Yugen had a very enjoyable and fulfilling first week at the Academy.
The communication with the new classmates in the Yellow Dormitory went very smoothly. Winning every match for a whole week without a single loss earned him quite a few extra credits. Combined with the credits from actively participating in class by answering questions, by the end of the first week, Yugen exchanged all the credits he had earned for cards.
The card inventory at the Academy is almost constantly changing, with cards being constantly bought and new ones continuously added. So, checking the inventory a few times a day has become part of his daily routine.
Of course, the card purchasing system also has a card marking function. Students can mark the cards they want in advance and add them to their collection. Once a rare card that is out of stock gets restocked, they will receive an alert through their terminal devices.
However, if a card is targeted by many students simultaneously, getting it depends on speed and luck.
This time, Yugen mainly exchanged for two cards.
[Undead Guardian, Level 3, Attack Power 600, Defense Power 1300
Effect: During your opponent's turn, you can remove this card from the graveyard from play. This turn, one attack from your opponent's monster is negated.]
No need to say more about this divine artifact for survival in the GX Era. This card saved Judai countless times in the later episodes of the anime. It was even temporarily banned in real life at the time due to its high usage rate.
[Super Electromagnetic Turtle, Level 4, Attack Power 0, Defense Power 1800
Effect: During the Battle Phase of your opponent's turn, you can remove this card from your graveyard from play. The battle phase ends.]
This card is even older, a survival divine artifact from the DM era, an ancestor-tier grave trap. Its effect is clearly stronger than Undead Guardian, and it escaped being banned simply because physical cards weren't available until later.
Being too afraid of pain, he loaded up on hand and grave traps. After all, in this world, you could encounter Life Bet Cards at any time, and you can never have too many survival divine artifacts of all kinds.
Having spent all the credits earned during the first week in no time, Yugen realized just how fleeting credits can be and that he cannot afford to slack off for a moment. Hence, he immediately set his sights on the next victim... oh, no, the next friend he's preparing to get to know through cards.
He got by with other courses this week, but he was particularly serious about the card drawing lessons. After a week, he felt he finally started to get the hang of it. That's why he was so enthusiastic about trying his hand against someone.
Then, another issue arose. After the next round's duel opponent assignment was decided, he wandered around during the lunch break but couldn't find anyone.
Yugen couldn't shake off the feeling that his opponents weren't especially motivated whenever they were matched against him.
It doesn't make sense. This is the Duel Academy, right? Everyone here is supposed to be a dueling fanatic. Why wouldn't they want to duel...
Unable to find anyone for the time being, he decided to give up temporarily. After all, they can't just avoid going back to the dorm rooms forever, can they?
Just as he was leaving the cafeteria, he ran into a student who seemed to be in a hurry.
"Are you Yugen?"
"That's me. What's up?"
"I'm Nakamura from the Student Union... By the way, why haven't you voted yet? There are only five freshmen left who haven't voted!"
Yugen was taken aback, "What vote?"
"Miss Duel Academy! The election held at the beginning of every academic year... Oh no, I can't explain much now, just come with me to the venue, okay?"
Yugen: "?"
Following the Nakamura from the Student Union in confusion, he arrived at the auditorium, only to find it crowded with students wearing red, yellow, and blue uniforms, filling the entire venue.
Under the spotlight on the stage stood several tall and beautiful girls, each with exceptional looks. As he looked around, he saw various shapes and sizes, all different yet equally stunning, with each being a C-class beauty at the very least. Their white legs seemed to reflect the light.
The venue was filled with cheers, and a bewildered Yugen thought he had wandered into a major idol fan event.
After a brief explanation from the Student Union, he finally understood. While he had been immersed in studying day and night, other students had been swept up in the frenzy of the "Miss Duel Academy" election.
It seemed vaguely familiar. This appeared to be a storyline from the GX Manga, where the star senior sister Little Hinoaka Seika, who had won the title for two consecutive years, and the newcomer Asuka Tenjouin, who had just enrolled this year, ended up having the same number of votes. Then it was discovered there was still one last student who hadn't voted, and that student was Yuki Judai. The contest then bizarrely turned into a card duel over Judai's critical vote...
However, according to the Student Union, there were still five people who hadn't voted yet.
At this moment, the atmosphere between Senior Sister Little Hinoaka Seika and Asuka Tenjouin was somewhat tense. Originally, holding this event at the beginning of the school year favored the seniors, as supposedly very few freshmen would be known by others.
Yet who could have imagined that a junior sister who had only been here for a week would catch up in votes so quickly, directly threatening the three-peat goal that Little Hinoaka Seika had set long ago, as well as her reputation.
This defeat was unacceptable to her.
What was even more frustrating was that Asuka Tenjouin hadn't even intended to come to the venue initially; her two roommates had dragged her there.
