The day for the first stage test has finally arrived.
Like the entrance exam, the stage test is divided into a written exam and a practical test. As a card-playing academy, the school surprisingly places quite a high emphasis on the written scores.
After all, Judai has been top-notch in terms of dueling skills since his admission, but due to theoretical score issues, he's been stuck in the Red Dormitory.
The written exam was scheduled for the morning, while the practical test was in the afternoon. Yugen arrived at the examination room early, finishing the test paper in about twenty minutes.
However, according to the rules, he could only submit the paper half an hour after the start at the earliest. So he ended up repeatedly checking a paper he felt had nothing to check, flipping through the pages loudly, attracting envious, jealous, and annoyed looks from those around him.
Almost everyone in the exam room was still writing furiously, even model students like Mitsuzawa and Asuka were frowning and pondering. But he had nothing else to do, so he started twirling his pen...
Some students in the same exam room who knew him couldn't help but feel a headache.
How can this guy mess with people's minds without even trying in an exam...
The moment the clock on the wall struck thirty minutes, Yugen got up without hesitation, submitted his paper, and walked out, leaving the room with an impressive back view.
The pressure on the remaining students suddenly increased.
It wasn't until some time after Yugen left that Judai finally arrived late, patting the shoulder of Marufuji Sho, who was sleeping on his test paper.
"Unforgivable, Sho, sleeping in the exam room. Isn't this coming for nothing?"
"Ah!" Sho woke up in surprise, "Big... big brother?"
"Cheer up, Sho!" he said with a cheerful smile, "The real battle is just about to begin!"
This shocking statement immediately drew attention from those around.
Asuka frowned, wondering if being this late meant he thought this exam was just kid's play, easily passable with just a drop in the bucket?
Mitsuzawa also couldn't help but glance over. What puzzled him was why someone so powerful never seemed to show any serious demeanor.
Watching all this was Teacher Dade Temple, stroking Pharaoh and nodding with a smile.
Ah, as expected of the two great talents of our academy this year. One just came in, and the other already left.
Both have managed to mess with the mindset of students in the same exam room in their own unique ways.
However, in the end, Judai couldn't finish answering the questions after all. Just ten minutes later, he joined Marufuji Sho, and the two snored together until the exam ended...
Professor Chronos, passing by the back door, saw this scene and couldn't help but nod in satisfaction.
Just as he expected, struggling students' written tests didn't need his interference; they would meet their demise naturally. As long as he did some manipulation in the practical test...
Hehe... hehehehe...
...
...
After lunch, Yugen arrived early at the duel arena to get a good seat and waited for the practical test to begin.
"You're early, first place."
Mitsuzawa Earth took a seat next to him.
Yugen smiled at him, "You too, second place."
"Haha, but after today, it might flip," Mitsuzawa smiled.
The practical test involved selecting opponents within the dormitory. As Mitsuzawa predicted, as the first and second places of the dorm, they became opponents for this round of the practical test.
In the Yellow Dormitory internal exchange match, the two, as the first and second places, didn't get the chance to face off, and both had perfect records in the exchange match. So today was not only an exam but also a duel that attracted the attention of all Yellow Dormitory students.
Today will decide who is the king of Yellow Dormitory this year.
"Huh?"
Mitsuzawa looked at the arena below where the assessment had started and was surprised.
"Is that... Red Yuki Judai? And his opponent is Chazz?"
Many eyes were drawn to the arena, which, according to exam rules, shouldn't be the case.
But Professor Chronos had his own explanation.
"With Judai's exceptional practical performance, there's truly no match for him in Red Dormitory, Nonne!" Chronos confidently explained, "Only Chazz is a suitable practical opponent for you, Nonne!"
That explanation wasn't entirely without merit. As a student with severe subject imbalance, although he never passed the written tests, everyone's seen Judai's practical performance. In Red Dormitory, he indeed obliterated the competition.
Chronos' theory was to maintain the school's normal elite rank system. He chose Chazz not only for his strength but also because Chazz had the prestige of "direct advancement to Obelisk Blue."
"But in exchange, if this duel is won by Yuki Judai, he can exceptionally advance to Yellow Dormitory. Is that okay?" Chronos asked.
"No problem, no problem!"
Judai agreed without a second thought.
Perhaps he didn't even hear what the professor was saying and only heard that there was a duel to be had.
So the professor announced the start and quickly withdrew from the arena.
Well then, first today is the duel between Judai and Chazz.
Yugen paid some attention to this. Theoretically, in the unchanged timeline, this should be Chazz's debut for his VWXYZ deck, but now that set was in Yugen's hands, he was curious what Chazz would play.
Chazz began by summoning a defensive "Stone Dragon" with 2000 Defense Power, then casually set three cover cards and ended his turn.
Without VWXYZ, has he switched to a Dragon-based deck?
Does this mean he's aligning with the deck from the comics?
No, it's just one monster, can't be sure yet.
But looking at those spooky three cover cards in the back...
Hmm, surely it has nothing to do with me. Yugen was very confident.
Then it was Judai's turn. Judai's execution today was as consistent as ever, starting with the Model Worker Couple: Wingman and Blast Lady, along with a Fusion, still the familiar taste of 502 glue.
So naturally, there wasn't much else to say.
I must Fusion Summon immediately!
The Flame Winged People, who shone brightly in the entrance exam and defeated Chronos, made a stunning debut on the first turn. However, just as Judai was excitedly preparing to attack, Chazz suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter.
"You've fallen into my trap, Yuki Judai!"
