Chapter two: Jaden Yuki

Chapter two.

Releasing a drawn-out sigh, Asher slumped in his seat, watching from the stands as Bastion's duel continued. Sadly for him, the duel was proving to be about as exciting as watching a documentary about the history of bread baking. The proctor seemed to be using a defensive styled deck and so far his efforts to stall out the match had proven successful.

"Booooring." The redhead groaned, resting his chin on his knuckles. In Asher's opinion, this duel was dragging out much longer than it should have. "C'mon, Bastion. You got this.'' With Gear Golem the Moving Fortress and Big Shield Gardna on the field, the proctor had managed to create a sturdy defense, but Bastion was clearly not the type to just throw his hands in the air and call it a day.

''Even the number one spot in the written exam is struggling this much...'' A hesitant, nervous voice, broke Asher out of his thoughts. Turning his head, he traced the voice back to a short teen with light blue hair and a face partially hidden behind a pair of round glasses. ''I was lucky to pull off a win...''

''He isn't struggling.'' Asher said.

''... Eh?'' The blue-haired teen glanced at Asher, a soft blush creeping across his cheeks having been caught mumbling to himself.

"I said he isn't struggling." Asher repeated, leaning back in his seat. ''You are an examinee, right? What's your name?

''I'm Syrus Truesdale...''

"Ignore the field and look at Bastion. Does he look worried, Syrus?'' Asher pointed at the duel below, his finger directed at Bastion. The teen's expression was calm and confident, his dark gaze locked onto his opponent. "He's doing fine. All he needs is the right card and then he can turn things around."

"I-Is that so...?"

"Right on time!" Interrupting the awkward exchange, a cheerful voice chimed in. It belonged to a brown-haired teenager, dressed in a black jacket, red shirt, and dark pants. He inserted himself between the two, his gaze fixed on the field. ''Nothing like a good duel to get the heart pumping!''

[ . . . . . . . . . . . ]

Bastion Misawa / Life Points: 3200

Proctor / Life Points: 1900

"Not bad." The proctor complimented Bastion, his two monsters in defense position facing the examinee's Vorse Raider. "You're definitely talented, but breaking through my defense won't be easy. Not against my hyper-defense deck. And now that I have secured two monsters on the field, I just need one good draw, and this duel will be over."

"You won't be getting that chance, professor." Bastion declared, a hint of a smile on his lips. "Because this duel is about to end." Holding up his hand, his face-down Trap Card, Ring of Destruction, flipped up, its holographic image shining. "I activate the Trap Card, Ring of Destruction!" Bastion announced. ''With this card, I can select one monster and we both take damage equal to its attack points.''

''I choose my very own Vorse Raider!'' A device materialized around Vorse Raider's deck, one which consisted of a dark, metallic ring adorned with several green, grenade-like attachments. Each grenade was connected to the ring by short, sturdy wires, ready to be detonated at a moment's notice.

Not even a second later, a huge explosion of blinding light engulfed Vorse Raider.

Bastion Misawa / Life Points: 1300

Proctor / Life Points: 0

''... Exam duel complete.'' The proctor said, the holograms of his monsters fading into nothingness. ''Good work, examinee. You pass.''

[ . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"That was a killer move!" The newcomer praised. "I really hope my duel is next. I'm fired up!

''Your duel?'' Asher repeated. ''You are an examinee too?''

''You bet.'' The brown haired boy grinned. ''Name's Jaden Yuki, exam #110!''

''110?'' Syrus piped in, adjusting his glasses as both of them stared at the newcomer. ''But the duels for the 100's finished in the first heat, right?'' He turned to Asher, as if seeking confirmation, but the redhead just shrugged his shoulders dismissively, he hadn't really paid much attention to anything outside of his duel.

''... Huh?'' Jaden tilted his head, blinking. ''You're joking, right?''

"Perhaps it would be best to speak to whoever's in charge of the exams?'' Asher suggested.

[ . . . . . . . . . . . ]

On the opposite side of the stands, teachers were gathered together, discussing the results of the latest duels. Each and every single one of them wearing the same blue uniform, they conversed quietly amongst themselves, reviewing the results, the progress of the exams, and the performance of the various examinees.

''... These last two, Misawa and Everhart... They were quite impressive, weren't they?'' / ''No deliberation needed for them. They both passed with flying colors'' / ''Agreed. Their results speak for themselves.'' The teachers spoke in turn, all agreeing with the final assessment, there was no room for doubt when it came to either of those two.

