Chapter 3: Duel Academy Examination!
Bandi Town…
Knight Family Home…
"No. More. Books." Kolt insisted as he flopped on the ground.
"Come on, quit being dramatic." Joshua insisted as he smacked Kolt's leg with a book.
"I've been studying for the past two weeks! Can't I just rest tonight?" Kolt asked before sitting back up.
"You can rest after your written test tomorrow," Joshua stated, placing a book in Kolt's hand.
"Still, though, I feel like my brain is going to turn to mush if I study anymore." Kolt sighed as he opened the book.
"It never hurts to be prepared, Kolt. You don't want to be stumped on such an important test." Joshua pointed out as Kolt combed through the book.
"I know, but shouldn't sleep be important too?" Kolt questioned as Joshua pointed at the clock behind him, which read 7:48 pm.
"Not even ten, genius," Joshua smirked as Kolt groaned in annoyance.
"Alright, fine," Kolt replied, accepting defeat and continued to study.
"Good. Now I've got to finish up some work, so refresh yourself on this book once you're done." Joshua stated as he placed a book on the table in front of Kolt and walked off.
As Joshua walked off, Kolt skimmed through the book currently in his hands. Honestly, he couldn't blame his brother for having him study so much, as the Duel Academy entrance exams were said to be fairly hard.
Unlike when he was in the scholarship tournament, he was very nervous about this test. At least in the tournament, it was all dueling, but with the entrance exams, half of it was written, and Kolt hated tests.
He wasn't a bad test taker by any means, but he just didn't like tests. So the faster he got through it, the better, and being as prepared for it made his nerves lessen to a degree. On the bright side, he was excited to go to Domino City.
It wasn't every day that he got to go there, so it was nice to be in the city and look around for a bit before and after the test. Then he'll get to go again the day after for the duel exam, which was something he was really excited about.
Being able to duel someone from Duel Academy made Kolt excited, as he couldn't wait to see what his peers had to offer. But first, he needed to get through his written test tomorrow, which meant he needed to continue studying.
"Now that I think about it. I'm probably going to meet some potential classmates tomorrow. I wonder what they'll be like?" Kolt wondered before returning to his studies.
Domino City…
Exiting his train, Kolt adjusted his uniform as he maneuvered through the crowd of people to get out of the station. He had woken up fairly early to get to the exam site just after it opened. Kolt preferred it that way as he could avoid the line and get in first.
And since he was taking the train instead of having Joshua drive him on his way to work, he had the perfect chance to do so. That being said, in his tired state, he had accidentally put on a dirty uniform instead of the clean one he had selected for this day.
"I hope it doesn't smell," Kolt murmured as he took a whiff of his clothes.
Once he was out of the station, he couldn't help but stare in awe at the absolute size of Domino City. Back in his home of Bandi Town, buildings were built fairly small and far apart, with few having two floors, his home being one of them.
But in Domino, buildings were several stories high and built back to back. It was always surreal to look at them. Snapping back to reality, Kolt adjusted the straps of his backpack and continued on his way to the test building.
"I wonder how big the test is going to be?" Kolt wondered as he stopped at an intersection.
As he waited, his mind drifted to Duel Academy. Kolt had dreamed of going there for years, and today, he would be starting to make it a reality. But he had to wonder how many other students would be in his class.
The entire school was on a tropical island, after all, and that could fit hundreds, maybe even thousands of students. Just imagining it made Kolt both excited and nervous. He was excited about all the fun dueling he could have.
But he was equally nervous about living so far away from home on an island full of strangers. That said, it wouldn't be too bad once he made some friends he could spend time with on campus.
"I'm not in Duel Academy yet. Shouldn't get ahead of myself and jinx it." Kolt thought as the light changed, and he continued on his way.
Eventually, he found himself at the base of a large building that, from the outside, it looked like a typical office building. Kolt took out a small piece of paper from his pocket and double-checked the address.
Slowly he approached the front doors of the building, nervous that he might be at the wrong building. The last thing he wanted was to embarrass himself and walk into a random office, thinking it was the exam building.
He didn't want to go through that again after accidentally entering the wrong building when he went to visit his brother at his office. After talking with the building's security and borrowing the secretary's landline, Kolt found his brother's office a block over.
Just thinking about the memory sent a shiver down his spine at how embarrassed he was for doing so. To this day, Joshua still makes fun of him for the incident and would probably never let Kolt live that down.
Kolt stopped his approach just far enough so that he could peek inside without looking weird. Or without looking weirder. Taking a peek inside, he saw two girls dressed in Duel Academy uniforms sitting behind the desk. Breathing a sigh of relief, he entered through the front door.
"Welcome! Are you here for the Duel Academy exams?" One of the girls inquired, giving Kolt a welcoming smile.
"Yes, ma'am." Kolt nodded as the girl held out her hands.
"May I see your application?" She requested as Kolt took off his backpack and fished out his form before handing it to her.
"Thank you." The Girl smiled as she took the paper and examined it.
"Please go to exam room eight, please." The Girl informed as she stamped the paper and handed it back to Kolt.
"Oh, okay…and where is that?" Kolt asked, looking back and forth.
"It's just up the stairs and down the hall." The Girl instructed, pointing at the stairs behind her.
Offering a quick thanks, Kolt walked past the table and deeper into the building. After climbing some stairs, he finally found the exam rooms and counted them as he walked past before finally arriving at his room.
Quickly entering the room, Kolt was surprised to see five other applicants already there. It seemed he wasn't the only one who liked to arrive early. The room itself was pretty small as instead of individual desks, there was a long table that curved around the room.
Each one was raised up one level to allow the students sitting there to see, and it allowed more students than one might imagine to fit in the room. Kolt was soon taken out of his thoughts when the sound of someone clearing their throat came from behind.
Turning around, Kolt was face to face with a man with dark hair, black glasses that obscured his eyes, and a blue blazer. It seemed that this man was the instructor, and it seemed that he had been attempting to get Kolt's attention for a while.
"Are you even listening?" The Instructor questioned as Kolt rubbed his head, embarrassed.
"Uh…sorry. What were you saying?" Kolt inquired while internally vowing never to tell this to Joshua.
"What is your name?" The Instructor asked, holding up a sheet of paper.
"Kolt. Kolt Knight." Kolt answered as the instructor inspected the sheet.
"Please sit in seat E11." The Instructor ordered as Kolt nodded.
Turning around, Kolt walked up the steps until he reached the top row. Looking down the row, he saw that he would be sitting next to one of the other applicants who had arrived before him. Said applicant was wearing a clean white uniform, starkly contrasting with Kolt's black uniform, and had black hair slicked back into a point.