"Forget it, I'm abstaining," Asuka suddenly said, waving her hand. "I never intended to join this event in the first place. Junko and the others signed me up without asking... I'll withdraw, so there's no dispute, right?"
Logically, this would make Little Hinoaka Seika the undisputed champion this year, but the senior sister's face changed upon hearing this.
What a joke! Wouldn't that make it seem like her three-peat was being given to her by a junior sister?
"No, you can't withdraw," she blurted out without thinking.
Asuka frowned, "Then what do you want?"
"Heh, trying to win the last vote by playing hard to get? You're pretty on the outside, but your mind's even more intricate," Seika crossed her arms and sneered.
Asuka frowned, but before she could say anything, Yugen, who had been brought to the front by the Student Union to watch the show, chimed in with a cheeky grin, "Oh? So the senior sister actually thinks Miss Tenjouin is pretty?"
Senior Sister Seika's cheeks instantly turned red, and she got a little flustered, "I... I didn't mean it like that! Don't twist my words!"
The nearby onlookers made "oooh" sounds, as if they smelled the chance to witness some drama.
Seeing the situation getting derailed by an unexpected troublemaker, Seika hurriedly changed the topic, "Heh, I've heard about you, Asuka Tenjouin.
"Back in middle school, it was rumored that you were tangled between two rich heirs, unclear and ambiguous..."
"Just nonsense from people who gossip," Asuka said expressionlessly. "I'm a duelist, only a duelist. I came here for dueling, not for anything else, and I have absolutely no interest in this so-called Miss Duel Academy. People can think and say whatever they want about me, I've never cared."
"Heh, you sure know how to talk big..."
Senior Sister Seika's words were cut off again when Yugen from the crowd spoke up, "Wow, Senior Sister has been paying attention to Asuka Tenjouin since middle school. Man, that's quite a long time!"
The crowd once again let out an "Ehh~" sound in unison.
Senior Sister Seika blushed once more, "I... I have not! Ridiculous!"
Then she quickly turned her attention to Yugen.
"You! Who are you? Are you this woman's companion?"
Asuka: "No, I don't think we've met before..."
Or rather, she remembered him from the entrance exam but thought he wouldn't know who she was.
Nakamura from the student union hurriedly explained, "Ah, this is Yugen. He's one of the five freshmen who haven't voted yet..."
Seika: "!"
Darn, this guy holds one of the crucial remaining five votes. But judging from how he's been targeting her, he seems more likely to vote for the other side.
However, Yugen didn't really care who won or lost. He just thought, since he's here already, he might as well stir things up for some fun.
He was just thinking about who to play cards with, it'd be great if someone cracked and challenged him.
Little Hinoaka Seika turned serious: "Why not this then, use your vote as a wager and duel me.
If I win, cast that vote for me. If I lose, vote for that woman. How about it?"
Sure enough, a duel.
He knew, in this academy, whenever there's disagreement, it always ends in a card game.
But before he could respond, Asuka suddenly interrupted sharply, "Wait, I object."
Senior Sister Seika frowned, "Aren't you uninterested in the contest, what do you care?"
"Yes, I'm not interested in the contest itself. But I can't accept someone else deciding matters related to me without my input," Asuka said firmly.
Nakamura from the student union was sweating, "Ah, in that case... how about you two duel directly, and the winner gains an extra vote?"
Little Hinoaka Seika glared at him.
What kind of joke is this? Duel her?
Asuka Tenjouin was famous even back in middle school, she knew that much. Many people said Asuka might be the strongest among this year's freshmen, rivaling even Chazz Princeton.
Hold on, speaking of Chazz...
...suddenly the name Fujiki Yugen sounds familiar too?
Turning to Yugen once more, Seika was startled.
No way, is he the legendary newcomer who reportedly defeated both Chazz Princeton and the duel master Ryuzaki Kyoryu before enrollment at the Moonlight Cup, claiming the championship?
Who the heck could beat that?
Feeling stuck, she was about to voice her concerns when Asuka shook her head and said, "No, if I can choose, I'd like to duel with Yugen."
Seika: "?"
Asuka continued, "If I win, then as per my previous request, take my name off the list.
If I lose, you gain another vote, okay?"
Seika: "???"
What's her thought process? Such a good deal?
Isn't she gaining either way?
Seika was delighted and was just about to tell her not to back out, when Yugen interrupted, "No, I think this is unfair. How about this, I duel both of you separately. Whoever wins gets the vote.
If I win both, I decide who to give it to.
If I lose both, then it goes as Asuka said, and she forfeits voluntarily.
But there's an extra condition—both duels not only determine the result, they also count for credits. The winner can take five credits from the loser, good?"
With games in sight, Yugen declared he wouldn't settle for just one; he wanted both duels.
Seika: "!"
She gritted her teeth at Yugen.
Are you deliberately making things difficult for me or what?