daisy she had, oddly enough her eyes closed as if to calm herself for the trials ahead, 'Loves me… Loves me not…'

Jasmine hesitated as her fingers reached the final petal, her heart fluttering with hope. Gently, she tugged the last petal free, her voice dropping to a disheartened murmur.

"Loves me not…", her shoulders slumped as she sighs despondently. The long plucked flower fell from her hand while the girl placed her arms over her knees. Jasmine was the superstitious one of her band of friends, even into Tarot Cards and Horoscopes as a little hobby.

'Maybe Syrus doesn't see me that way. Am I being too forward?'

Her thoughts drifted back to the first time she had really noticed Syrus - A Duel between him and Alexis; She remembered Syrus' cards, like his Power Bond and Emergeroid Tripwire; his determination and creativity that led to the Draw between Alexis and him.

Everything that Syrus has been doing has caught her eyes - His loyalty for Jaden; Forgiving Alexis for a misunderstanding and becoming one of her trusted friends later; Standing up to Gerald and his crowd of groupies for insulting his Big Brother; And way later guiding Jasmine through her own doubts, Syrus gave her enough confidence to defeat Gerald. Jasmine saw not just Syrus' inner courage, but also his kindness and support. And she couldn't forget the promise she made to herself… That even once, she wanted to have a fun duel with Syrus so badly; A moment that she would never forget.

"My little prince has so much more than he lets on…" She gave a soft chuckle, her cheeks turning pink. Her daydreams soon spun out images of Syrus standing in attire akin to one of the heroes from Fire Emblem, the image of his skittish but courageous voice and radiant smile making her heart race; while she dressed in more elegant attire befitting a mix of a princess and knight.

"I'll fight by your side, my Brave Baroness." her imaginary Syrus said with dramatic flourish.

"I'd follow you anywhere, my Sweet Prince," Jasmine murmured aloud, her voice full of sensual affection.

As she kept chuckling dripping further downward into her fleeting flight of fantastical fancy, a series of footsteps crept through the hallway broke the redhead out of her reverie. Startled, Jasmine looked up with a surprise expression to see no one other than Zane, approaching with an almost casual stride. His usual calm, confident demeanor was accompanied by a rare small smile.

"Daydreaming before an important duel?" His voice was warm yet cool, his sharp eyes precise in their deduction; Jasmine sprang to her feet, her cheeks burning in surprise and embarrassment.

"Z-Zane! I wasn't—uh—well…I" She fumbles, getting tongue-tied thanks to the surprise appearance of her tutor and looking anywhere but at him.

"Relax, Jasmine.", Zane chuckled softly, crossing his arms as he studied her. "Kassidy told me you're up against Syrus for your exam. I thought I'd stop by to wish you luck."

"You… you came to wish me luck?" Jasmine questioned while regaining her bearings, while receiving a nod from Zane.

"Well, the both of you to be honest but it seems he's to be a bit busy right now. You've improved a lot since the last time I coached the three of you. And ever since you started the year beating Gerald in that duel, I know you'll give Syrus a duel worthy of an exam for him. Make sure you treat him with the proper respect—he is my little brother, after all."

Jasmine straightened up as she fully regained her composure, her nervousness giving way to a passion-filled determination.

"... Of course, Zane! I wouldn't dream of doing anything less. Syrus deserves nothing but my best."

"Good. I know you'll do well.", Zane's faint smile slightly grew a bit more. "Sorry for interrupting your…mediation. But just remember, dueling is about more than winning or losing. It's about growth, for both you and your opponent."

"I won't forget. Thank you.", Jasmine responds, giving an appreciative nod while watching Zane nod back in turn well, turning to leave; In deep thought, Jasmine called him, carrying a mixed voice of resolve and affection. "I'll make you proud, Zane! And I'll give Syrus the respect he very much deserves!"

"I expect nothing less from a first-year Elite. Good luck, Jasmine; Because I'll be watching you two duel from the stands.", Zane says, turning his back to the redheaded teenager and walking down the hall, making his way to the stands of the arena. Jasmine felt her heart skip a beat as she looked towards the entrance where her so very desired one-on-one match lay in wait. She clenched her fists, her resolve steeling itself as she took a deep breath to reinforce her self-restraint before entering the arena.

With a surprisingly high amount of tension released in a particularly loud breath then the redhead teenager thought she could release, she felt the nervous yet excited energy surging within her lessen a great deal as it was replaced with renewed calm and focus, Jasmine felt ready enough to face the duel ahead of her.

'No matter the outcome, this duel will be one for both of us to remember. For Syrus, for Myself, and for everything we've been through to the trials ahead of us.'

Location: School Gym

The Duel Arena was packed as the second portion of students doing their Exam Duel was about to begin. In a certain spot of the Duel Field stood Syrus who was a relative unknown aside from his link to Zane; Facing against Jasmine, the one Elite who started this year hot with her upset victory over Gerald. The clash between the two first-year duelists along with many other duelists in the exams was awaited with the bated breath of many in the stands, the pressure feeling almost oppressive, in particular for one in red.

Chatter buzzed about across the audience, divided in their reactions to the upcoming duels. Most students— An enthusiastic majority from all three dorms—were eager to watch their matches unfold along with others, believing it would be a fantastic learning opportunity. However, among the smaller group of dissenters, tensions began to brew.

Slifer Reds

"How come he gets to duel someone like Jasmine?" grumbles Hikaru Matsuda, one of the 2nd-year Slifer Red, next to his classmates, Kenta Fujimoto and Daiki Tanaka.

"Yeah, she's way out of his league. This Syrus kid is just gonna get slaughtered."

"He's still a freakin' rookie… I'd duel Jasmine any day of the week if I could have a chat with her."

The 1st-year Student Council Member from Slifer Red, Nate Washington, felt like he had to defend a fellow classmate.

"... Guys, please don't be jerks; Syrus is Jaden's friend. And I know that he's got the skills, cause I've seen him practice a bit back in our dorm! Give him a chance, would you?"

Ra Yellows

"How unfair." Tobias Graves, a fellow 2nd-year student, crossed his arms. "Jasmine's one of the Elite Top Students in Obelisk Blue. Against this Slifer Red… it's a cheap win.

"I do agree. This duel feels pointless, since we haven't seen Syrus prove himself yet unlike his friend.", Amara Liedson nods, while fixing his glasses from his face.

It had to be the 1st-year Student Council Member from Ra Yellow Stilton Outlook getting up from his seat, and staring at the doubters with a different opinion.

"Really… Do all of you underestimate people from the Red Dorm? Or doesn't his last name ring a bell? Syrus might be from Slifer Red, but he IS Kaiser's younger brother; I would bet 1000 Duel Points that he gets the win at the end."

Both Amara and Tobias, although they were from the second year group and surely didn't know much from the fresher students, couldn't help but take the council member up on that bet.

"Heh, You're On!" one of them proclaimed.

Obelisk Blues
"Unbelievable! They're all hype up… for this?" Asks Tsubasa, one of the folks in Blue. "That little Slifer nobody doesn't even deserve to be here; Just riding on his Big Brother's name, the damn traitor who turned his back on us. Like brother, like brother."

"Really disappointing." Another doubtful blue student named Bianca, agreed. "That kid doesn't even fit to shine the Kaiser's boots, let alone face off against one of the Elites."

When the word 'Elite' was mentioned, the other group decided to join.

"You mean yet another traitor that joined our dorm this year? This girl thinks she's hot stuff just because she beat Gerald, someone who really honored our dorm. While he represented our pride, she just destroyed him like it was nothing."

"What if… if it gets worse? Is she playing along with THAT?", another boy named Dorian jabbed a finger in Syrus' direction. "It's like she's spitting on Obelisk Blue. She's supposed to be one of our best; But instead, she's wasting her time on a Slifer scrub."

From the benches where sat the two first-year Obelisk Blue Student Council Members, Jin Adam Alpin and Sedusa Isley had different reactions to this. Sedusa being a bit bemused but irritated, while Adam was merely angry but embarrassed. Just thinking that they were the ones responsible for keeping the peace of dorm's relations with the Slifer and Ra Yellows to prevent any more complications, now listening to these petty complaints. Although they weren't one of the victims from the Azure Giant incident, they understood the reason behind it…

"SILENCE!" The both of them shouted, getting the crowd's attention to them in short order.

"You poor excuses of cheerleaders sit here, whining at a classmate of mine, someone who is trying to fight above his pay grade in this Exam, are we?" Adam deadpanned angrily, arms crossed with his tone gaining further heat with each word. "All because Syrus is from a different Dorm? What have YOU done to prove yourselves worthy of being Obelisk Blue? Bullying everyone else? No wonder Zane turned his back on you, thinking about yourselves this way. As a Big Brother should be, Zane cares more about Syrus than your damn pride!"

"And as for Jasmine…" Sedusa continued, her gaze locking onto the group of dissenters. "SHE has earned her place among the elites of Obelisk Blue. The fact that she defeated Gerald isn't a mark against her—it's a testament to her skill. As for me and my dear friend Adam, and some other classmates that are interested in this duel or others here, we're getting real sick of the bellyaching; So sit down and shut the hell up, this misguided pride has you all acting like little kids. If anyone here is disrespecting the Obelisk Blue dorm, it's YOU."

The dissenters fell silent, their faces a mix of embarrassment and resentment. A few muttered apologies under their breath, while others looked away, unwilling to meet Adam or Sedusa's stern gaze. The rest of the dorm students in the stands exchanged looks, clearly impressed by their leaders' decisive words and some grateful for less noise to watch their friends and fellow roommates duel their hearts out. Even receiving appreciative nods from Nate and Stilton, their neighboring classmates.

As the student council members returned to their seats, the arena's atmosphere shifted. The Obelisk Blue section remained quieter, their earlier disdain replaced with a begrudging respect—or at least silence. It didn't help too much… Staying quiet, the resenting students kept giving nasty glares to both Syrus and Jasmine, as if they didn't care too much of what they've heard.