He seemed to be in his own world with several cards placed neatly around him. It seemed he was either reviewing for the exam or building a deck for the practical. Kolt couldn't tell which because while he placed some cards in a pile, he wrote what seemed to be equations on a paper next to him.
"I probably shouldn't bother him." Kolt thought before he noticed that his seat was on the other side, causing him to internally sigh.
"Uh…hey there." Kolt greeted, giving the boy a wave and gaining his attention.
"Can I help you?" The Boy asked, looking annoyed at the interruption.
"My…seat is right there," Kolt responded, pointing at the seat next to the boy.
"Oh, my apologies." The Boy replied, a little embarrassed as he made room for Kolt to pass.
Kolt pushed past before taking off his backpack and sitting down next to the boy who had returned to working with his cards. After sitting down, Kolt placed his supplies on the table, leaving him and his neighbor in silence.
"Should I say something?" Kolt wondered, hating the idea of sitting in silence and cursing himself for not bringing a book or something.
The silence was heavy for Kolt, making him uncomfortable with just sitting there and doing nothing until the exam began. Peeking over at his neighbor, Kolt found he was still working with cards and equations.
"Getting some late studying in?" Kolt inquired, catching the boy's attention.
"No, not necessarily. Just working on the deck I'll be using for the practicals." The Boy answered, shocking Kolt.
"Really? I couldn't think of worrying about any changes to my deck until I took the written exam." Kolt commented, making the boy laugh.
"Yes, well, I've already studied for this exam thoroughly, and I have no doubts that I will get top marks on it. Right now, I want to make a deck that can impress the proctors on the practical." The Boy explained as he held up the deck he was working on.
"Wow. I wish I could be that confident. I'll just be happy to get a good score." Kolt replied, rubbing the back of his head.
"Well, as long as you are properly prepared, I'm sure you'll do fine." The Boy noted as Kolt nodded.
"Good point. I can't let all my studying go to waste," Kolt smirked before coming to a realization.
"Oh, I'm Kolt, by the way. Kolt Knight." Kolt greeted, finally introducing himself.
"Bastion Misawa," The now named Bastion replied as the two shook hands.
"Nice to meet you, Bastion. Though you're confident, I'll wish you luck anyway." Kolt smiled before letting go of Bastion's hand.
"Yes, best of luck to you as well." Bastion nodded as he returned to his work.
After they finished their talk, more applicants began to fill the room and take their seats until all but one seat was filled. The instructor waited for a few minutes for the final applicant to arrive but decided to start without them.
"Alright, applicants, listen up!" The Instructor called, getting the attention of everyone in the room.
"I will now be handing out the written exam. You have three hours to finish this test, so do your best. You'll not be docked on unanswered questions but on how many you got right and wrong." The Instructor began as he went around handing out exams.
"And don't even think about cheating! Each exam has its questions placed at random, so your neighbor won't have the same exam. Additionally, if I see or find any suspicion that you're cheating, I can fail you immediately!" The Instructor stated as Kolt received his exam.
"Any questions?" The Instructor asked as one hand shot up.
"Yes, Mr. Truesdale?" The Instructor inquired, turning toward a light blue-haired boy.
"Uh…what happens if we don't do well on this exam but win our practical?" Truesdale questioned, making the instructor sigh.
"If the average of your written score and the practical score is high enough, you'll still get into the academy. But fail either, and you're out of luck." The Instructor answered before turning to the rest of the applicants.
"Any other questions?" The Instructor inquired only to receive silence as an answer.
"Good, then you may begin!" The Instructor insisted as everyone opened their exams and started.
Kolt himself started off slowly, taking his time to get through the questions. They weren't particularly hard yet, but Kolt wasn't used to these types of questions, so he was taking his time. Once he managed to get more used to them, he managed to speed up a little more.
Thanks to all the studying his brother had him do, he had an easy time on most questions, but Kolt still found the occasional hard one where he had to either make an outright guess or work it through harder.
The real trouble began when the exam began to incorporate math questions into the material, such as: if X monster attacks Y monster but the opponent activates Z trap, what is the total damage taken. Questions like these set Kolt back to his previous pace as it made him use his knowledge in Duel Monsters and math.
When Kolt was about halfway done, he was shocked to see Bastion stand up and collect his things. He watched as the boy confidently handed in his exam first before leaving the exam room. Kolt would be lying if he said he wasn't jealous.
Sure at first glance, Bastion might have just seemed overconfident, but after seeing him jot down those equations like it was nothing as he built his deck, Kolt believed in what he said. There was still the chance he was lying, but he seemed trustworthy.
"It would be nice to be smart enough to cruise through exams." Kolt sighed before returning to his own exam.
After finally getting through the mathematics part of the exam, Kolt faced the history portion. This was by far the easiest part of the exam, as most should know the history of Duel Monsters, especially the stories behind Duelist Kingdom and Battle City.
Eventually, Kolt found himself at the final question of the exam, simply titled: What do you hope to accomplish at Duel Academy? The question was the only one on the page with a single line for him to write on, and the moment Kolt laid eyes on it, he paused.
What did he want to accomplish at Duel Academy? The question seemed so simple, but it made Kolt think. His obvious answer would be that he wanted to become a professional duelist and increase his skills at the best duel school around. But it just didn't seem satisfying to write down.
Rubbing his chin, Kolt began to think about his answer. Minutes passed before Kolt finally began to write his answer. It took a few revisions, but he eventually came up with one he felt satisfied with.
To become the best duelist I can be and experience all Duel Academy has to offer.
It wasn't perfect, but it felt right. After taking a few minutes to check his answers, Kolt packed up before standing up and handing in his exam with an hour to spare. Satisfied, Kolt left the exam room before pulling out a paper with the train arrivals for the day.
"I should be able to make it to the twelve thir-" Before Kolt could finish his thought, he bumped into someone causing them both to fall down.
"Sorry about that! I wasn't really paying attention!" Kolt apologized as he got back up and saw a boy with hair that resembled the fur of a Kuriboh.
"No worries, I wasn't really looking myself." The Boy replied as Kolt helped him up.
"Hey, is room eight back there?" The Boy inquired, pointing behind Kolt.
"Uh yeah…wait, did…did you just get here?" Kolt questioned as the boy laughed.
"Yeah, I overslept! But better late than never, right?" The Boy laughed, giving Kolt a thumbs up.
"Name's Jaden Yuki. What's yours?" The now named Jaden inquired.
"Kolt Knight," Kolt answered as Jaden grinned.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Kolt! Guess we'll be classmates in the future." Jaden laughed as Kolt chuckled nervously.
"Well yeah, but…you only have an hour left to take the exam." Kolt pointed out, causing Jaden to panic.