With his arms crossed, there was one teacher who stood out amongst the rest, a man whose hair and clothes made him stand out in the sea of mostly identical blues. His uniform was of a darker shade of blue, complete with gold trimmings and ruffled pink collar, shoulders, upper chest, and sleeves. His blonde hair was sectioned in two layers, with the layer furthest from his face tightly-bound in a ponytail.

This was Dr. Vellian Crowler, the head professor and department chair of techniques at Duel Academy. 'Mhm, mh! We have quite a crop of talented duelists here this year.' He thought to himself, a pleased smile on his face as he crossed his arms. 'A little polishing, a bit of fine tuning, and we have ourselves a class of elite duelists ready to carry the legacy of Duel Academy into the future!'

Crowler thoughts were interrupted as he noticed a member of the staff approaching them, the one tasked with managing the proceedings outside the arena. Said individual made his way toward the group of teachers, holding a clipboard in his hands. ''Pardon me, everyone. We have one more examinee, exam number 110, that made it just before registration closed.''

''A latecomer?'' Crowler raised a brow, a frown forming on his face. ''Arriving just before the deadline suggests that they weren't prepared or didn't take the exams seriously enough. Denied. Send him home." The staff member blinked, taken aback by Crowler's declaration as he glanced at the other teachers for help. ''We have amazing talents this year, we can't waste our time on some slack-jawed riffraff.''

''But he did make it in time...'' / ''That's right, I think he has the right to take the exam...'' / ''It seems wrong not to give him a chance.'' The others, however, didn't share Crowler's sentiments, each of them expressing their disagreement. The professor scowled, not pleased at being outvoted, but still unwilling to yield.

''I won't have any slackers or layabouts tarnishing the reputation of our institution!'' Crowler hissed. ''As head of the Examination Committee, it is my decision, and my decision alone, and I say...'' His phone rang, interrupting the professor before he could finish. "... This had better be important."

''...'' Picking up the phone, Crowler's expression shifted from anger to surprise, to something else, his features contorting in an attempt to contain the emotions bubbling within him. ''B-But... Chancellor, with all due respect, this is highly... Yes, I understand. Yes, yes, of course, Right away, Chancellor Sheppard.'' The conversation didn't last long, Crowler ending the call a few seconds later.

''... I'll duel him.'' Crowler declared, clenching his jaw as he did his best not to let his displeasure show. ''I, Dr. Vellian Crowler, Department Chair of Techniques and Head of the Examination Committee, will be the final judge of his worthiness as a Duel Academy student. Does that satisfy everyone?''

The rest of the professors gave their assent.

''What about the exam decks? Which one should we use?" One of them inquired.

''No need, I'll use my own." Crowler shook his head, causing his hair to sway slightly. "Now go and retrieve the boy. Let us be done with this charade, I have better things to do."

[ . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"Ah, Bastion. Right on time." Asher greeted Bastion as the latter climbed the stairs, throwing a glance at the two teens on either side of the redhead. "These two are, uh... Jaden and..." He scratched the back of his neck. "Syrus, I think? Sorry, I'm not really good with names." Syrus gave a timid wave and a nod, while Jaden simply flashed a thumbs up and a grin.

"It's nice to meet you.'' Bastion gave both of them a nod. "I'm Bastion Misawa."

''... And I'm Asher Everhart." The redhead pointed a thumb at himself.

"Exam #110, Jaden Yuki." Jaden's name was called as the four of them finished their introductions. The brown-haired boy shot up to his feet, an eager grin on his face. "Finally! Time to duel!" He bolted down the steps, dashing to his designated dueling field with the excitement of a child about to receive a present. ''See you guys later!''

''Huh.'' Bastion watched the teen disappear down the steps, shaking his head. ''What a bundle of energy.''

''I can respect someone who is passionate about dueling.'' Asher leaned forward in his seat, his attention now focused on the field below, a smile forming on his lips. ''That's what makes a great duelist, passion! Well, that and a bit of skill, luck, experience, expensive cards, and maybe a dash of talent thrown in the mix. But passion is important too!''

''...'' Bastion and Syrus shared a look, sweatdropping.

[ . . . . . . . . . . . ]

Dr. Vellian Crowler stepped onto the field, his boots making contact with the smooth, light blue surface. His arms were folded, a stern look on his face as he stared across the field, waiting for his opponent to arrive. His duel disk was worn horizontally across his torso, glued to his vest like a piece of armor.

Jaden Yuki arrived a few moments later, staring at his surroundings in awe as the lights illuminated the field. ''This is what I'm talking about!'' He exclaimed, turning his head from left to right. His attention then fell on the man waiting for him on the opposite end, and he immediately straightened up, waving at the professor.

''Dr. Vellian Crowler, Head of the Examination Committee." Crowler introduced himself, his expression neutral. "You are exam number 110, I presume?"