Chazz shouted.
"Activate the cover card! Trap Card - Hellish Aggregation! When the opponent successfully Fusion Summons a Fusion Monster, take control of that monster immediately!"
"Eh!?" Judai blinked twice.
Doesn't that mean...
Chazz's smile grew more twisted as he shouted, "I gain control of the Flame Winged People!"
I heard you're Yuki Judai's favorite hero?
Come over here, you!
Sure enough, Red Pit brings joy, and an NTR Red Pit brings double the joy. Look, even Chazz can't keep his mouth closed from smiling.
Yugen pondered for a moment.
Hmm, Hellish Aggregation was originally Chazz's card. In the anime, Chazz first used this thing to steal Flame Winged People, having absolutely nothing to do with me.
"..."
And so the back-and-forth attacks and defenses continued for several rounds. Tenai tenaciously held off Chazz's continuous onslaught, and during this time, Chazz not only acquired Flame Winged People but also summoned a "Creation Dragon," a Six-Star Dragon Race with 2200 Attack Power, which he also used in the manga.
Looks like there really is a trend developing towards Chazz's Dragon Race card deck from the manga.
Then Judai relied on his classic anime combo, activating the Trap Card "Heroic Appearance" during an opponent attack, to Special Summon "Elemental Hero Golden Blade Hero" from his hand and counterattack, defeating the Creation Dragon. But a turn later, Golden Blade Hero fell into Chazz's "Divine Protective Shield - Reflective Mirror Power" and got trapped...
A moment later.
"..."
"Activate Magic Card 'Fusion Recovery,' reclaim 'Blast Lady' and 'Fusion' from the graveyard!" Judai seized the chance to counterattack, "Then activate 'Fusion' again, fusing the Blast Lady and Clayman from my hand..."
"Not so fast, Ju↑dai↓!"
Chazz's smile grew twisted again.
"Counterattack Trap - Seal of Demon Exorcism! Discard a Magic Card from your hand to negate and destroy the activated Magic Card. And during this duel, your opponent can't use that card again!"
Yugen contemplated.
Hmm, this was a tactic developed by Mitsuzawa in the anime, the Fusion Seal. Considering Chazz is a top student, it's only natural he'd come up with this move to counter Judai.
Absolutely nothing to do with me.
Dueling is just like this.
"Eh?" Judai was surprised, "Fusion can't be used either?"
Chazz: "Hahaha——!
You are completely in the palm of my hand now, Yuki ↑Judai↓! Feel the power trembling!
It's my turn! Attack 'Elemental Hero Lightning Hero' on your field with Flame Winged People..."
"Activate Cover Card! 'Interdimensional Tunnel - Mirror Gate -'!" Judai flipped his backfield, "When your monster on the field is attacked, exchange control of both monsters!"
Chazz: "Nani!?"
Jellyfish Head, even with your thick brows and big eyes, you have this kind of Minotaur Trap too!?
Yugen raised an eyebrow upon seeing this.
[Interdimensional Tunnel - Mirror Gate], after becoming a physical card, was modified so that it could only be activated when "Elemental Hero" on your field is attacked, and you can only gain control of the opponent's monster for that turn.
But now, it seems Judai's anime limited edition trap can permanently steal the opponent's monster...
It seems unexpectedly quite handy. Yugen silently took notes, deciding to get one himself if he got the chance.
There's never too much of Red Pit things.
"Damn it, as if no one else has traps..." Chazz grumbled, "Then activate Cover Card! Trap Card 'Hell Burst'!
When my monster on the field is destroyed, destroy the monster with the lowest attack power on the field, and both sides take damage equal to half of its attack power!
Now there's only Flame Winged People on the field, so destroy Flame Winged People!"
Judai: "Ah, my Flame Winged People..."
The struggling Flame Winged People is caught in the whirlpool of Red Pit in this duel, experiencing a legendary life of being stolen back and forth, barely standing before being sent again to the Underworld...
Flame Winged People: Only heaven knows what I went through in this card game.
[Chazz, LP 450]
[Judai, LP 850]
At this point, both sides' life points were like flickering candles in the wind. Judai had no hand cards, while Chazz had two.
"Set two cards, ending the turn!"
Chazz still had confidence.
His backfield had two set, one Bottomless Trap Hole and one Magic Tube. Summoning a monster with attack power over 1500 can directly trap it to another dimension, even if one with attack power below 1500 attacks, it can be Magic Tube killed off.
And the opponent has nothing in hand or on the field, one card can't possibly beat his unbeatable backfield.
Unless you print a card on the spot to take me down?
Judai: "My turn, draw a card! I summon 'Elemental Hero Wild Hero'!"
Chazz still snickered.
Ha, turns out to be a weakling. Look at me, with the unbeatable Bottomless Trap Hole...
...What the!? Wild Hero!?
Chazz was instantly wide-eyed, remembering this Elemental Hero's effect.
"This card is unaffected by Trap Card effects."
Chazz coughed blood.
Empty hand and field, that thick card deck, you just so happened to draw this thing?
Did you just whip this out from your sleeve???
"Go, Wild Hero!" Tenai excitedly punched the air, "Direct attack at Chazz!"
With one stroke, Chazz's LP dropped to zero, and his smile and joy vanished together.
As he fell back, lying on the cold dueling ground, he realized a philosophical truth deeply.
In this world, there is only one thing as maddening as the Underworld.
And that's drawing crap cards.
"Victory!"
Judai happily struck a pose.
"That was a fun duel!"
Chazz: "......"