"REALLY?! I better hurry then!" Jaden replied as he ran past Kolt before stopping.
"Thanks for the help!" Jaden thanked before turning around and running into the exam room.
"Yeah…no problem," Kolt murmured, shocked by Jaden's enthusiasm.
"Man, academy life would be really interesting if everyone was like him." Kolt thought with a smile before finally turning to go home.
"Well, at least I'm finally done with the written exam! Now all that's left is the practical exam." Kolt smirked, excited for his next exam.
Days Later…
"Today's the day," Kolt murmured, tapping his foot on the ground, excited and nervous.
"Nervous?" Joshua inquired as he stood behind Kolt as the boy waited for the train to Domino City.
"A little. But I'm more excited than anything. But if I fail this, I don't get in," Kolt responded as he stared into the distance.
"Don't sweat it, Kolt. You nailed the written exam with an 87%. Plus, you're a great duelist. We didn't practice for the past few days for nothing." Joshua assured as he placed a hand on Kolt's shoulder.
"Right!" Kolt nodded as the train began to pull in.
"I expect a play-by-play of your duel when you get back!" Joshua insisted as Kolt approached the track.
"You bet," Kolt replied as his train arrived.
"I'll see you later!" Kolt waved as he ran onto the train with his duel disk on his arm and deck on his belt.
The train ride was a blur for Kolt as he ran through several plays in his head. Taking a deep breath, he readied himself mentally. He knew his stuff and had faith in his cards. As the train arrived in Domino City, Kolt got off and made his way to the stadium where his test was.
As he maneuvered through the city, he wondered what kind of cards the proctors would use during the duels. Since Duel Academy is a prestigious school, it would undoubtedly provide its proctors with some of the best and rarest cards around.
It excited him to think of what cards he'll have to duel against while also making him a little more nervous. But either way, he couldn't wait to have his duel and show off a little to his fellow applicants. It could even help Kolt talk to others and make some new friends!
Just like with the written exam, Kolt had come to the city a little early, so he didn't have to wait to get in. Now that he thought about it, he wondered if his duel would happen earlier since he arrived early or if they would do it alphabetically.
Truth be told, it didn't matter what order it happened Kolt would be happy either way. Still, being able to go first and watch the rest of the duels after would be nice. That way, he can have fun and enjoy watching his fellow applicants.
Eventually, Kolt could make out the stadium where the practicals were being held in. It stood far from the city and on the edge of a cliff. Looking at it amazed Kolt as it was the biggest venue he'd ever set foot in, let alone duel.
Compared to the building that held that scholarship tournament, this was far more impressive. But once he got there, the view sank his heart. There was already a line. A big one at that. Which means a lot of waiting and doing nothing.
"Ah, man…" Kolt sighed as he resigned himself to the back of the line, only to stop when he saw a familiar face.
"Bastion?" Kolt wondered, having remembered the boy's name.
"Oh?" Bastion questioned as he turned to look at Kolt, surprised to hear his name.
"Ah, you were the one sitting to my left during the written exam. Kolt, if I remember correctly." Bastion replied as he turned to face Kolt.
"Yeah, that's me. Looks like you passed the written exam just like you said." Kolt smirked, noting Bastion's prior confidence.
"Of course, I never had a doubt. Just like I thought I got top scores." Bastion boasted as Kolt smirked.
"Wow, and here I just managed to get a B+." Kolt chuckled as Bastion smiled.
"Well, that is better than most, so to speak. Besides, it's today that really decides who gets in." Bastion replied as Kolt nodded.
"Yeah. That's for sure. Good luck!" Kolt waved before continuing onward to the back of the line.
Once there, he had to wait for another half an hour before finally reaching the front. Kolt was thankful it was moving faster than the line for the scholarship tournament. That was most likely because he had arrived early before most applicants could get there.
"Hello there. May I see your application, please?" The Attendant requested, holding out her hands.
"Here," Kolt replied as he handed her his application.
"Thank you." The Attendant thanked as she reviewed Kolt's application before marking it down and handing it back.
"Please head inside and take a seat. Your name will be called when your duel begins." The Attendant explained as Kolt nodded.
"Right, thank you." Kolt thanked before walking in.
If the outside was impressive, the inside was far more so. The interior was filled with rows of seating surrounding the four duel fields in the middle. Each duel field was around the same size as the ones from the scholarship tournament, but they had much more room in comparison.
Additionally, each duel field was separated by a large wall, most likely to prevent applicants from being distracted by someone else's duel. Above, Kolt was surprised to see several people around his age and older looking down already in blue school uniforms.
"They must be returning students and prep kids who came to watch the duels." Kolt thought, a little jealous that they didn't need to duel to get in.
"Well, nothing beats hard work," Kolt smirked as he felt someone bump into him from behind.
"I'm sorry." A Feminine Voice apologized as Kolt turned around and found a girl slightly smaller than he was with short red hair that ended just under her ears and blue eyes.
"Uh, it's okay," Kolt replied as he offered his hand to help her up. She accepted before checking to make sure her duel disk was okay.
"Sorry again." The Girl apologized with a slight bow before running off.
"Well, that was a little odd," Kolt murmured before turning back to the fields, which began to be filled with duelists.
"I should find a seat to watch." Kolt thought aloud as he moved down the stands and took a seat.
Kolt sat in his seat as the practicals began. He watched many duels intently as any of the proctors down there might be the one he would face. While he watched, he saw many fellow applicants win and lose, with the losers crying in defeat, knowing they would have to try again next year or go to a secondary school.
"At least they get a next year." Kolt thought before shaking his head.
"Don't think about that right now. The last thing I need is to be distracted by what-ifs and if only's!" Kolt thought as he returned his attention to the arena.
He watched as many more duelists stepped up to duel. Many won, but many more failed, leaving dejectedly. It made Kolt a little more nervous, but he decided to put it out of his mind. Kolt didn't plan on failing. He was going to give it his all and win.
As the duels continued, Kolt noticed that proctors rarely reused the same deck twice. It was very rare that he saw a deck he'd already seen before. But each deck had various cards, and it excited Kolt about what deck he'd face before he was brought out of his thoughts by a familiar face.
"Hey, it's that girl," Kolt murmured as he noticed the girl who had bumped into him earlier dueling.
Proctor: 2000 LP / Red-Haired Girl: 300 LP
"So, applicant, what will you do to turn this duel around?" The Proctor questioned as his Kaiser Sea Horse stood before the girl.
Kaiser Sea Horse (ATK: 1700 / DEF: 1650) –Sea Serpent/Effect– (LIGHT) (LV: 4)
"Trick question, the answer is to go home and hope you get in next year!" The Proctor shouted as his Kaiser Sea Horse destroyed the girl's face down defense monster.