''That's me! Name's Jaden Yuki.''

"Yes, well, I believe we have wasted enough time as it is, Mr. Jaden Yuki." Crowler said, activating his duel disk, its silver surface reflecting the light above. ''I'll make it quick, for both our sakes." Jaden followed suit, a grin on his face as he activated his own duel disk. ''Duel!" Both duelists said in unison.

Jaden Yuki / Life Points: 4000

Vellian Crowler / Life Points: 4000

''I'll take the first turn. I draw!'' Drawing a card, Jaden's smile widened. ''Time to get this show started! I Normal Summon Elemental Hero Sparkman in Attack Mode.'' Sparkman emerged onto the field, the hero's body crackling with electricity as he faced Crowler, his visor shielding his face from view.

Elemental Hero Sparkman: (LIGHT, Level 4, Warrior/Normal, 1600 ATK, 1400 DEF)

"I'll set one card face down." A single card appeared behind Sparkman. "Your move."

''An Elemental Hero deck, is it? Hm, well, I suppose we all have to start somewhere, don't we?" For the first time since arriving on the field, Jaden's expression changed, a frown settling on his face as the professor mocked his deck.

''What's that supposed to mean?''

His question went unanswered, Dr. Crowler's lips curved into an amused smile. ''I draw.'' The blonde man held up his hand, his fingers hovering inches above his duel disk surface as a card was ejected without him even needing to reach for it. "I'll set a card face-down." A holographic image of a single face-down card appeared in front of the professor. ''Then I'll follow it up with this...''

''The Spell Card, Heavy Storm.'' He declared, placing the card atop his duel disk. The moment Heavy Storm hit the field, both Jaden's face-down card and Dr. Crowler's single card were destroyed, disappearing into nothingness. "You're familiar with its effect, aren't you? Heavy Storm's effect destroys every Spell and Trap Card on...''

''I know.'' Jaden said, covering his face as his face-down card, Hero Signal, was blown into bits. ''So what's the plan, teach? You may have destroyed my face-down, but in case you didn't notice, I wasn't the only one who had a face-down."

''And I was counting on that." Crowler laughed in an exaggerated manner. ''Thanks to that, I can now Special Summon a Wicked Token to the field!"

Wicked Token: (DARK, Level 4, Fiend-Type, ATK 1000, DEF 1000)

A monster emerged, with a golden, snake-like body shimmering in the dim light. Its armor-like segments clinked together as it moved, its head a nightmare come to life, with a huge mouth full of sharp teeth ready to devour anything in its path. Massive tusks jutted out from its upper jaw as it hissed, its dark gaze locked on Sparkman.

''And I'm still far from done." Crowler continued, reaching for another card. "I'll activate the Continuous Spell Card: Ancient Gear Castle.'' The Spell's holographic image appeared behind the token, the sight of a huge castle towering over the ground, its spires and turrets rising toward the sky. ''As long as this card remains on the field, all Ancient Gear monsters gain 300 ATK.''

''Now I'll sacrifice my Wicked Token to Tribute Summon Ancient Gear Beast into the field!''

Ancient Gear Beast: (EARTH/Level 6, Machine/Effect, 2000 ATK, 2000 DEF)

[ . . . . . . . . . . . ]

''An Ancient Gear deck?'' Asher murmured, his interest piqued. He hadn't thought much of this self-proclaimed Head of the Examination Committee, with his ridiculous outfit and hairdo, but perhaps there was a reason why that clown was in charge of the exams after all. "This might be interesting."

''Yeah.'' Bastion agreed. ''But something's not right. Compared to the decks we faced, this professor's deck feels a lot more cohesive, and far more threatening."

''You noticed that too, huh?" Asher hummed. "You think he's using his own deck?"

''I'd be willing to bet my spot in the academy on it.'' Bastion replied, his arms crossed. Syrus, who had been following the discussion between his two new friends glanced at the field once more, throwing a worried glance at Jaden as his Sparkman was destroyed by Ancient Gear Beast's attack.

''I-Is Jaden going to be alright...?''

''Remember what I said earlier, Syrus.'' Asher was quick to reassure the short teen, blowing a strand of his red hair out of his face. "Don't look at the field, focus on Jaden instead." He pointed at the brown-haired duelist, who was smiling confidently despite the situation he was in. ''See that? No need to worry, he's doing fine."

[ . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"I was wondering why someone like Dr. Crowler would waste his time with some no-name slacker, but this just confirms it." Chazz smirked, watching the duel unfold. "He's looking to send that punk packing. Good, he doesn't belong here." His two companions nodded along, their attention shifting from their leader to the duel below.