Despite Syrus' attempt of showing a sense of firm composure, a bead of sweat slid down his head; His hands trembling slightly as he set up his duel disk. His eyes darted nervously toward the sea of faces staring at him.

"Easy, Sy." Dee gently whispered in his ear, hoping her presence could soothe her anxious student. "Focus on the duel. Breathe, it's not the end of the world."

'I-I'm trying my best. But it's hard with all this attention and competition.', Syrus looked at her with eyes filled with worry. 'Man… I'm getting nervous again…'

Even though it wasn't necessarily the right moment to do so, Dee gave Syrus a gentle head pat; Allowing him to breathe a bit more softly as a small bit of his anxiety was assuaged for the time being.

"Let them talk or stare; It's not like you can ask them to stop. Besides, there's also those who want to see you duel and support you, right? Also, there's other people besides you and her dueling. We'll show them what we're capable of, and don't forget I'll be your partner. When time comes, focus on your deck, myself, and will to act… We'll win this duel together."

Although Dee's reassuringly kind words lessened Syrus' anxiety, the guidance had increased a different kind of affection; Its heat flowing through his body like a tidal wave.

'Thank you, I feel ready now.' Syrus smiled and looked back towards Jasmine; Hands on her hips, her face displaying a disappointed glance and an exasperated huff at the "support" from a good portion of different dorms. All she wanted was a good time with Syrus, not the taunts and jeers that threatened to deflate them before the fun really began.

"… Uh, Jasmine? Are you okay with all this?" Syrus asks quietly, the red-head girl notices and smiles at him in response.

"Couldn't be better. How about you, Sy? Tough crowd we've got here?", she joked lightly, her tone riddled with excitement while flipping her long auburn hair and preparing her duel-disk.

"You can't imagine how I've been looking forward to this! Let's see if the guy who gave me new inspiration is ready to keep pace with another Elite Blue, such as myself!"

"I-I'll do my best! Good luck to you too!" Syrus nods and appreciates Jasmine's compliment with a nervous but resolute grin.

Settling into their seats separated from the louder parts of the audience that supported the duel, Jaden, Yubel, Alexis and Icy are preparing to watch their friend's match.

"Alright! Quite the Hallmark Moment for my friend there. It's about time for Syrus to show everyone what he's made of.", Jaden plops down onto his seat with an excited grin. "This is gonna be awesome!"

"Let's hope Dee is focused on guiding him instead of his other head.", Yubel japes, her usual smirk switched with a curious expression while standing next to her liege. "Looking at him now, means Dee may've made an error in the situation here"

"He's just nervous because of the crowd… and Jasmine", Alexis states rubbing her head in preemptive surge of irritation at the incoming banter from her redheaded friend being sappy enough to clog an artery.

"The auburn-haired one's affections for the young Syrus are as truly subtle as a snake.", Icy deadpanned, her elegant composure being complimented being next to a somewhat stoic Alexis. "Such forwardness is likely an arrow to the knee for his sense of focus."

"Should we blame her? The more passion running around means a better duel, right?" Jaden questions glibly while helping himself to a chuckle thinking of his good friend in a bad situation. "But the attention is something I can do without."

"From whom, my Liege?" His guardian spirit idly pondered as she raised an eyebrow at the comment. "The audience or Jasmine herself? The former is fickle as always. On the other hand, revealing to Syrus that the latter held deeper affections for him might've been a mistake. This isn't just an average duel anymore; She's making a very unsubtle declaration of affection in a public area for Syrus' hand…" Yubel proceeded to think aloud and couldn't help but muse further.

"Wonder if Phoenix Gearfried's flames can go pink?"

Alexis couldn't help but snicker a little while her cheeks were tinted with a very faint shade of pink thinking about her friend's perspective on Syrus.

"Well… hope it doesn't have them defeated by their own passion and anxiety rather than the duel itself. Think Jasmine may be planning something interesting for this match?"

"A young girl filled with either lust and attraction or admiration and gratitude but either way has a flair for the dramatics?." Icy couldn't help but ponder rhetorically. "Jasmine is going to try something rather entertaining, to say the least."

"And now she's gonna put her very soul into the duel. That's what I call guts!" Jaden grins excitedly. "Syrus better bring his A-game, or she's gonna wipe the floor with him."

"Oh? My liege, you're more interested in the drama than the duel this time?", Yubel couldn't help but tease her prince.

"It's like looking at a scene from one of those Romance books that Mom gets on occasion. It's weird but sweet.", Jaden laughs out while receiving a wry face from Alexis.

"Sorry, but I don't read much romance. I'm more of a Precure fan, and a Seinen reader."

"Mind focusing on the oncoming trainwreck of passion.", Icy japed in response to the idle chatter. "I'm still curious to see what Syrus can do. Alexis and I didn't see what the deck had to fully offer."

"What's more… I can see Zane watching this duel as well from the other side of the stands.", Alexis reveals while focusing her eyesight. "Syrus will want to impress his Big Brother, and I'm sure Jasmine will encourage him to go harder. Zane's teachings while short did cover a lot of ground…"

"It appears the duel is about to begin.", Yubel states, watching an approaching Judge stand between the two students. "Let us see how Syrus and Dee navigate this new endeavor."

Jaden couldn't help but gingerly stand up from his seat while raising his fists as he made a supportive call for his friend.

"Alright Syrus! It's time to show them strong you really are!"

The judge that stood in the middle of the duel arena Syrus and Jasmine were that so happened to be an Obelisk Blue Girl student from the Second-Year who had taken the Duel Exam in the first portion and volunteered to judge in the second portion; Sophia Elridge, a friendly but somewhat uptight upper-class fellow with a calm yet approachable demeanor, well-liked by her peers. She was also invited to Syrus' birthday party back in her dorm, although she was on the top floor when it all started.

"Alright, duelists. I'll be officiating and refereeing your match today. Are the two of you ready?"

"You betcha!" Jasmine flashes a bright smile and a suggestive look at her opponent. "How about you, Sy? I've got a new deck to use only against you as a special occasion… So I hope you're ready."

"Y-Yeah, I'm ready.", Syrus gulped, but couldn't stop his grin even if it was a reluctant one.

Sophia held her arm up, while looking to both sides.

"Duelists, take your positions. The match will follow standard Duel Academy rules, and I'll be here to oversee everything. Good luck to the both of you." She then paused to give one last platitude of Duel Academy. "Remember that this is about learning from mistakes and going beyond your limits as duelists, so don't let the crowd or nerves get to you and have fun. You're both here to showcase what you've got right now and how far you have to go on your journey beyond the exam."

The two duelists gave a respectful nod to the judge as they got everything set up.

"Very well. Without further ado…", the Judge's arm fell. "BEGIN!"

"DUEL!", the two duelists shouted.

Turn 1

Syrus (S): 4000 LP

Jasmine (J): 4000 LP

"Go ahead Sy; The opening round is yours.", Jasmine offers confidently, the blue haired Slifer taking a good look at the five cards he drew.

"Ah, t-thanks. I Draw!" Syrus drew his sixth card with a surprised expression before making his first move. "Let's take it slow, yes? I'll summon my Strikeroid to the field!"

With a burst of white steam and black smoke, a cartoonishly sleek red jet soars onto his side of the field with its engines roaring. (ATK 1600/DEF 400)

"And coming up next… my Continuous Spell, Megaroid Cyberium!" He placed another card on his disk; Suddenly manifesting with a single large ring consisting of a cartoonishly complex ring of data and algorithms.

With a loud clunk-type noise, a large and noticeably futuristic but toonish machine with a dazzlingly dizzy display of complex circuitry and wiring had dropped behind him, with an accompanying onomatopoeia complete with an exclamation mark. The machine brightly flashing about erratically with lights of blue and green; The center adorned with a massive, holographic sphere projecting the silhouettes of various "roid" monsters.

(A) Strikeroid - Effect Monster/WIND/Machine/Lv 4/ATK 1600/DEF 400

When this card is destroyed by battle: You can pay 800 LP; return this card to your hand.

(FM) Megaroid Cyberium - Continuous Spell

Once per turn, if your Machine monster is destroyed by battle: You can Special Summon 1 "roid" monster from your Deck with the same Level but a different Attribute than the destroyed monster.

You can banish this card from your GY and 1 "Megaroid City" from your field or GY; Special Summon up to 3 of your banished "roid" monsters with the same Level.

Dee gave a studying glance at the field so far, while checking Syrus' cards that he played so far.

"Good start, Syrus. It's the first turn, so no need to take things too fast.", she nods encouragingly to her apprentice. "Remember the first step to gain an advantage lies in knowledge of what type of cards Jasmine will play against yours, defending your field should be a main priority for now."

'I got it.', Syrus picked out three cards from his hand to place them in the Spell/Trap Zone. "I'm ending my turn with three face-downs. Your turn, Jasmine."

"I see, readying yourself for the rollercoaster.", the auburn Obelisk girl couldn't help but hum playfully, while looking over Syrus' field. "Quite a familiar but reliable way you played your cards this turn, Sy. Building up a similar buffer like you did in your duel against Alexis to weather her storm, am I wrong?"

That question received a silent giggle from the referee near the two Duelists, who was curious about that part but had to remain impartial. After all, Syrus' Birthday Party turned out to have a nice cinema podcast of Jasmine's recording duel for a good bunch of the privileged girls in blue taking notes of the unlikely Slifer navigating the perils of the Obelisk Queen's dueling ability…

"Ah, m-maybe!?", the skittish Slifer squeaks out nervously at being read like a book that easily so soon in the duel. Syrus could tell that Alexis had an eyebrow raised looking at her bestie in response to her little callback, before he had turned his attention back to Jasmine's little analysis. "I was trying not to be so obvious. My apologies, ah-ahah… oh dear…"

Hearing the little tidbit from Jasmine, the dorm students, particularly those who didn't know anything about the private video that Jasmine recorded in that night, had questioned themselves how and why did the Obelisk Queen Alexis duel someone like Syrus without them knowing about it.