"I…well…" The Girl stuttered nervously. It was clear she was nervous, and she was cracking under the pressure of it all. With no cards in her hand, who could blame her?
"You have ten seconds to make a move before you are disqualified." The Proctor stated, causing the girl to flinch.
"I draw." The girl replied as she finally drew a card before her face filled with relief as she looked at her card.
"I activate Monster Reborn!" The Girl declared as the card appeared on the field.
"And what will you bring back that could possibly win you the duel?" The Proctor questioned, confident in his win.
"You'll see. I summon Darkblaze Dragon in attack mode!" The Girl shouted as her dragon appeared.
Darkblaze Dragon (ATK: 1200 / DEF: 1000) –Dragon/Effect– (FIRE) (LV: 7)
"Thanks to my dragon's ability, when he is summoned from the graveyard, his attack and defense points double!" The Girl explained as Darkblaze Dragon roared.
Darkblaze Dragon (ATK: 2400 / DEF: 2000) –Dragon/Effect– (FIRE) (LV: 7)
"Now, Darkblaze, attack and destroy Kaiser Sea Horse!" The Girl ordered as her dragon blasted a giant fireball destroying Kaiser Sea Horse as the proctor blocked with his duel disk.
Proctor: 2000 LP
- 700
Proctor: 1300 LP
"Well, impressive as that may be, this duel is not over." The Proctor pointed out, knowing he could turn this duel around.
"Actually, it is. My dragon's second effect is that when it destroys one of your monsters, you take damage equal to the destroyed monster's original attack points." The Girl revealed, causing the proctor to gasp.
"What?" The Proctor questioned as the floor beneath him erupted in flames.
Proctor: 1300 LP
- 1700
Proctor: 0 LP
"Well, not bad. You cut it close and nearly gave up. Welcome to Duel Academy." The Proctor muttered as he walked away, and the girl fell to her knees.
"That was too close." The Girl sighed as Kolt watched from afar.
"Not bad, but she looked like she was about to give up," Kolt commented before he turned his attention to another duel.
"Kolt Knight, please report to duel field two." An Announcer ordered, breaking Kolt out of his thoughts.
"Alright!" Kolt smirked as he got up and descended toward the duel field.
Nearby…
"So, which deck are you going to use?" One of the Proctors inquired as the next set of proctors huddled around the deck chest.
"I don't know. I considered using a stall deck and going a little easy on my applicant." Another responded as he combed through the provided decks.
"I will not tolerate anyone who goes easy on an applicant!" A High Pitched Voice screamed, causing the proctors to freeze.
They all turned to see a feminine man glaring daggers at them, clearly not happy with their suggestion. That man was Doctor Vellian Crowler, one of the top Duel Academy teachers and the one in charge of the practical exams.
"This is the Duel Academy entrance exams, not some backwater community college! We expect our students to be the best of the best." Crowler shouted before grabbing a deck.
"So show no mercy! I only want the best students to get into this academy, and so far, I've seen applicants who'd only go as far as Ra Yellow!" Crowler insisted before shoving the deck to one of the proctors and sitting back down.
"Understood, Doctor Crowler." They replied as the others grabbed some of the harder decks.
"He's in a bad mood." One of them commented, taking a peek at Crowler.
"Someone must have called him Mr. or Mrs. again." Another guessed as they left for their duels.
With Kolt…
Kolt adjusted his duel disk as he waited on the platform under his assigned field. He had been waiting for a few minutes, confused about why he hadn't risen to the field yet. But just as the confusion hit, the platform finally began to rise.
Once he was finally on top and on the field, Kolt felt taken aback by how different it felt to be on the field compared to watching it from the stands. Just seeing everyone watching him was surreal, as unlike in the scholarship tournament, they were in clear view.
"Eyes front applicant!" His Proctor insisted, catching Kolt's attention.
"Sorry, sir." Kolt apologized as he turned to face his proctor.
"Now that I have your attention let's get this duel underway!" The Proctor insisted as he activated his Duel Academy duel disk.
"Fine by me! Let's duel!" Kolt smirked as he activated his own duel disk.
Proctor: 4000 LP / Kolt: 4000 LP
"I'll take the first move." The proctor began as he drew a card.
Turn 1: Proctor
"I'll start by summoning Mermaid Knight in attack mode." The proctor continued as the aquatic knight came to the field.
Mermaid Knight (ATK: 1500 / DEF: 700) –Aqua/Effect– (WATER) (LV: 4)
"Next, I'll place one card face down, then activate the field spell Legendary Ocean!" The proctor declared as water filled the field and ancient ruins popped out of the ground.
Field: Legendary Ocean
"Uh, is it too late to mention I'm not a fan of the deep ocean?" Kolt murmured as he looked around the water-filled field.
"Now all water monsters gain two hundred attack points, and as an added bonus, all water monsters also lose one level, even ones in our hand." The proctor explained as his monster grew stronger.
Mermaid Knight (ATK: 1700 / DEF: 700) –Aqua/Effect– (WATER) (LV: 3)
"With that, I end my turn." The proctor announced, leaving three cards in his hands.
"Wow, that guy started off really strong. But so can I!" Kolt thought as he placed his hand on the top of his deck.
Turn 2: Kolt
"My move. Draw!" Kolt declared as he drew a card. Looking at his hand, Kolt smirked as he had drawn strong. He had just what he needed to start off this duel in his favor.
"First, I'll activate the continuous spell Herculean Power! Thanks to this little spell, I can special summon a level four or lower Gemini monster from my hand if you control a monster and I don't!" Kolt began as he grabbed onto another card.
"So I'll be summoning Evocator Chevalier in attack mode!" Kolt began as he slapped his monster onto his duel disk.
Evocator Chevalier (ATK: 1900 / DEF: 900) -Warrior/Gemini/Effect- (FIRE) (LV: 4)
"But since I still have a normal summon, I think I will continue by summoning Knight Day Grepher in attack mode!" Kolt continued as he summoned his second monster.
Knight Day Grepher (ATK: 1700 / DEF: 1600) -Warrior/Gemini/Effect- (LIGHT) (LV: 4)
"Now then, while my monsters are strong as is, I don't mind giving one a little boost. So I'll equip my Knight Day Grepher with the equip spell Luck Iron Axe!" Kolt declared as Grepher switched out his sword for the axe
Knight Day Grepher (ATK: 2200 / DEF: 1600) -Warrior/Gemini/Effect- (LIGHT) (LV: 4)
"Now then, Chevalier, how about you destroy that mermaid!" Kolt insisted as Chevalier nodded. With flames covering his blade, Chevalier charged and cut the monster in two.