''But will we get to see it?''

''See what, Chazz?'' / ''Yeah, Chazz, see what?''

"You two are hopeless." Chazz scoffed, shaking his head. "You must have heard about it, right? Dr. Crowler's legendary card." His smirk widened. "Rumor has it he's never lost a duel with it. They say once he pulls it out, it's game over, no matter what you throw at him."

[ . . . . . . . . . . . ]

Jaden Yuki / Life Points: 3300

Vellian Crowler / Life Points: 4000

Thanks to Crowler's Continuous Spell Card, his Ancient Gear Beast sported 2300 ATK points, more than enough to defeat Jaden's Sparkman and deal 700 points of damage to Jaden's Life Points. While Jaden was still smiling, something was bothering him, for even as the dust settled, his gaze wasn't focused on Crowler's monster, but on the counter that had been added to Ancient Gear Castle.

'What's the deal with that?' Jaden thought. 'There's gotta be something I'm missing.'

''Turn end." Dr. Crowler declared, folding his arms.

''I draw!'' Jaden glanced at the card he had just drawn. ''Alright, this'll work. I activate the Spell Card The Warrior Returning Alive! I don't think I need to explain what this card does, do I, teach?'' Jaden retrieved Sparkman from the Graveyard, adding it right back to his hand. ''And now I'll activate my second spell: Polymerization! I Fusion Summon Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!''

Jaden sent Sparkman and Clayman from his hand to the Graveyard, leaving Jaden with two cards in his hand as Elemental Hero Thunder Giant took to the field. The monster stood tall, his muscular frame adorned with gold and purple armor, the center of his chest bearing a glowing blue orb.

Elemental Hero Thunder Giant: (LIGHT, Level 6, Warrior/Fusion/Effect, 2400 ATK, 1500 DEF)

"Now, I activate Thunder Giant's effect! When he's Fusion Summoned, I can target one face-up monster on the field whose original attack is less than his and destroy it." The orb in Thunder Giant's chest glowed with a blinding light, the monster's eyes alight with power. "Say goodbye to your Ancient Gear Beast!"

A stream of lightning erupted from the monster's chest, striking Ancient Gear Beast, the latter exploding upon contact, the shockwave strong enough to force Crowler to cover his face with his arms. ''I then Normal Summon Elemental Hero Avian to the field!" Jaden continued, placing the card atop his duel disk.

Elemental Hero Avian: (WIND, Level 3, Warrior/Normal, 1000 ATK, 1000 DEF)

One more counter was added to Ancient Gear Castle, a fact Jaden didn't fail to notice. "That counter was added the moment I Normal Summoned Avian. The same happened when he summoned his Ancient Gear Beast..." Jaden stared down at his hand, frowning. He had one card left, and it wasn't one that would help him deal with that.

''Avian, direct attack!'' Jaden commanded, the wind hero diving through the air toward Crowler, talons extended. ''Feather Storm!'' With a mighty flap of his wings, a powerful gust of wind was conjured, buffeting Crowler's form and causing the man's blonde locks to sway wildly.

Jaden Yuki / Life Points: 3300

Vellian Crowler / Life Points: 3000

"Go, Thunder Giant! Direct attack!" The lightning hero followed his orders, his fists crackling with electricity as he struck. The blast of sheer power slammed into Crowler, forcing him back a few feet. "Your move, teach!"

Jaden Yuki / Life Points: 3300

Vellian Crowler / Life Points: 600

Crowler adjusted his disheveled hair and straightened his jacket, glaring at Jaden with a mix of frustration and indignation. "Enjoy your fleeting moment of triumph, boy. But if you think you've bested me, you're sorely mistaken. You've merely set the stage for my Ancient Gear Castle to shine!" Drawing his next card, the blonde man's glare vanished, replaced by a triumphant smile.

He held up the card he had just drawn. "Now, prepare yourself to witness the true power of a seasoned educator! I'll show you what a true duelist with years of refined expertise is capable of! By using my Ancient Gear Castle's effect, I can tribute it along with the two counters I've gathered to summon my Ancient Gear Golem!"

Ancient Gear Castle crumbled into pieces, which reformed into a towering figure of mechanical might. Its body, made entirely of aged and worn metal, gleamed dully under the dim light. The frame was bulky and robust, with intricate gears and pistons visible within its joints, continuously whirring and clanking as it moved.

Ancient Gear Golem: (EARTH, Level 8, Machine/Effect, 3000 ATK, 3000 DEF)

[ . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"Ancient Gear Golem," Bastion said first, grimacing. "To think I'd see it here of all places..." He glanced at the redhead beside him. "I hate to say it, but Jaden doesn't stand a chance against that thing. If he had more cards in his hand, maybe, but with just one, his options are really limited."