Until they remembered the huge explosion on the second night of Duel Academy. And the way Alexis reacted to Syrus later the next morning started to make more sense.

"N-No…way." Hikaru gaped out in disbelief. "That… that damn pipsqueak stood his ground against Alexis of all people!? Ain't no freaking way! She's a Top Tier Obelisk Blue! There's no way he stood a chance."

"Yeah, but wasn't that the night he didn't show up for dinner?" Kenta couldn't help but ask curiously. "I figured he was just tired after Jaden ran around campus and he just followed him."

"But that's the curious part… I was in the dorm before dinner." Daiki states, racking his brain over for a clue. "I didn't notice him entering the dorm area to sleep… unless he did during dinnertime."

"It really shouldn't matter, considering how much Blues often like to show who's boss," Tobias states. "If he did duel Alexis, there's no way it ended well for him. I bet she crushed him in, maybe… two turns tops perhaps."

"But... What about that explosion on the second night here? Some people said it came from the beach." Amara irritatedly recalled that moment waking him up when he was about to get some sleep. "Could he really have caused that?"

"Hah! You really think that Slifer could cause an explosion?" Tsubasa mockingly questions the line of thought. "He probably messed up and trashed his own equipment."

"... Jasmine isn't the type of showboat to lie." Bianca muttered to themselves, the blue's bias lessening but not by much. "Maybe something crazy did happen or not… but it just seems… too much to chew on for now."

From the edge of the confusedly murmuring crowd, the quartet of Mindy, Zane, Kassidy and Seisha… were savoring the gradual shift of opinion from some of the audience; Particularly from Slifer's dorm about Syrus' capability. The Big Brother's expression while certainly stoic looked as if he was resisting the urge to laugh let alone smile, but he was certainly laughing on the inside as he listened in and observed the rest of the comments and remarks fluttering about Syrus' presence and capability.

"Oh, this is rich coming from a few of them. They're all talking like Syrus couldn't possibly duel Alexis and hold his own." Mindy snarked out, a chuckle accompanied the end of her sentence before continuing. "Guess they didn't see the footage Jasmine shared with us."

"It doesn't matter too much, we know what happened.", Zane states calmly, but noting the footage didn't have Alexis' more powerful monsters on display, he easily deduced that Alexis had underestimated Syrus and paid for it. "Syrus gave one of my summer students a good challenge, and the duel ended in a draw. That alone should placate them."

"Yeah, but you know how it is. People tend to operate on 'Seeing is Believing' unfortunately", Kassidy leaned on the railing while gazing at the two friends competing. "First it's 'He didn't duel Alexis' and now it's 'If he did, she crushed him'. Typical."

"In their defense, they didn't have the video that Jasmine recorded, didn't believe it at first myself. But the duel was incredible regardless of opinion.", Seisha speaks sympathetically, while savoring her strawberry sorbet. "How Syrus stayed strong even when Alexis had him cornered, and that desperate defiance with Emergeroid Tripwire, resulting in a surprising draw.", she then smiles slightly.

"Quite daring…"

"I know right! I was at the edge of my seat watching that duel.", Mindy smiling widely at Seisha's thoughts of the duel. "It was nice to finally get an answer to that explosion on that night when I was dueling the red wendigo, but… can't imagine what it was like at ground zero for Alexis."

"What about you, Zane?" Kassidy asked the third year glances towards him. "You've been with Syrus for a long ass time. Surprised at the result when Jasmine shared the duel with us?"

"Surprisingly, a fair bit; Syrus did have the potential but he was not the best duelist back then. He lost fairly often whether it was due to a lack of skill or being too kind, old neighbor friends in the park next to our home could attest to that. He just needed… the right pressure to prove himself; But that duel against Alexis is proof of how much of it there really is inside.", he pontificates and with a small huff he felt the need to continue.

"As much as I wish to compliment my little brother further, think back to Alexis' duel with Goro and her duel with Syrus, it's night and day in how Alexis approached it… and Syrus took advantage of her being in the dark about him whereas Alexis had an idea of how difficult Goro could've been. Regardless of circumstance, getting a draw against Alexis is no small feat.", Zane concludes, while receiving a small hum from Mindy.

"Hmm, the more you know. But it's a shame that the crowd here didn't see that thrill ride; If they had, they'd be eating their words right now."

"Oh, they'll get some word salad soon…", Seisha nods. "If Syrus plays this duel like he did against Alexis, they're going to have a headache."

"As if he needed their approval.", Kassidy huffs out, waving the idle comments of the spectators off. "But this is an exam and the beginning of the duel, they'll be speechless soon enough."

"Syrus, let's see if his constitution for the stage has raised any over the years. His actions here and now will speak for themselves.", Zane stated with undertone of support while waiting for the Obelisk's turn to start. "Now… let us see how Jasmine will answer his actions."

Turn 2

S: 4000 LP

J: 4000 LP

"Well alrighty then; Let's get this party started! It's my turn, I draw!" Jasmine drew her 6th card, a sparkle in her eyes as she confidently smiled at her crush. "Syrus, it's time to ante up! Because this isn't just a duel—it's going to be an unforgettable thrill ride for us both. I'll activate my Field Spell, Minefield of Fortune!"

Jasmine slams the card on her Duel-Disk, and immediately, a surging wave of shimmering bright starlight washes over the arena. The ground beneath the two duelists' feet and Syrus' Strikeroid rippled as if reality was like ethereal water before the surrounding arena Syrus and Jasmine were competing in transformed into something completely new.

The entire duel arena morphs into a kind of mix of a grand scale kingdom and a dazzling intergalactic casino. The floor beneath Syrus and Jasmine becomes the magical glass surface of a giant gleamingly golden roulette wheel, spinning slowly but steadily. A great amount of slot machines, poker tables, and various wheels of chance hovering glibly and randomly in the air around them suggesting varying degrees of sentience, but the field was littered with dancing neon lights glowing brightly in vibrant shades of gold, red, and green. Above, a starry expanse stretches out seemingly endlessly, with cosmic dice and magical playing cards swirling about gingerly in their general vicinity but far enough to be out of reach.

(FM) Minefield of Fortune - Field Spell

When this card is activated: Randomly select from your Deck 1 Normal Spell that requires a Die Roll and 1 Normal Trap that requires a Coin Toss, and place them face-down. Your opponent chooses 1 of those cards and adds it to their hand, and you add the other to your hand.

Once per turn, apply the following effects:

When a Spell Card that does not require a Die Roll is activated: Both players roll a six-sided die. The player with the higher roll applies the Spell Card's effect. If the controller of the Spell Card rolls lower, they draw 1 card instead of applying its effect.

When a Trap Card that does not involve a Coin Toss is activated: The turn player tosses a coin and calls it. If they call it wrong, negate the Trap Card's effect, place it at the bottom of its controller's Deck, and then the controller draws 1 card.

As the extravagant display of the holographic capabilities of Kaibacorp's Duel Disks were underway, Jasmine's Obelisk Blue uniform, to Syrus' shock, surprisingly shone brightly before morphing into something a bit more befitting for the occasion - Her outfit now resembles something straight out of 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'. Inspired by the designs of the movie's main couple, her new attire being a 'What If they had a daughter in the future' possibility but in a more child friendly but modern lens. The attire features a sleek, red sequined dress with slit up the side, perfectly tailored to her athletic form. Wearing golden high heels that sparkle under the neon lights, and her outfit is further accessorized with a pair of stylish dice-shaped earrings and on her neck a mix of a bow tie and a choker.

"What do you think, Big Blue? Are you enjoying the view?" Jasmine teases while striking a confident but sultry pose, her playful grin adding to her charm. "I thought a little flair might make this duel more exciting. After all, the people here came for a show, and may as well have fun with it. Like the ref said, this is a chance to go beyond our limits."

The referee for this match didn't expect one of the competitors to pull a stunt like this but with a beleaguered sigh as she leaned on the middle part of the Roulette, as if she was some kind of decoration for the roulette.

"Despite the massive risk Jasmine set up, I'm afraid I must remain impartial.", Sophia comments while sitting down at the middle of the roulette having her legs intertwined. "I take it she is in her right mind and aware of what happens if her luck proves to be poor."

Meanwhile, Syrus was momentarily stunned by the change in scenery and Jasmine's fancy new outfit.

"W-Wow… this field spell looks… amazing!" His cheeks then flushed a bright red hue a bit when he took a better look at Jasmine's lounge singer and host-esque outfit, as he tried to focus on the duel; But Jasmine's playful demeanor made it hard for him to further concentrate.

'I-I mean, the casino looks incredible, but… Jasmine's outfit—she really went all out!' Syrus thoughts ran a mile a minute picturing Jasmine in other sultry attire or beautiful clothing in general. Steam could be seen rushing out of his ears much to Jasmine's personal delight. The blue haired teenager tries to collect his thoughts as if not to say something rather crude to her, so he took to adjusting his glasses to steady his racing thoughts. 'She looks so amazing… but how am I supposed to focus now?!'

Hovering curiously behind him, Dee is observing the scene with a studious but mischievous smile behind Syrus, twirling her wand lightly. Syrus heard the telltale swirling of Dee's magic snapping him out of his trance, with a flustered expression turned around to hopefully get some advice from his Spirit Partner.

"Oh dear! You're looking like a tomato right now!" She says worriedly. "You've barely started the duel, and she's already got you wrapped around her finger. Remember what I said, focus!"

'I- I know, I KNOW!' Syrus telepathically responds rather panicky, trying to shake off Jasmine's flirting attempts just so the duel wouldn't look as awkward as it felt. 'I just… wasn't expecting all this. It's… uh, really overwhelming; That's all!'