Proctor: 4000 LP
- 200 LP
Proctor: 3800 LP
"First blood!" Kolt inwardly exclaimed before turning to his Grepher.
"Now, Grepher, try out that new axe and attack him directly!" Kolt ordered as his second monster charged in.
"I activate my trap Dust Tornado to destroy your Lucky Iron Axe!" The Proctor countered, destroying Kolt's spell.
"Thanks to Lucky Iron Axe's effect, since it was destroyed by a card effect, I get to draw a card," Kolt stated as he drew a new card while Grepher finished his attack.
Proctor: 3800 LP
- 1700 LP
Proctor: 2100 LP
"I'll end my turn by placing two cards face down." Kolt finished leaving two cards in his hand.
Turn 3: Proctor
"Good. Draw!" The Proctor replied as he drew a card.
"I'll start by summoning Creeping Doom Manta in attack mode," The Proctor began as his monster swam into the field.
Creeping Doom Manta (ATK: 1300 / DEF: 1200) -Fish/Effect- (WATER) (LV: 3)
"But he won't be staying for long as I'll now activate the spell Big Wave Small Wave!" The Proctor declared as a red wave blew through the field, destroying the Proctor's monster.
"What was that for? All that did was destroy your monster?" Kolt questioned, confused at the proctor's move.
"That's because it now allows me to special summon an even stronger monster to the field!" The Proctor announced as a large shadow hovered over the field.
"Come forth Levia-Dragon Daedalus!" The Proctor shouted as a large serpent took to the field, towering over Kolt.
"And don't forget, thanks to Legendary Ocean, he gains two hundred attack points." The Proctor reminded as Daedalus glowed.
Levia-Dragon – Daedalus (ATK: 2800 / DEF: 1500) –Sea Serpent/Effect– (WATER) (LV:6)
"But he won't need it, for I activate his effect! By tributing a face-up Umi, all other cards on the field are destroyed!" The Proctor explained, confusing Kolt.
"But you don't have a Umi card!" Kolt pointed out as the proctor sighed.
"Do your research, applicant! My Legendary Ocean counts as a Umi while on the field!" The Proctor stated, shocking Kolt.
"No way!" Kolt gasped as he closed his eyes while the water around them moved violently before blowing the entire field apart, returning them to the exam field.
Field: None
When Kolt opened his eyes back up, he found his field completely empty, leaving him defenseless against the towering behemoth before him. The only upside was that now Daedalus's attack points were two hundred points lower.
Levia-Dragon – Daedalus (ATK: 2600 / DEF: 1500) –Sea Serpent/Effect– (WATER) (LV:7)
"Now, Daedalus, attack him directly!" The Proctor ordered as the serpent opened its mouth and fired a torrent of water at Kolt, who cried from the phantom pain.
Kolt: 4000 LP
- 2600 LP
Kolt: 1400 LP
Falling onto one knee, Kolt breathed heavily, recovering from the proctor's devastating attack. He hadn't expected him to bring out such a strong monster so quickly, but it did make things interesting. The only problem was how he would turn this bad situation around to win.
"What's wrong, applicant? Don't tell me the pressure has gotten to you, and you give up?" The Proctor mocked as several students turned to face his duel, especially one with familiar red hair.
"I'm not done yet! I'll destroy that monster and win!" Kolt declared as he picked himself back up.
Above…
Above the regular seating was a balcony area where Obelisk Blue students, new and old, could observe the duels. Among them, two stood alone together, watching the duels below. One was a blonde girl who long hair, and the other was a tall boy with dark blue hair.
"That guy's in a tough spot." The Girl commented as she looked down at Kolt's duel.
"What do you think?" The Girl inquired as she turned to the boy who stood next to her.
"He has plenty of cards in his hand while his proctor has none. Any competent duelist could turn this around." The Boy stated, noting that there was still a chance for Kolt to win.
"Plus, you heard what he said. He's going to destroy that monster and win." The Boy reminded with a light chuckle.
"Good point. I guess we'll just have to see what he does." The Girl replied as she returned her attention to Kolt's duel.
Below…
"That's the spirit!" The Proctor replied as he grabbed the last card in his hand.
"With that, I'll place one card face down and end my turn." The Proctor finished as he slipped his card in the slot.
"My move," Kolt stated as he placed his hand on the top of his deck.
Turn 4: Kolt
"Draw!" Kolt declared as he drew his card and looked at his hand.
"I set one monster face down in defense mode, then place a card face down. Your move." Kolt murmured, leaving two cards in his hand.
"You've got to do better than that to back up your words, applicant!" The Proctor pointed out as he placed his hand on his deck.
Turn 5: Proctor
"I draw!" The Proctor announced before smirking.
"I now equip my Daedalus with the spell Steel Shell increasing his attack points by four hundred at the cost of two hundred defense!" The Proctor declared, causing Kolt's eyes to go wide.
Levia-Dragon – Daedalus (ATK: 3000 / DEF: 1300) –Sea Serpent/Effect– (WATER) (LV:7)
Kolt could only watch as Daedalus grew a large shell on its back, increasing its power to an even greater height. Compared to Kolt's face down Goggle Golem, he was severely outmatched in raw power.
"Okay. So you gave your fish a little makeover. Big deal, I'll still win!" Kolt declared, feigning his composure.
To be honest, he was getting nervous. If his trap didn't work, then he'd have to stall until he could get a monster strong enough to destroy it. Kolt didn't like that situation, so he hoped his trap would work.
"He just needs to attack." Kolt thought as he stared at Daedalus.
"Daedalus, attack and destroy his face down monster!" The Proctor ordered as Daedalus fired its stream of water.
"Not so fast! I activate my trap! Dimensional Prison!" Kolt countered, shocking those who were watching.
"Not only is your attack negated, but your monster is also banished!" Kolt explained as a large fissure in space appeared before Daedalus.
"Don't be too sure." The Proctor replied, causing Kolt to freeze.
"I activate my trap Dark Bribe to negate your trap at the cost of allowing you to draw a card." The Proctor explained as Kolt's trap shattered and Daedalus destroyed Kolt's face down Goggle Golem.
"Not good," Kolt murmured as he drew his card, seeing that it was Gearfried the Iron Knight.
"So applicant tell me. How will you destroy my monster now?" The Proctor questioned as Kolt looked down at his hand.
The cards he currently had were Gearfried the Iron Knight, Release Restraint Wave, and Polymerization. None could help him in this situation, and if the proctor drew another monster on his next turn, then it was game over for him and his chance of going to Duel Academy.
"Is…Is this it?" Kolt questioned as his hand shook.
"Did I come all this way just to lose?" Kolt wondered as his eyes looked at the monster that towered over him.
"Wait…" Kolt thought before turning his eyes to his deck, and a plan began to formulate.