"I know that thing is strong, but Jaden still has a lot of Life Points left, right?" Syrus argued as Crowler declared an attack. They watched as Ancient Gear Golem crushed Thunder Giant like a bug, dropping Jaden's Life Points to 2700. Flinching, the blue-haired teen turned his gaze away. "If he plays defensively and waits, maybe he can draw a strong trap to deal with that thing..."

"That won't work," Asher interrupted, shaking his head. "Not with Ancient Gear Golem's special ability. Its ATK points are high, but that's not the only problem. When it attacks, its effect stops the opponent from activating any Spell or Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step."

"And as for going into defense mode..." Bastion continued for Asher. "Ancient Gear Golem also inflicts piercing damage, so defending won't give Jaden much protection."

"No way..."

Asher's gaze fell on Jaden, who smiled despite his dwindling Life Points.

'So, Jaden.'

[ . . . . . . . . . . . ]

Jaden Yuki / Life Points: 2700

Vellian Crowler / Life Points: 600

"This is it," Jaden muttered, placing two fingers on his deck. "I draw!" He pulled a card and grinned. "I activate the Spell Card, Pot of Greed!" A green pot with a cackling face materialized in front of him. "This card lets me draw two more cards. Here goes!" Reaching into his deck, Jaden swiftly drew two more cards.

Three cards now rested in Jaden's hand. "Alright, let's go! First, I'll activate the Field Spell, Fusion Gate!" The card materialized in front of Jaden, its holographic image shimmering. "And I'll be using its effect to Fusion Summon this!" Jaden sent one card from his hand to the Graveyard—Elemental Hero Burstinatrix—and as he did, Avian vanished from the field. "Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!"

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman: (WIND, Level 6, Warrior/Fusion/Effect, 2100 ATK, 1200 DEF)

"..." Crowler scowled as the winged hero materialized on the field. "Yes, well, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that a boy of your caliber would fail to realize the futility of your situation." He waved his hand dismissively. "Your Flame Wingman has nowhere near enough attack power to defeat my Ancient Gear Golem."

"Not after I use this!" Jaden exclaimed, reaching for the last card in his hand—the one he had drawn alongside Burstinatrix, thanks to his Pot of Greed. "I activate the Field Spell, Skyscraper!" The Fusion Gate vanished from the field, replaced by a sprawling cityscape with towering high-rises. "Thanks to Skyscraper, when an Elemental Hero battles a monster with higher attack points, it gains 1000 ATK!"

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman: (WIND, Level 6, Warrior/Fusion/Effect, 3100 ATK, 1200 DEF)

''W-What!?''

''Flame Wingman, attack Ancient Gear Golem! Flame Burst!'' The winged hero attacked, launching himself from the very top of the holographic tower, his fist alight with fire, aimed straight at the Ancient Gear monster's head, a direct hit! Ancient Gear Golem shattered into pieces, the shockwave strong enough to send a ripple across the arena's surface.

Jaden Yuki / Life Points: 2700

Vellian Crowler / Life Points: 500

"Flame Wingman's effect activates!" Jaden declared, his voice cutting through the chaos. As Crowler scrambled to dodge the debris raining down around him, the tension rose. "With Flame Wingman's effect, destroying your monster means you take damage equal to its ATK. And with only 500 Life Points left, this duel is all mine!"

Jaden Yuki / Life Points: 2700

Vellian Crowler / Life Points: 0

"That's game!" Jaden exclaimed, pointing his index and middle finger confidently at Crowler. Crowler lay face-first on the ground, whispering to himself in disbelief, Jaden's triumphant smile and playful wink doing little to comfort the defeated man. "That was a fun duel, teacher!"

[ . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"..." Asher's gaze was locked onto the field, where Jaden's celebration was in full swing, his hands thrown up into the air as he waved at the crowd, flashing peace signs left and right. His excitement was infectious, causing quite a few of the other examinees to rise up to their feet, applauding and cheering at Jaden's victory.

''I want to duel him.'' Asher stated, rising up to his feet. Hand over his chest, he felt an unstoppable drive. "This heart of mine burns with the desire to challenge him. It's calling out, louder than ever." He clenched his fist, resolve clear in his eyes. "I won't let this chance slip by, as soon as we get to the academy, I'm dueling him. Count on it!"

''Is he talking to us?'' Syrus whispered to Bastion, looking up at the tall black-haired teen.

"I don't think so.'' Bastion replied. ''I think he's lost in his own world, I doubt he even remembers we're here."

Asher turned to them, exasperated. "I'm having a moment here!"

End of chapter two.