"Yeah, I can get that. It's certainly a lot to process when you're not alone with your opponent this time.", Dee says supportively, the need for jokes lessened thanks to Syrus' reaction earlier today with Jaden's joke and having the potential to make his anxiety worse, but a little giggle couldn't be helped at his reaction to all this. "But you've got to admit, she's a tonesetter alright. Dueling with that outfit especially? Confidence like that doesn't grow on trees."

"Uh… Earth to Syrus?" Jasmine calls out to her opponent, concerned that she may've overwhelmed him. "Are you okay, or… was this too much of a change?", she asks cautiously, a little nervously thanks to her opponent taking a long moment to get an answer out when it came to her new changed outfit.

"M–My bad, Jasmine. I mean, huh… you look great. T-trust me.", Syrus verbally stumbled, his words jumbled out as he turned around to meet her relieved gaze and his face still red, so he looked into another direction for not knowing what to say. "I-I know we're currently in a duel, but I gotta say. Your outfit, it really suits the theme."

Jasmine gave a lovingly sweet hum while her face turned redder than her hair, just soaking in and savoring Syrus' compliment. She had to take a wistful deep breath to recenter herself to focus on their duel exam, her raging passion restrained for the next phase of her plan.

"No more distractions or delays… I've got a game plan, and you're about to see how I roll the dice!" Jasmine smiles cockily, as she snaps her fingers akin to a comic book supervillainess.

"Time to see if luck is on your side! When I activated my Field Spell, Minefield of Fortune, it didn't just change the arena—Chance Time is the law of the land here. So here's how it works: Two random cards from my Deck are selected— One Spell that requires a Dice Roll and One Trap that requires a Coin Toss. They'll stay face-down, so we won't know which is which."

As Jasmine's Deck was instantly shuffled as two shimmering cards materialized above the holographic roulette wheel spinning beneath their feet. The cards hover in the air, glowing faintly with golden light, the sides of the cards sparkling with neon lights as holographic poker chips with Dice and Coin orbited around them.

"Now, you get to pick one of these cards to add to your hand. The other one will go to me. What do you say, Syrus? Care to cross fate with me?", Jasmine asks with a wink and flirty expression on her face.

The Slifer stares a bit hesitant at the two hovering cards, his mind racing at the predicament Jasmine put him in, while Dee floats beside the teenager, stroking her chin in thought and her head having a curious tilt.

"Hmm… a Spell and a Trap, huh? And of course, we don't know which is which.", Dee reiterated to herself while studying the odds. "Typical. But hey, this is your chance to tilt the odds in your favor, my dear student. Choose wisely!"

Adjusting his glasses due to the bright light from the two shimmering cards, Syrus hesitates for a moment before glancing at his spirit partner for further advice.

'What do you think, Left or Right?', he asks and receives a wry smile that feels like a mix of bemusement, annoyance, and mischievousness from the sorceress.

"Tough to say honestly but more importantly, it's your game, your decision that matters and something you have to do yourself. But if you want my advice…", Dee leans closer, inspecting the cards closely. "This will be the only time I do this for this duel, pick the Left! Go with your gut next time, I can't do everything here."

'Thank you…', Syrus takes a deep breath and points to the recommended card.

"I'll take the one on the left!"

"Well alrighty then!", Jasmine claps her hands together amusedly, the holographic card on the left hovered close to Syrus, so that he could pick it. Meanwhile, the other card went to Jasmine's hand, picking it gently and looking at it with a sly smile. "So, are we wondering how lucky you got?"

Syrus stared at the card he picked… It was a Spell Card. So that meant, Jasmine got the Trap Card. "Since you didn't select the two cards, it could've gone either way.", he admits cautiously, awaiting for Jasmine's next play. "Hopefully I'll get used to this."

"Oh don't worry, took a bit of careful study to use this right.", Jasmine admits glibly, while receiving a little gulp from her crush, her enjoyment driving her more host-like demeanor to match the aesthetics of the field spell. "What better way to kick things into high gear and wow the crowd and my special guest; Than activating my Spell Card, Call of the Landstar!"

(FM) Call of the Landstar

Roll a six-sided die and apply the following effect depending on the result. The player deck is shuffled after this card's activation:

- Odd Number: Excavate the top cards of your deck equal to the dice result, and Special Summon as many excavated Level 3 or lower monsters.

- Even Number: Your opponent excavates the top cards of their deck equal to the dice result, and Special Summon as many excavated monsters.

Once the card was activated, a Magical Red Dice with White Dots slowly descended into Jasmine's hands; when they landed in her hands she merrily clenched it while grinning with excitement.

"Well then, Syrus… Here's how it works: I'll roll a six-sided die, and the result decides who gets to look into their deck and call for reinforcements. If I roll an odd number, I get to grab cards from my deck and summon as many Level 3 or lower leveled monsters as I find. But if it's an even number, you'll be the one calling the shots!", she exclaimed as she gave a nice spin at the end in her sparkling dress and extended the arm that would throw the dice.

"Let's see where Lady Luck takes us, Syrus. Ready?"

"O-Of course; Whatever lands on, I can handle it!"

"That's what I like to hear. Here we go; 'DICE ROLL GO'!" Jasmine states as she tossed dice, the tension building as the dye spun its merry course, the audience leaned forward in anticipation. Her confident grin doesn't waver, while Syrus adjusts his glasses, his gaze fixed on the spinning die. Until the die finally landed on the center of the roulette wheel; And the result was a 3.

"Nice! We got an Odd Number! That means it's my turn to shine…", Jasmine raised her duel disk, beginning the search through the of the top three cards of her deck; In a moment of suspense accompanied by rapid beats of a drum by the field spell for both Jasmine and Syrus, the cards flipped over for everyone to see:

Re-Roll, Lucky Punch… and Perilous Performer of Landstar

"Will you look at that, ladies and gentlemen?" Jasmine asks while pointing at the last card dramatically, the arena suddenly erupts with confetti; All happening while the card starts hovering to get picked up by its host. "It looks like we're welcoming someone to the party! Come Out, My Level 3, Perilous Performer of Landstar!"

A burst of sparkling confetti rained down, manifesting with accompanying thrill seeking laughter as a Jester-like figure clad in a flamboyant outfit of red and gold landed on the field with a bit of grace and from a cord; His carefree stature complemented by the oversized dice dangling from his wrists, and a cane topped with a large golden coin. (ATK 400/DEF 1200)

(FM) Perilous Performer of Landstar - Effect Monster/EARTH/Warrior/Lv 3/ATK 400/DEF 1200

Once per turn: You can toss a coin. If Heads, draw 1 card. If Tails, return 1 card from your hand to the bottom of your Deck.

"Hold your horses, everyone. It looks like my Perilous Performer won't be giving a show alone; Every star needs a good partner, and I've got just the card for the job!" Jasmine dramatically exclaims, picking out another card from her hand. "I summon my Avaricious Ace of Landstar!"

With a flurry of golden poker chips with reflective surface raining down, a beam of green starlight was shot from one of the casino-themed cosmic arena's dice to the golden poker chips where the light bounce off the chips and when the beam of green hit the ground with a ace of spade-like firework manifested another figure that was a mix of performer and warrior clad in a gambler's attire, adorned in green-and-gold clothing that looks like a mix of a business suit and tracksuit with many packs of magical playing cards tucked into their pockets. On one hand, a deck of cards gleaming dangerously in mystical green-tinted energy; on the other, a six-sided die billowing with magical crimson-tinted energy. Accompanied by a cocky grin that reflects his risk-loving nature. (ATK 600/DEF 1200)

"But wait – why stop at two? Could I be forgetting someone? If so, let's give Lady Luck the runaround again? Since the only monsters I control are 'Landstar' monsters, I can Special Summon this little troublemaker straight from my hand. Shall we play, oh Gutsy Gambler of Landstar!"

Placing her third monster on the Duel Disk, the arena's roulette panels near Jasmine opened up to reveal an elevator covered in black; The door opened up to reveal a diminutive yet resolute gambler wearing a dark trench coat and a black fedora, an unnerving stature made more dangerous with a eerily smile and the shuffling of an endless deck of cards with a crystal clear gleam of a lustful risk in his eyes. (ATK 400/DEF 1200)

(FM) Avaricious Ace of Landstar - Effect Monster/EARTH/Warrior/Lv 3/ATK 600/DEF 1200

Once per turn, roll a six-sided die. Apply the appropriate effect: 1/6 - Destroy this card; 2/5 - This card gains 600 ATK for each monster you control; 3/4 - Special Summon 1 "Landstar" monster from your hand or GY to the opponent's field.

(FM) Gutsy Gambler of Landstar - Effect Monster/EARTH/Warrior/Lv 3/ATK 400/DEF 1200

If the only monsters you control are "Landstar" monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. Once per turn, if you activate a monster effect that involves a coin toss: Draw 1 card.

The duel arena buzzed about with excitement as a gradually bigger portion of the crowd had their attention on Jasmine and Syrus' deal due to Jasmine's theatrics. Even if seemingly the two duelists weren't dueling for supremacy, the energy between them had captivated a significant portion of the audience.

Syrus stood with a nervous energy with his Strikeroid, a monster with greater power attached but stood alone; And Jasmine in contrast, had summoned three 'Landstar' monsters on her first turn in quick succession, but with weaker Attack power. Parts of the crowd who were watching would only wonder what more tricks Jasmine had in store for the tense blue-haired Slifer.

Just barely holding in her excitement, Jasmine didn't await any longer; Grinning and pointed her finger to one of her monsters.

"The show is just getting started, my friend; Because it's time for the star to work its magic! I activate my Performer's effect!"; The roulette in the middle of the arena opens its glowing light riddled edges that seem to alternate between shining red and sparkling blue, and the Perilous Jester standing on one of the edges ready to spin the thing at full speed.