Above…
"I guess he was all talk in the end." The Girl sighed, noticing that Kolt was hesitating.
"Perhaps. But the duel isn't over yet, Alexis." The Boy stated, confusing the now named Alexis.
"Really? Do you know something I don't, Zane?" Alexis inquired, surprised he still thought he had a chance.
"He's here on the national scholarship," Zane answered, shocking Alexis.
"How do you know that?" Alexis asked as Zane turned toward her.
"I always keep tabs on who gets the scholarship every year. Those who receive it are determined duelists. They give it their all just for an opportunity to go to a school like ours." Zane explained before turning his attention back to the duel.
"In other words, they don't give up easily, and many become great duelists," Zane stated as Alexis looked back at the duel.
"If you say so," Alexis replied, still skeptical.
Stadium Stands…
Bastion watched intently as Kolt dueled and was impressed with how he presented himself. But he could tell that his fellow applicant was on his last legs. The proctor outplayed Kolt's move at every turn, and the only way Kolt could win was with luck.
It was something Bastion had no faith in. Though he didn't want to admit it, everything pointed toward Kolt losing this duel after his next turn. He felt sorry for him as he seemed nice, but sometimes these things happened.
However, that were only the calculations he could get from what he could see on the field. He had no knowledge of the cards in Kolt's hand, let alone his deck. Which meant that he could get something useful to turn this duel around.
That's when he saw the look on Kolt's face. It was a look of determination that Bastion saw on only a few duelists. It actually made him think he could win for just a moment. Even if the calculations read that, he would lose. Bastion couldn't help but root for him.
Nearby the red-haired girl who had bumped into Kolt at the start of the exam was looking at him in awe. She was surprised that Kolt was able to be so confident in the face of an inevitable defeat by the proctor.
"Wow." She murmured as she continued to watch.
"Not yet! I'm not done!" Kolt cried as he placed his hand on his deck.
"I've come too far to lose now!" Kolt stated as he began his turn.
Turn 6: Kolt
"Draw!" Kolt shouted as he drew a card before looking at it.
"Well, applicant, did you get anything good?" The Proctor inquired as Kolt smirked.
"I did, actually, and it's just the card I needed to win!" Kolt declared, confusing the proctor and those watching his duel.
"I activate the spell Monster Reborn!" Kolt began as he slipped the card into his duel disk, causing a large decorated cross appeared on the field.
"Thanks to this card, I can bring one monster back from the grave! So come back, Evocator Chevalier!" Kolt called as flames burst from the ground, and his monster appeared on the field.
Evocator Chevalier (ATK: 1900 / DEF: 900) -Warrior/Gemini/Effect- (FIRE) (LV: 4)
"That monster won't help you here." The Proctor stated as Kolt laughed.
"I'm not done yet," Kolt replied as he grabbed onto Gearfried.
"Because next, I'll summon Gearfried the Iron Knight in attack mode!" Kolt continued as he summoned his second monster.
Gearfried the Iron Knight (ATK: 1800 / DEF: 1600) -Warrior/Effect- (EARTH) (LV: 4)
"Don't tell me. Now you'll activate double summon to bring out an even stronger monster." The Proctor guessed as Kolt shook his head.
"Nope. I'm going to use this. The spell Polymerization!" Kolt smirked as the two monsters on his field began to fuse.
"With this, I'll fuse my Gearfried with my Chevalier to form Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight!" Kolt declared as his new monster took to the field.
Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight (ATK: 2700 / DEF: 1600) -Warrior/Fusion/Effect- (LIGHT) (LV: 8)
Kolt's new Gearfried was far slimmer than both normal Gearfried and Phoenix. Instead of being covered head to toe in armor, he wore a breastplate that held two large spikes on the shoulders and purple clothing reminiscent of a magician's. Additionally, Gearfried's armor and sword seemed covered by a magical glow.
Many in the stands look surprised and confused at Kolt's move looking at the small knight that stood below the towering Daedalus. But others like Bastion knew exactly what Kolt's move was and how he had just secured his victory.
"Now, Gearfried, let's slay that overgrown fish!" Kolt insisted as Gearfried nodded and jumped over the giant Daedalus.
"What are you doing? Your monster's attack points are lower than Daedalus's!" The Proctor pointed out before he noticed the red orbs on Gilti-Gearfried's armor began to glow.
"That may be true, but thanks to his effect by banishing a spell in my grave, his attack points increase by half of his current defense," Kolt explained as his graveyard glowed and Lucky Iron Axe disappeared.
Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight (ATK: 3500 / DEF: 1600) -Warrior/Fusion/Effect- (LIGHT) (LV: 8)
"Unbelievable." The Proctor gasped as Gearfried cut Daedalus in two, causing a massive explosion.
Proctor: 2100 LP
- 500 LP
Proctor: 1600 LP
"Oh, and there's something you should know. Since both fusion materials came from the field, my Gearfried can attack twice." Kolt revealed, shocking the proctor.
"So Gearfried, finish him off!" Kolt ordered as Gilti-Gearfried ran forward and swung his sword through the proctor draining his remaining life points.
Proctor: 1600 LP
- 3500 LP
Proctor: 0 LP
Duel End
Winner: Kolt
"Well done, applicant. Welcome to Duel Academy." The Proctor congratulated as he was lowered below the field.
"I-I did it. I won!" Kolt exclaimed as he threw his arms into the air.
"I got into Duel Academy!"Kolt smiled, holding back his tears of joy.
Above…
"I guess you were right, after all, Zane. He did pretty good." Alexis smiled as she watched Kolt being lowered out of the field.
"He did. Those who give it their all always do." Zane replied as the announcer called down the next applicants.
Nearby…
"Well, not bad, but he got lucky," Crowler commented as he watched the duels finish.
"At least they have more potential than most of the others," Crowler muttered before turning toward the other proctors.
"How many more duels are left?" Crowler questioned as one of the proctors pulled out a paper.
"Just one more set, Doctor Crowler." The Proctor answered as Crowler smirked before turning back around.
"Good, let's finish this up," Crowler exclaimed, happy to be done with the practicals.
"When I return home, I can finally relax and drink some tea. Unless some slacker shows up late." Crowler thought, unknowingly jinxing himself.
With Kolt…
Kolt walked up the stairs to the stands with the largest smile on his face. He had won his duel, securing his spot in Duel Academy. The boy didn't know if he could be any happier at this very moment.
"Congratulations on your victory Kolt." A Voice called, catching Kolt's attention as he looked up to see Bastion walking down the steps.
"Thanks, Bastion! Though I won't lie, I got a little lucky with my last draw there." Kolt smirked, knowing that Symbols of Duty helped him win that turn.