"Normally, it would require a coin toss to complete its effect, but thanks to the casino's magic, we're pulling this off Landstar-style! And here's how it works – The red panels are Heads, and the blue panels are Tails. My Performer will spin the roulette until the light stops. If it lands on Red, I draw 1 card; if it lands on Blue, you draw 1 card."

"I see… It's a 50/50 chance of one of us getting an advantage.", Syrus thought aloud carefully, getting drawn into the moment. "I don't like my odds, but we never know! Good luck."

"Gladly. Now my Performer; Spin your heart out!"; Jasmine snaps her fingers, letting the Jester spin the giant roulette full speed ahead with an eager grin; Both duelists and the judge are curious as to the end result that the Light would land on. "Come on, Red! Don't let me down now…"

The roulette slows, the colors blinking more clearly with each rotation until it finally lands… on a glowing Red Panel. A sound of victorious sounding casino bells rang merrily through the arena.

"YES! We got Heads…", Jasmine exclaims excitedly while she jumps triumphantly. "And that triggers the positive for the Performer's effect; I'll draw a card." She draws a card from her deck, holding it up for dramatic effect as her performer joyously whirls around on the field.

"But wait, there's more! Because I activated a monster effect that would normally require a coin toss, my Gutsy Gambler of Landstar effect activates. That lets me draw another card!"

The trenchcoat-clad gambler smirks mischievously while quickly shuffling a deck of luminous cards in their hands before looking at his hostess with most before chucking up one of the glowing cards. Said shining card flew from his magical deck to her general vicinity, and Jasmine snatched it up with a wink toward Syrus.

"Two draws for the price of one, I'm quite the lucky lady today. Wouldn't you think the same, Sy?" Jasmine ponders aloud before she cutely kisses the card with a sultry expression aimed at Syrus filled with barely hidden enormous urge to cuddle him like a teddy bear; One could've sworn Syrus saw hearts in her eyes as he got bit flustered from her attraction and theatrics screwing with his head.

"Yikes, she's on a roll!" Dee commented to her apprentice playfully. "Better keep your cool, Syrus, or she's going to run circles around you soon."

'D-Don't worry, I'm fine… We still have our back-up plan; I just have to time it right.' The Slifer thought cautiously as he tried to regain his focus, adjusting his glasses to aid in that endeavor. Just observing and thinking about what Jasmine pulled out next in the card department that Jasmine had drawn; her playful pridefulness never leaving her face.

"I hope I'm not bothering you with my performance, Syrus – Because this wouldn't be a party without my third guest's effect." Jasmine points confidently at her monster. "My Avaricious Ace's effect lives rent free on the whim of the dice; And he's about to roll more in your favor than mine."

"M- My favor? How so?" Syrus asks with a shocked expression but obviously an undercurrent of curiosity.

"I'll let in on the two interesting effects my Ace has – one of them is self-destruction if it lands on 1 or 6; the other is me handing you reinforcements from my hand or graveyard if it lands on 3 or 4, free of charge."

"...Ok, but wait… that leaves you at 33% at gaining your positive effect.", Syrus concludes, while containing his grin. "Stacking the deck like this, against yourself… You're planning something aren't you?"

"That's what makes this duel so Fun to play, you never really know! Alright, my dear Ace! Show everyone why you're the top gambler of my team." Jasmine exclaims and a massive magical dice falls above the Gambler's head, his arms holding it gingerly as he prepares to toss the dice. "Let's give them a roll we won't forget! DICE ROLL GO!"

With a theatrical spin, the Ace hurls the die across the field, where it bounces and rolls with a loud, echoing clatter. The portion of the audience watching the duel hold their breath as the dye slows its momentum, spinning erratically… Before finally landing on a 2.

"That's what I'm talking about, that's a 2.", Jasmine grins ear-to-ear. "One of the needed numbers for my Ace's benefit package – For each monster I control, he gains 600 Attack Points. And guess what? I've got Three Landstar performers in my field!"

Like winning the lottery reward, the Avaricious Ace started cheering with his allies; as if congratulating the Gambler for his wielder's good fortune a golden four leaf clover-shaped aura billowed around the target in question. And then, as if the gambler was enveloped in some kind of magic airborne steroid – His diminutive body has a sudden growth into a fiery expy of the Grey Hulk, fedora miraculously intact throughout the sudden power surge. The mere rippling of his muscles accidentally destroying the trenchcoat, revealing a fire proof dress suit underneath (ATK 600 - 2400/DEF 1200)

"Now that's a hell of a glow up if I ever saw one." Jasmine eagerly compliments her monster attire, and makes a hand gesture to the beefed up gamble to join in her need for the theatrics, in the form of striking a pose of pure spectacular confidence, after all they are well dressed, style points are a necessity in the redhead's mind in this context. But she could tell that the Landstar Gang was raring to go and advance.

"Now that my Ace has become the strongest monster on the field, I think it's time for a stress test. So how about it, Sy? Can you ante up, or will you fold?"

"I… I'm kind of flattered, Jasmine.", the boy smiles, his nerves lessening but not by much, but keeps thinking alongside her instructor. 'A quick increase to 2400 Attack, against my Strikeroid with 1600… I need to think fast with my next move.'

"Looks like Jasmine got you in the splash zone, quite the predicament." the floating sorceress teasingly ponders. "Don't lose your head now. I'm with you."

'Thanks, Dee. I'll be counting on you.' Syrus thought as he switched his attention back to his opponent. "This is still a Duel Exam, I'll m-meet your challenge!"

"Good answer; I wouldn't expect anything less." She points her monster confidently to her opponent's monster. "Go, Avaricious Ace; Attack Strikeroid!" The Gambler quickly leapt into action at her command, the golden aura glittering and sparkling with power. The Landstar quickly charges toward Strikeroid, the massive fist being akin to a meteor ready to crush the panicking red jet from the opposing field.

"I activate my Trap Card; Entry Prohibited, No Entry!" Syrus exclaims as he raises his hand to activate one of his set cards, suddenly getting placed between Avaricious Ace and Strikeroid.

(A) No Entry! - Normal Trap

Change all Attack Position monsters your opponent controls to Defense Position, also, your opponent discards 1 card.

"This Trap will cancel your attack, and force your monster's Battle Positions to be switched!", Syrus spoke further determinedly, not aware of the mischievous glint in Jasmine's eyes.

"Oh will it now?" She pondered too innocently for Syrus' liking, the arena exploding police-like sirens sounds in reaction to the opposing side's Trap Card activation.

A cartoonish 'CUT!' could be seen as a large magical white gloved hand holding a sparkling clapperboard, one that would be seen in movie productions manages to effortlessly pause the battle between the two now confused monsters, looking around the whole theater going on in the background.

"Warning, Warning! We have an Emergency, ladies and gentlemen.", Jasmine extends her hands dramatically, committed to the role of an eccentric gameshow host. "An Impostor has trespassed into this field of fortune!"

"Huh?! Impostor? How so?" Syrus confusedly asks, before said large hand with the clapperboard grew into a giant gloved-hand grabbing him gently to be placed at one edge of the roulette. "W-What's going on!?"

"Have you forgotten about my Field Spell already, silly?" Jasmine pouts with her hands on her hips. "Everything in this domain is decided by Lady Luck's ever loving whims; You gotta risk it all, to even move at all! And since your Trap isn't one that uses a coin toss, you have to spin the roulette to decide if your 'No Entry!' takes effect or gets shut down!"

The roulette in the center of the casino-themed arena lit up once again, alternating between the red and blue panel, as the crowd watched in suspense. Syrus was now holding onto the edge of the roulette hanger, so that he could spin it properly.

"Remember, Syrus: Red is Heads, and Blue is Tails. So let's see how your luck fares from here!"

"Fine. I'll c-call… Heads!" Syrus declares determined but nervous and uses his strength to push the edge at the appropriate speed. "ROULETTE GO!"

The roulette spins faster and faster, lights flashing across the arena. Syrus clenches his fists, his gaze locked on the roulette. The crowd holds their breath as it slows and finally lands… on a glowing Blue panel.

"Aww~… Tough luck, Syrus – It appears Tails was in fashion this time!" She sighed dramatically, both concerned for Syrus' more skittish mental state but triumphant. "That means your Trap deactivated, and gets placed to the bottom of your deck. But don't worry, my Field Spell is also kind enough to let you draw 1 card in exchange."

"Well… It's better than nothing.", Syrus couldn't help but mutter to himself as he watched the magical white gloves carry an appropriately large mallet and smashing the Trap Card flat and transforming it into another luminous card; and the card returns to the bottom of Syrus' deck so that he could draw another card.

The giant glove holds Syrus gently again to return back to his original spot where Dee was waiting for his return.

"Don't worry, my little engineer.", the Sorceress says supportively, making Syrus feel a little embarrassed by the title. "It's only the beginning, right?"

'W… Well, I am very unlucky with these kinds of games.' He sighs, then looking back at the field. 'But important thing to note now, with my Trap Card cancelled, that means the attack continues.'

The 'ACTION!' Clapper Board clanked things back into focus; And the Avaricious Ace of Landstar smashes Strikeroid by surprise with his massive meteor mash of a fist, making the red jet fly into Syrus' direction, just barely over his head. But before it could potentially singed his head, the toon machine behind Syrus sucked the machine into itself with a big Tasmanian Devil-like tornado.

S: 4000 - 3200 LP

"My Strikeroid doesn't like to be sent to the graveyard after getting defeated like that in battle. That's why I'm paying 800 Life Points to activate its effect; It comes back to my hand for a second round!" Syrus exclaims, while adding said card to his hand.

S: 3200 - 2400 LP

"Doesn't that make it harder for you, Sy?", Jasmine couldn't help but ask, her dramatics lessening being replaced with undercurrent of concern, while her other monsters could be seen pouting at the fun potentially being ended early. "The Life Points you paid to activate your Strikeroid' effect would've made it easy for me to end this duel quickly, don't you think?"

"Thank you for the concern, but you handed me something important." Syrus smiled genuinely, Dee having raised an eyebrow in response to his retort. "Thanks to you destroying my monster, I can now activate Megaroid Cyberium's effect! Allowing me to Special Summon another 'roid' with the same Level but a different Attribute than my Strikeroid, my Shovelroid, jack in!"

The cartoon machine converts the breezy green aerokinetic energy into a sharp and rigid brown shade of geokinetic power; And the cannon on the top shot out a violet cartoon excavator droid with a lively expression, the machine raring go showcased by the machine holding up a large mechanical shovel in a protective stance to defend their host. (ATK 1000/DEF 1500)

(A) Shovelroid - Effect Monster/EARTH/Machine/Lv 4/ATK 1000/DEF 1500

If this card is destroyed by battle: Discard 1 card; Add 1 Spell from your Deck to your hand.

"This duel is far from over, Jasmine; It only just started." The boy declared, trying to pick up the pace and overcome his nervousness, while receiving an affirmative nod from Dee. "The only cards that can save you from Battle at this point now are Quick-Play Spells, right?"

"Correct." Jasmine responds amicably as her smile returns but less wide and showy but more genuine. "Not bad, you're keeping up with me rather well. Your Shovelroid was a solid pick for Defense Points, they're close enough to your Strikeroid's Attack power. But let's see how long it lasts against my performers." After the compliment was given, she then looked to her hand, and picked out a few of her cards to set them in her Facedown Zone.

"Well then, guess I'll take a page from your book then since you're using that strategy so much… I'll set these 4 cards face-down. With the Landstars ready to perform and a few tricks up my sleeve, my turn is done. It's your move, Sy!"

The casino-themed arena's energy hummed with anticipation as Jasmine's four back-row cards shimmer faintly, an air of suspense gripping those who watched on. The roulette glowing ominously bright at the center, a constant reminder to the audience of Jasmine's handing control of her and Syrus' exams over to the fleeting whims of fortune… Jaden, Alexis and their Spirit partners merely took it all in as they made their idle comments.

"Man, this match is really heating up.", the excited Red student states, not helping but feeling nostalgic watching Jasmine's gambling. With Yubel next to him, he leaned towards her and whispered. "The Landstar monsters… Don't they remind you of Joey? He always pulls off crazy stunts with this."

"Of course they do.", Yubel chuckles, her three eyes gleaming with a bit of amusement. "Whenever you were bored from studying a subject from school at home, your so-called 'uncle Joey' would sometimes invite you to a game of dice to let off steam.'

"Uncle… Joey?", Alexis muttered to herself as she and Icy overheard the little comments, the blondie raising an eyebrow. "Do you mean the Legendary Duelist, Joey Wheeler? What's your connection to him?"

"O-oh, Sorry, that's just a nickname I made for him; His name is actually Joseph Jason. But we also call him 'uncle Joey'. Right, Yubel?" Jaden said in surprise as he quickly tries to hide his connection with this little white lie, while Yubel could come up with a decent alibi.

"My liege is a big fan of Legendary Duelist's love of gambling actually. Hence the nickname my princeling bestowed upon his uncle whenever he came by for a bit of fun with us… Jaden calls him that and it just struck. Teaching Jaden alot about games of chance."

Exchanging a curious look to Icy to see her reaction, the royal cryomancer simply shrugged as if it didn't matter; their interest was more into Syrus' next play.

"The Minefield of Fortune is a rather brutal battlefield.", Icy admits with grit in her haughty tone. "But the little one here isn't panicking too much even if the tide is against him. He's playing rather similarly to when my host was back at the beach and when he and the Jester had a Tag Duel against Jasmine and Mindy."

"I do have to agree on that one.", Alexis nods with similar intrigue. "That Continuous Spell of his, Megaroid Cyberium, is a useful tool. Brings to mind Zane's tactics, specifically when he also taught me and my friends the finer aspects of how to revive fallen monsters quickly and bringing in the cavalry. Bit of a Kaiba-type of strategy…"

"Maybe Syrus gleamed more from his Big Brother than we had thought." Icy hums curiously, her gaze analyzing Syrus' demeanor as if trying to guess his next move through his body language. "Can he adapt fast enough to handle those unfavorable odds?"

Turn 3

S: 2400 LP

J: 4000 LP

Despite the pressure, Syrus seemingly remained composed next to his mentor; The the teenager inwardly taking mental notes so far of what Jasmine had setup for this match, in the line of thought of trying to come up with a way to not be easily swept away in this exam in front of the student body… and trying with great effort to pay no heed to the people in the crowd attentively watching them.

'Landstar monsters rely on either Dice Rolls or Coin Tossing. That Field Spell makes Traps that don't have Coin Toss in the text, have on to force the player into its gimmick… in this case spinning the Roulette.'

To Syrus' recollection of the past two turns, he noticed a tiny but important detail in how Jasmine operated. So far, the redhead has played a few Spell Cards that roll the Dice, but the Field Spell didn't force her to flip a coin. Wouldn't that mean…?

"Hmmm, it's a strange one to figure out, isn't it?" Dee questioned lightly with a smile. "Looks like this glitzy battlefield is quite troublesome. Don't you think it's somewhat odd that it gave you a Spell that required a Dice Roll when activated?"

'…Let me take a look at that Spell again. Dice Summon… By paying 1000 Life Points, I roll a dice; And deciding on the result, I can either conduct an additional Summon; Special Summon a monster from Graveyard… or Special Summon a Level 5 or higher monster from hand. Hmm, was this intentional?'

"Maybe, but no High-Level monsters in your hand to Special Summon, no monsters in your Graveyard… the only results that would be in your favor would be 1 or 2. Let's see what your next draw will bring us." Syrus responds and places his fingers on the top card of his deck, his attention back to Jasmine.

"Alright, Jasmine. It's my turn, Draw!" He drew his next card, his curiosity and caution rising.

'This Trap Card… Dee, did you mix our decks up when I was asleep?' He asks Dee, while the sorceress whistles with an innocent look on her face, but her eyes having a glint of regret tell all he needed to know. Thankfully for her apprentice, it wasn't a useless one. Oh, by the contrary for the Slifer Red…

"O-ok then… Let's pick up the pace! I Summon my Buldroid!", Syrus played the machine monster he once used on his Entry Duel back in Domino City; Manifesting with a honk a Yellow Crawler like roid raised its big metal blade (ATK 1500/DEF 1800)

"Mhmm… Another solid pick, Sy.", Jasmine comments. "Don't forget that I still have the strongest monster on the field? Any clever plans in store for me? Try to impress…"

"Oh, I will this time!" Syrus responded determinedly, pushing his momentum. "You see, when my Buldroid is Summoned, one of your monsters gets returned back to your hand. And I'll choose your Avaricious Ace of Landstar!"

By Syrus orders, the Cartoon Crawler in a quick session rushed at the hulking gambler in Jasmine's field. The monster in question attempts to grab the metal blade to stop it in self defense… However, the machine was scaldingly hot from the gears turning at a great pace; Alas it was not meant to be. The main effect of the steroids had worn off for the Avaricious Ace, and the poor shrunken Landstar was tossed off the field, transforming into a card and was returned to Jasmine's hand.

Parts of the yellows and reds of the crowd cheered for the proud bull-ish machine for its strong effect; All at same time Jasmine was grinning back at Syrus.

"Well done, Sy. Wasn't expecting that kind of turnaround."

"Thanks, but I'm not done here yet…" The blue-haired red student responded to his opponent, his tone of voice gaining more confidence as he looked at the Spell he held in his hand. Syrus taking into account some of the Field Spell's terms of conditions in response to the card's activation… But even then, Syrus couldn't afford to run from this challenge in light of what's on the line, even if he so desired it on the inside. He took a deep breath and continued with his risky endeavor.

"Get ready, Jasmine. It's time to bring a new monster to my field, once I fuse my Buldroid and Shovelroid with the Spell card, Polymerization!" He placed the card on his disk, and when it was activated… it once again beckoned the telltale sound of police-sirens to ring throughout the arena again.

Syrus couldn't help but grit his teeth nervously at the knowing cat-like smile Jasmine wore at the moment.

"I'm afraid, Syrus, that I must give this statement again. In this land, Chance Time is Law.", Jasmine spoke in an all too sweet, honeyed tone of voice, her giddiness getting gradually harder to contain. "You activated a Spell Card that doesn't require a Dice Roll, which triggers my Minefield of Fortune's effect."

From where the Spell Card stayed on Syrus field, an excessively expensive looking vacuum cleaner with too many multicolored jewels to count littering the cleaning appliance. Which then absorbed the Polymerization Card's energy into a magical but extravagantly decorated glass jar with a diamond-like cork at the top; And a pair of disembodied gloved hands descended from on high and gave to referee Sophia the glass jar that was filled with the swirling fusion energy, the stuff in question locked away from use. While a 'Well, this was unexpected' kinda look on her face.

"So… it's that I'll have to roll a Dice to decide if my card gets activated or not?" Syrus questions cautiously, the situation not helping his nerves.

"And decline in giving me an invite in this game of chance? I'm hurt, Syrus…truly hurt" Jasmine spoke out dramatically and playfully at the same time before switching up to explain activity. "In this, it'll be a two-player game this time; Which means that the both of us will get to roll a Six-Sided Die to decide the fate of the card."

"You too!? Oh no!"

"Don't freeze up now!" Jasmine challenges teasingly in response to the panic, she then snaps her fingers. And suddenly, two magical dice fell into each player's hands; the redhead blue student catching the dice easily, while the blue-haired red student nearly let it slip out his hand. "So how about it? Care for a quick game of Yahtzee?"