"Well, I can't deny that, but you still played expertly to bring down Daedalus and wipe out your proctor's life points," Bastion replied, making Kolt laugh nervously.
"I guess I still have some room for improvement." Kolt chuckled as he scratched the back of his head.
"Are you heading down for your duel?" Kolt inquired as Bastion nodded.
"Indeed. Next time we see each other, we'll both be academy students." Bastion smirked, making Kolt laugh.
"Man, I wish I could have your confidence." Kolt laughed, causing Bastion's brow to raise.
"Really? Because it seems to me that you've got plenty of confidence." Bastion commented, remembering Kolt's determination during his duel.
"I guess. But more confidence couldn't hurt." Kolt replied as he began to walk up the stairs once more.
"Well, I won't hold you then! Good luck with your duel!" Kolt waved as Bastion gave a simple nod before continuing on to his duel.
When Kolt made it back to the stands, everyone's attention was on the duels finishing up and the ones beginning. From the chatter Kolt overheard, it seemed his duel wasn't the only exciting one. Apparently, he and the other three applicants had gone up against some of the stronger decks.
From what he could gather, one of the decks had Gogiga Gagagigo. It surprised Kolt that it was now of all times that those strong monsters would appear, as most of the duels have hadn't had such strong monsters.
Perhaps they were just raising the difficulty for the last duels of the exam. That would certainly be interesting though Kolt wished he could have seen more. But watching Bastion's duel as the last one was good enough.
"Wait…" Kolt thought as he looked back and forth.
"If Bastion's duel is last, then…." Kolt murmured as the image of a Kuriboh-haired boy came to mind.
"I don't recall seeing him duel," Kolt noted, getting a bad feeling in his gut.
"He was late to the written. Perhaps he didn't pass." Kolt theorized before shaking his head.
"Shouldn't think like that."Kolt sighed as he looked around.
"Better find a good seat." Kolt determined as he walked over near the entrance and sat down and watched Bastion's duel.
Not surprisingly, Bastion was really good and kept his proctor locked down, preventing him from bringing out any strong monster. He finished it off by playing Ring of Destruction to drain the rest of his proctor's life points.
"Not bad," Kolt smirked, impressed with Bastion's duel, especially since he used a deck he had only recently created.
It made him wonder what kind of deck he normally used. Perhaps when the school year started, they could have a duel. After all, they were both Duel Academy students now. Just thinking about it made Kolt all excited again.
"Nice dueling, Bastion!" Kolt complimented as Bastion walked up the steps.
"Thank you. Though I took more damage than I wanted." Bastion admitted seeming unsatisfied with part of his performance as he sat with Kolt.
"Hey, don't sweat it! That was a great duel! You might just be the second-best duelist here!" An Excited Voice spoke, catching Bastion and Kolt's attention.
"Huh…" Kolt gasped as he turned to see Jaden giving him and Bastion a bright smile as the blue-haired boy "Truesdale" from the written exam stood behind him.
"Uh…thank you, I suppose." Bastion thanked cautiously.
"You're the one who was late for the written exam. I was wondering if you made it." Kolt commented as Jaden laughed.
"Yeah, I just barely passed. Nearly overslept today, too, but I just made it!" Jaden smirked, confusing the other three boys.
"Uh, Jaden, did you just get here?" Truesdale inquired as Jaden nodded.
"Yep, is that a problem?" Jaden asked as the other boys shared nervous looks.
"It's just that…." Kolt murmured, unable to get the words out.
"The thing is, my duel was supposed to be the last. If you just arrived and haven't dueled yet, then you might be too late." Bastion explained, causing Jaden to panic.
"No way, not again!" Jaden cried before the intercom interrupted them.
"Jaden Yuki, please report to duel field four." The Announcer ordered before the intercom shut off.
"Sweet, I guess I wasn't too late after all!" Jaden exclaimed before rushing off to the duel fields.
"Wait!" Bastion called, causing Jaden to stop.
"Earlier, you said I was the second-best duelist here. Who would be the first?" Bastion inquired as Jaden smirked.
"Myself, of course!" Jaden boasted before leaving.
"Odd fellow, isn't he?" Bastion murmured as Kolt nodded.
"Yeah, but he seems nice," Kolt commented as he watched Jaden leave.
"I just wonder where his confidence comes from." Truesdale sighed, reminding Kolt and Bastion of his presence.
"Oh, I'm Syrus, by the way." Syrus introduced himself, having realized Kolt and Bastion's looks.
"Well, Syrus, want to watch with us?" Kolt inquired as Syrus nodded, and he sat with Kolt and Bastion.
It didn't take long before the proctor for Jaden's duel appeared on the field, but he was different from all the others. Unlike the others, his uniform seemed fancier and more decorated, and his duel disk hung off his chest instead of his arm.
"Whoa, I haven't seen him duel," Kolt commented as Bastion nodded.
"True, it's quite peculiar. I don't believe he's one of the proctors. But based on the duel disk he is wearing, I believe he is a teacher." Bastion deduced, shocking Syrus.
"But why would a teacher be proctoring a practical?" Syrus questioned as Bastion shrugged.
"Who can say? But I doubt this duel will be easy on your friend." Bastion responded as Jaden was lifted onto the field.
Jaden seemed cheerier than he was before when he got on the field, which seemed to bother the proctor. At first glance, Jaden seemed like he wouldn't make it through the exam as he didn't take it seriously. But when the duel began, all those thoughts disappeared.
Kolt thought that his duel seemed hopeless, but when the proctor, whose name was apparently Crowler, summoned a legendary monster Ancient Gear Golem it appeared all over for Jaden. After all, it had a grand total of three thousand attack points and a strong effect that pierced through defense monsters and negated traps.
At least against Daedalus, Kolt's only worry was its attack points, but Jaden couldn't defend himself against that behemoth. If it wasn't for his Winged Kuriboh, he would have lost the duel halfway in. But throughout the duel, Jaden never loses his smile or confidence.
He didn't question himself even for a minute and just had fun, even if he was losing, and Kolt couldn't help but admire that. It made him eager to see what Jaden would do next in the duel and how it would end.
It didn't take long for the end to begin as Jaden started his final turn. In just one turn, he flipped the tables with his Elemental Hero Flame Wingman and the Skyscraper field spell. In one fell swoop, he destroyed Crowler's ace monster and wiped out his life points.
"Awesome," Kolt commented as he and most there began to clap.
"He actually beat a teacher!" Syrus gasped, shocked at Jaden's win.
"Yes, he'll be a force to be reckoned with," Bastion smirked as they watched Jaden celebrate.
"I guess that means we're all classmates now!" Kolt noted, turning to his fellow classmates who sat next to him.