Looking at the dice block he caught, Syrus tried to examine if the dice looked suspicious or for him to roll; Dee seeing this hesitation tried to offer more support to the nervous Slifer, offering some encouragement.

"Come on, Syrus. You're still in the game, Jasmine went through the trouble of making this fair for the both of you.", she winked, half-teasing, but half-concerned as she glanced at Jasmine's daring demeanor. "Hmm… She does look pretty confident. But you know what… I still believe that you can score higher than her."

'T-thanks for the support, Dee.' Syrus smiles hesitantly, taking a deep breath. "I… I won't back down from the challenge!"

"Alright then Syrus. Let the gamble commence!", she exclaims as they both throw their dice to the middle of the arena.

"DICE ROLL, GO!", they shouted; Their dice suddenly crashed into each other, resulting in them falling on their side of the glowing roulette of the arena. Bouncing about for a moment that felt like an eternity for the bluenette. Then the two dice finally stopped moving, the results were…

Syrus' Die: 3
Jasmine's Die: 5

Jasmine laughed triumphantly as the red die displayed her higher number. "Looks like the dice are on my side, Syrus! And since I won, I get to control your Polymerization!"

"Wait, what! It won't get negated!?" Syrus exclaimed as his eyes went wide open at that revelation.

"That's right, Syrus. Minefield of Fortune doesn't stop your Spell Card from being activated – It lets the player with a higher number activate it. So, let's see what happens when I take a page out of your buddy's playbook!"

Sophia quickly handed the jar back to the magically floating glove-like hands, so that they could give the energy to their host; Jasmine carefully plucked out the diamond cork, and the energy quickly burst forth and the blue and orange energy strands erratically sparked about gingerly awaiting the ingredients, forming into a sparking vortex of energy.

"You probably may be thinking, 'Does Jasmine have a Fusion Monster to use Polymerization on?' My answer is 'Why Yes, I so very much do'! One that lets me fuse two Landstars; My Perilous Performer, with my Avaricious Ace in my hand!" She smiled while dramatically holding her two monster cards as she was surrounded by the swirling energy strand as the backdrop for another boisterous pose, non-verbally giving the order for the two Landstar monsters to leap into the glowing vortex of fusion energy.

"'Gamblers live on seizing the moments Lady Luck sees fit to bless them with! Behold, the warrior born of faith, fortune, and fortitude'! The Champion of this Golden Land of Fortune has waited long enough, it's Fusion Time everyone! To arms my Dark Knight of Fate, Ebony Crusader of Landstar!"

A giant black dice block fell upon the field from the vortex as it dissipated and then a red energy slash burst through the black block; From the wreckage jumped out a medium-sized but limber figure clad in sleek black armor and wielding a sparking crimson rapier. Not to mention the eyes, gleaming with the fiery spirit, not just a gambler but a loyal crusader dedicated to Lady Luck's sacred name (ATK 2100/DEF 2300).

(FM) Ebony Crusader of Landstar - Fusion/EARTH/Warrior/Level 6/ATK 2100/DEF 2300

2 "Landstar" monsters

Once per turn, when a Warrior monster effect that requires a coin toss is performed: You can choose to redo your coin toss.

Once per turn, you can toss a coin. If Heads, add 1 "Landstar" card from your Deck to your hand. If Tails, your opponent adds 1 card from his Deck to his hand.

For a portion of Obelisk Blue particularly on the female side of things, intrigued by Jasmine's skillful use of Syrus' card against him. This duel despite being luck based certainly felt Jasmine's almost iron grip over the tempo of the duel, but curiously she wasn't going for the metaphorical jugular like she had done with Gerald.

"Your Polymerization worked wonders for me, Sy." Jasmine quipped, a cocky but affectionate grin on her face. "But don't feel bad. Sometimes luck just isn't in your favor, but the Field Spell itself honors your attempts. As per usual with failed attempts at activating a card; When you can't use it, Minefield of Fortune lets you draw 1 card."

"T-Thanks, I guess." Syrus grumbled to himself as he received a thumbs-up sign from the magical gloves, as he drew the top card from his deck and checked what it was. Although he didn't have the advantage now, he still had a decent amount of cards in his hand.

In other words, it meant that Syrus wasn't out of options yet… although he could feel the Sorceress Spirit feeling a bit worried about him given his demeanour.

"... I'm sorry, Sy. Guess I underestimated Jasmine's good luck and faith in herself. I should've taken her valor into better consideration. Dang it, we're cornered."

'This is why I was told to avoid gambling. Mum told me to avoid those kinds of coin or dice games or those pachinko games. It could mean losing or wasting the things you need and love. Or being forced to humiliate yourself in the end, and all of it being self-inflicted.'

"Y-Yeah, I should've been more weary about that tidbit… That's my fumble, I'm really sorry about that…", Dee sheepishly scratched the back of her head as she apologized with a grimacing glance toward her apprentice. Inwardly chastising herself for the situation they've gotten into.

'... It's kinda tempting to forfeit the duel right now. Between Jasmine enforcing casino rules in an exam duel and her good luck keeping her on top, it feels I can't move forward; But exam aside, surrendering now when Jasmine is putting all her effort into this… would feel disrespectful to us both.' Syrus continued with his quiet reflection to himself and Dee, so that the Spirit Girl could understand what he was getting to.

'It's like Jasmine is trying to tell me to have… fun. To enjoy the ride no matter what the stakes are. She isn't insulting me for my awful luck… What it sounds like to me from her is – 'Don't let mistakes rule your world'. And if I do let those rule me, I lose and fail the exam anyway. Proving everyone's thoughts of me right. Feels like I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. Had it been any other duelist, I probably would've lost early on when I was alone before I can even have this feeling. But I'm not… sad or as hesitant to play when I have your help with this and Jasmine being this understanding to me.'
A proud but curious smile crept onto Dee's face, as she saw Syrus air out some of the stress that had accumulated in the mere build up to the exam the past few days. Despite that tension being loosened and Syrus' concentration and resolve returning sharper and sturdier than ever, the mechanics of the Field Spell were still an issue, and Jasmine knows her way around the Field Spell seemingly more then they do. And her seemingly endless string of good fortune was proving to be a heck of an opponent on its own.

Doesn't help their chances they haven't seen some of Jasmine's more formidable monsters like Superalloy Beast Raptinus and Phoenix Gearfried yet or even the support monsters like that Gemini Soldier strangely enough. Was Jasmine plotting something big with those cards in this duel? But while the Magician was grateful to Syrus for letting off steam, they still had a difficult trial of them to endure and overcome.

"Alright then Sy, look alive with that focus. Jasmine seemingly has full control of the duel, she's currently taken Polymerization off the table, and has generally made Spell and Trap Cards rather risky to even play. Whatever are we to do in such perilous circumstances?" Dee challenges her apprentice to stroke his resolve and will to fight on even further, to see Syrus embrace his potential.

"Focus on the Will to Act!" Syrus resolutely muttered to himself and Dee, his attention then was shifted right to his opponent. "Sorry for muttering so much. You've got your Fusion Monster, ok then I won't back down now."

"Then be my guest then, Sy." Jasmine cheerfully challenges her crush as her tone got more suggestive and carried an obvious undertone of mischief. "I still want to see more from you. So pretty please from the hostess with the most, entertain me."

"Well then… I start with this Battle Phase!" Syrus responds as he points at Jasmine's field. "I'll have my Buldroid attack your Gutsy Gambler of Landstar."

His Yellow Cartoonish Crawler started up the engines again, smoke being huffed out like a cartoon mechanical bull, the roid charged towards the diminutive Landstar on Jasmine's field. The Gutsy Gambler grit his teeth at the incoming attack but when he looked toward his wielder for support, a relieved but mischievous smirk appeared on his face in response to Jasmine's all too honeyed smile.

"How careless of you, Syrus; I was ready to counter you with this Trap Card, Final Stand of Landstar!" She responded without skipping beat when activating her trap card, which paused the attack between the Crawler and the Gambler; As if the time stopped, signified from a large but luxurious looking TV remote being held by one of the magical glove hands clicking 'Pause' and said symbol appearing above them and the other glove-hand had hovered nearby Jasmine to gently carry their wielder towards the edge of the roulette.

(FM) Final Stand of Landstar - Normal Trap

If you would take damage from an attack: Toss a Coin and call it. If you call it right, your opponent takes the damage instead.

"It's game time again for me. And I have to call my favored side; And if it lands on that side, you're the one taking the damage instead. Are you ready for this?" She asks, ready to push the roulette excitedly.

But as she was just about to start the roulette, a stray thought had come to mind as she looked towards the spot where Syrus was standing. He was waiting for the incoming result, and she couldn't help but notice his nervousness was lessened a great deal or he hadn't been all too flustered by his string of bad luck. Deflated sure, but not as defeated looking thankfully so their fun can last a fair bit longer; Regardless, she was impressed by his renewed confidence – The odds in duel looked too in her favor for her own liking, given what she wanted to do for Syrus, given his usual low confidence was detrimental to her own goal.

Especially as her thought process went over the possibility of the Field Spell she had used being rather alienating to Syrus, and for Jasmine preventing the Slifer Red from having fun and really showing what he was made of to others, merely showcasing how unlucky he can be rather then the skills he had shown during his duel with Alexis…

She felt like this unexpected string of good fortune of playing these games of chance would put the boy in too much of a disadvantage for him to fight back effectively. Slowly rolling her finger over the edge of the roulette in thought, she spoke to the Slifer Red again with a more genuine thoughtful tone of voice, the show host demeanor and more importantly smile temporarily lessened greatly for this question.

"Hey, Syrus. Are you having fun… dueling with me?"