"So it seems. Let's get along then." Bastion replied as Jaden ran up to them.
"Hey, guys! Did you see that last move of mine! Wasn't it cool!" Jaden laughed with a large smile on his face.
"It was amazing, Jaden!" Syrus exclaimed as he stood up from his seat.
"Yeah, that was a great duel!" Kolt complimented, giving Jaden a thumbs up.
"Thanks. I just hope everyone at Duel Academy is as strong as Crowler was!" Jaden smirked, seemingly already fantasizing about the duels he'll have.
"It wouldn't surprise me. But I don't know if you'll be dueling any teachers anytime soon." Bastion commented, noting that teachers wouldn't duel students.
"Well, you never know." Jaden chuckled, rubbing under his nose.
"I can see why you called me second best now. But know that I don't plan on staying second best." Bastion stated, making Jaden smile.
"Bring it on. I'm always game!" Jaden snickered as Kolt looked between Bastion and Jaden.
"Wait, if you're the best duelist here and Bastion's second best, does that make me third best?" Kolt wondered as he rubbed his chin.
"Perhaps, but we can't just assume one another's dueling prowess without dueling one another," Bastion noted as Jaden turned toward Kolt.
"Well, we can fix that right now! I didn't even get to see Kolt duel, so let's throw down!" Jaden suggested as the intercom sprung to life.
"The Duel Academy Practical Examination has concluded. Those who've passed, please get your acceptance notice from the officials. Those who failed try again next year." The Announcer insisted as the crowd began to move.
"Well, as good as that suggestion sounds, I'm afraid I must be going. Perhaps we can duel when the school year begins." Bastion said before taking his leave.
"Aw, man. What about you, Kolt? You game?" Jaden asked, turning toward Kolt, who shook his head.
"I'd love to, but I better go too. I'm going to need to beat the crowd to the train station. I don't want to get home too late." Kolt smirked as he turned to leave.
"But let's definitely have a duel once the school year starts," Kolt suggested as Jaden nodded.
"Sure thing, I'll see you then!" Jaden replied as Kolt walked off to get his acceptance notice.
"So you up for a duel, Syrus?" Jaden inquired as Syrus sighed.
"You're one of those guy's who just has dueling on the mind, aren't you?" Syrus questioned as Jaden laughed.
Bandi Town…
Knight Family Home…
"I'm home!" Kolt announced as he walked through the front door.
"Josh?" Kolt called, surprised to not see his brother waiting for him.
"Where are you?" Kolt inquired as he entered his dark kitchen before being blinded by the lights suddenly turning on.
"Congratulations!" Joshua exclaimed, wrapping his arm around Kolt.
In front of the two on the island was a small cake with a large handmade congratulations banner hanging off the ceiling. Kolt was surprised that Joshua had the time to make this banner and get a cake after coming back from work.
"When did you have time to make this?" Kolt questioned as Joshua popped open the container for the cake.
"Oh, I made this a while ago. I just hid it in the attic since you never go up there." Joshua answered as Kolt sighed.
"Well, thanks, Joshua. But how did you know I passed? I just got home?" Kolt questioned as Joshua laughed.
"I had faith. That's all I needed." Joshua stated as Kolt smiled.
"So congratulations on getting into Duel Academy!" Joshua reiterated as he handed Kolt a slice of cake.
"Thanks." Kolt thanked as the two began to celebrate.
Author's Note:
Finally got this done! Honestly, I was debating on how to write the duel for a while. While I felt like it should have been a little more simple, seeing as Jaden's seemed to be the only one with strong monsters.
That being said, the only other duel we saw in the show was the tail end of Bastion's. Either way, I just wanted to make Kolt's duel exciting and engaging. Though that kind of ended similarly to Jaden's duel in the end, with him fusion summoning a monster.
But I wanted to show Kolt using another monster besides Phoenix Gearfried against a stronger monster, and it was fun. So I hope you guys enjoyed the duel! Beyond the duel, we had a decent amount of interactions between Kolt and some of the main cast.
He hasn't met them all quite yet, but he's already making friends. I'm also introducing another OC in this chapter though she hasn't exactly been named yet. She's one of two Ocs I plan on introducing to the story.
I don't want to add too many, so I felt that stopping at four in total would be good (AKA: Kolt, Joshua, Red-Haired Girl, Unseen OC). Plus, it saves me time on building another deck for them, which took me a while for the others, lol.
Additionally, I felt it prudent not to write out Jaden's duel against Crowler, as we all know it by now. Though it would have been cool to show Kolt's full reaction to each move, I felt it would just be too repetitive, so I decided just to describe it.
Either way, next chapter, we'll officially be on academy island! I'm sure most of you can guess what dorm Kolt will be in, especially since it's on the cover art, lol. But I'm excited to get that chapter out and have Kolt meet more of the main cast!
That's all I have to say for now, so let's get to the reviews:
Yung Warrior – Thanks glad you liked how the story started! I hope the character interactions in this chapter! I tried to make it where Kolt was a little nervous at first but quick to warm up to others, as seen with Bastion, Jaden, and a little bit with Syrus.
A first impression is everything, and he doesn't want to screw it up lol. I thought Gemini was a good idea as well. When I was planning out this story choosing the archetype/deck type Kolt would use was definitely the hardest for me until I came to Gemini.
I loved the structure deck that came out back in the day, and using them in this story is just such nostalgia from my childhood, lol. But it definitely gives me versatility, like you said, as writing the duels with Kolt has been really fun so far! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Astlexis – Happy to hear you're enjoying the story so far and Kolt and Joshua's bond. I tried my best to keep that bond up in this chapter since Joshua was pretty absent in it and will be so for a little while as the story progresses.
Yeah, Sloane was a dastardly little devil. I hope I wasn't too on the nose that he was cheating, as I wanted to leave it up in the air as to whether or not he was but still have the signs. Hopefully, I did well, lol.
Glad you liked the Magical Thorn strategy! To be honest, I came up with it from playing the Nightmare of Troubadour DS game, where I had the card (Until my save deleted itself). While planning this story, I came up with that strategy which would be devastating back in the day since I doubt it would hold up nowadays.
You know, I don't think I got to use any Geminis in Duel Links when I still played it. I just remember them from the structure deck that came out when 5Ds started. But now that I'm writing this story, I kind of want to try a deck with them out on Master Duel, lol.
Yeah, I don't dislike when fics use newer summoning methods, but I also like having one that focuses on the system used during the time just has that nostalgic and satisfying feeling from writing out the duels.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter!
649 – Well, he met a good amount of them in this chapter and some of the others in the next! Hope you liked how they interacted.
That's all I've got for today, so I'll see you guys next time!