"Hm? Me?" Syrus responded in surprise before thinking a bit more deeply about the question poised to him, taking a moment to come to a conclusion. "… I wouldn't be having fun if you were someone I wouldn't know. And I would rather duel you than any Blue Student; That's for sure. But I really haven't played too many luck based games, honestly I wasn't interested in them nor encouraged to. But… I'm enjoying the duel I'm having here with you; Because we are good friends, right?"

A very different but far more genuine smile appeared on Jasmine's face, surprisingly no blushing redness appeared on her face this time, the weight of her dueling style alienating her crush being let off her shoulders. But the answer in exchange, caused her to laugh in immense relief and appreciativeness as the duel shifted to a less tense type of confrontation.

"You're absolutely right, Sy. We'll keep our friendship strong after this party's over. We both need to be at our best to bring a performance we can both give a performance we can be proud of" Jasmine responds and then with a grunt her hands ready to push the edge at full speed.

"It would be rather predictable of me to call Heads three times in a row. So I'll be calling… Tails! GO ROULETTE!" The roulette in the middle of the arena lit up, spinning as the edges alternated between the two colors. The portion of the crowd watching the duel leaned in, watching the roulette spin and slow down. It clicked loudly as the needle approached blue but just barely slipped past, and landed… on a Red.

"Heads… again? What were the odds of that happening?" Jasmine jokingly questions herself before huffing playfully as Syrus was shocked by her choice.

"W-wait, y-you predicted it would land on Heads, but you picked Tails? Why?"

"I said it would be rather predictable of me to choose Heads three times in a row. It just never occurred to me that those odds were actually in my favor… I called it wrong, it just happens in gambling – And that means the attack proceeds and I'll take damage from the battle."

The magical hand wielding the luxurious remote control then pressed the 'Play' button; Buldroid revving up its engine, its massive metal blade shining under the dazzling lights of the arena, charging forward with determination towards the tiny gambler tilting his hat forward as though bracing itself for the impact. But then in a futile showcase of the gutsiness of its name, dashes towards the charging machine with its cards being used as improvised weapons. Despite its tiny frame of measly Attack Points, the monster showed no signs of backing down.

Yellow Cartoonish Crawler and the Gutsy Gambler then clashed and predictably, the valiant Gambler of Landstar was roughly knocked back into the arms of a grunting Jasmine, knocked seemingly unconscious with dizzy stars running about over its head as the roid huffed confidently in victory as Jasmine's lifepoints ticked downwards.

J: 4000 - 2900 LP

"My monster may have been destroyed, but I'm risking bringing it back for a second try ." Jasmine responded while placing her knocked out monster on the ground next to her, and flipping over one of her cards from the disk. "I activate my Quick-Play Spell, Starlit Gambit!"

(FM) Starlit Gambit - Quick-Play Spell

When a monster you control is destroyed by battle, roll a die. Apply the appropriate effects: 1/2 - The monster that destroyed your monster gains its ATK; 3/4 - The destroyed monster gets banished instead; 5/6 - Special Summon the destroyed monster from your GY

"Another gamble with a 33% chance of success." Jasmine explained. "If it lands on 5 or 6, my Gutsy Gambler will be Summoned back from my Graveyard."

"You really have a free spirit, really." Syrus smiles, showing appreciation for his luck-based opponent. "You're insane for gambling this much. But… I'm not saying I don't like it."

"Why thanks for the compliment, my dear opponent. A true gambler must always keep their spirit strong and alight with fortune's raging flames no matter what!" A magical dice block fell on Jasmine's hands, as she looked at it and gave a delicate kiss for luck. "My luck never betrays me, Syrus… And I want you to believe that. Now – DICE ROLL, GO!"

Jasmine tossed the glowing dice block into the air as the crowd watched eagerly. The dice tumbled down the glass surface, landing with a sharp click, its final result when it stopped… being a 6.

"Will you look at that, Syrus. If you believe hard enough, fortune comes to favor you." Jasmine grinned, flipping her hair dramatically. "With Starlit Gambit's positive effect, I get to Special Summon my Gutsy Gambler of Landstar back to the field in Defense Position!"

The knocked out Gambler's dizzy stars enveloping the knocked out Landstar, fully healing and rousing him from his unconscious state and jumped right back to Jasmine's field, nodding respectively to his kingdom's crusader; Raising its hat in defiance to the opponent's field especially to the monster that knocked it out the first time as it shifted into a defensive stance. (ATK 400/DEF 1200)

"Any other tricks you have for me, Sy?"

"Unfortunately, not in this battle. But, I set these two cards face-down and end my turn." Syrus answers confidently as he places the cards to completely fill up his Spell/Trap zones, only two cards are left in his hand.

As Syrus ended his turn, the tension in the crowd lingered for a moment before shifting to quiet murmurs and speculation. Zane and Kassidy, standing side by side, kept their focus sharp on the duel, each processing Jasmine's unique strategies in their own way.

"It's a bit crazy, ain't it?" Kassidy deadpanned as she glanced at Zane. "Jasmine is really putting her entire duel in the hands of a roulette wheel and rolling the die. Rather dumb compared to the skill she showcased against Gerald; What a terrible time to have gambling addiction spike up."

Zane's calm expression remained, though his observant gaze softened as his thoughts drifted to memories of Jasmine.

"I wouldn't say just a 'gambling addiction', Kassidy. Jasmine tends to have these unpredictable results when I was the tutor of the Siren Trio. She is the superstitious one of the bunch."

"Superstitious?" Kassidy raises her eyebrow. "Grabbing four leaf clovers and being weary of black cats is superstition. This is just her being an adrenaline junkie at the worst possible time. Just keep relying on Lady Luck for answers, hope she doesn't meet the lady's husband Sir Prize? She certainly has the spirit but it looks unrefined."

"Trust in the words of the one you asked to train a certain someone." Zane retorts with an amused smile. "It's not just recklessness, if you believe in yourself and desire testing your own limits. I remember when Jasmine would carry a small pouch of dice and coins wherever she went. During our training sessions, she'd always flip a coin, or roll a die, to decide where her turn should go."

"Seriously?" Both Kassidy and Seisha's curiosity deepened for different reasons, Kassidy continued on with an incredulous expression on her face. "And just you allowed her!?"

"At first, to see what I was working with. As time passed and she grew in skill alongside her friends and seeing how she channeled her luck into dueling, I had gotten a bit curious and asked her directly why Jasmine relies on fortune so much, 'Why trust in something so unpredictable'? I had thought it was just a bad habit or a way to avoid accountability. But then…"

(Zane's Flashback; Time: 1 year ago)

In one of many Duel Stadiums in the city, Jasmine stood confidently on the other side of the field from Zane, a pouch of dice dangling from her waist on her pants. The field wasn't too packed for either side, the knights standing proud against the cybernetic dragons.

Zane: 4000 LP

- Cyber Dragon (ATK 2100/DEF 1600)

- Cyber Laser Dragon (ATK 2400/DEF 1800)

- 2 Set Cards

Jasmine: 2500 LP

- Command Knight (ATK 1200 - 1600/DEF 1900)

- Valkyian Knight (ATK 1900 - 2300/DEF 1200)

- 1 Set Card

Jasmine grinned as she tossed a six-sided die into the air, catching it expertly and smirking at the result revealed in her hand.

"Alright, it's a 5. That means I'll Equip my Valkyrian Knight with my Equip Spell, Magnum Shield! It raises her Attack Points mixing with her Defense Points." Her knight felt her sword increase in temperature, its heat making the sword glow a molten golden hue (ATK 2300 - 3500/DEF 1200).

"And that's 3500 Attack. 5 times 700; And 7 is a lucky number… It can't be a coincidence, can it?" The auburn-haired girl jokingly questions herself while her two monsters sported unamused stares towards their wielder; She wasn't taking the practice duel seriously enough.

And Zane was alongside them in that train of thought…

"Jasmine… Why are you so quick to leave things up to luck? You're a skilled duelist. You don't need a coinflip for every decision."

"Oh, come on Zane! Where's the fun if you already know how the result of a card's effect will play out?" She responds with her characteristic grin, her hands on her hips. "I met someone who inspired me to practice dice rolls and coin tosses. Lady Luck is an unpredictable mistress, and that's what makes it so exciting! I trust fate, and I trust myself to handle whatever comes my way. Isn't that what dueling's about?"

"And what happens when luck isn't on your side?" Zane asks curiously with an undertone of displeasure and concern. "What happens when the roll of the die leaves you trapped?"

That question let Jasmine let a little hum, as she shrugged as if the worries were weighless.

"That's all about learning, adapting, and trying again. But I'll tell you one thing — When I do win, it's not just about the cards or the strategy. It's about the thrill of beating the odds and proving that I can make my own fate…"

Jasmine's face then bore a wide grin and went and sang out a notable lyric from a famous song from the lands of the west to better illustrate her goal for the stoic tutor.

" Everything that drowns me makes me wanna fly! "

(End of Flashback)

Zane's observant gaze returned to the duel as he watched Jasmine's confident demeanor contrast with Syrus' skittish but yet steadfast composure.

"She's not just gambling for the sake of it. For Jasmine, it's all about making her duels entertaining, especially when she's facing someone she's grown attached to. It's her way of connecting with people, her way of saying, 'Let's skydive separately, so we can see how high we rise together'. That's why she's always been called the 'Siren of Fortune's Flames.'"

"Her fun style is certainly chaotic, but it's somewhat calculated chaos. And it seems she's having the time of her life out there with my little brother right now with it. And I couldn't be any more proud of them for having fun in that circumstance. See for yourself… Syrus isn't faltering in the face of this challenge either."

"... So this isn't just for kicks. It's about trust, excitement, and breaking through your limits. I guess I can respect that... Even if the dueling style is a bit risky for me." Kassidy responds with a curious but more appreciative look towards the redhead. "I can see why Syrus' nerves got to him now; Maybe Jasmine will give him the boost he needs."

"I hope so, Kassidy. I hope so…"

- TO BE CONTINUED -