2 pictures
Edit: Added a picture of the MC up top.
@***@
Theodore looked at his deck again.
At this point, he knew that there were no options to change anything. He had gone over his collection several times, and while there were cards he could add or take away, he felt like this was the best it was going to be for the time being.
His deck was strong.
Unfortunately, he was still just missing things.
Who wouldn’t want three copies of Pot of Greed?
Who wouldn’t want more copies of floaters?
That being said, his deck wasn’t inconsistent at all. And he felt strangely proud of his deck as well as it stood.
He wondered if this was the pride that duelists had. That even if you know your deck isn’t the best, you still love it all the same.
Of course, there was always the option of touching the other cards.
Cards that were far too dangerous to even leave out in the open, things he dared not even speak out loud in this new world.
Before, they were just cool cards that held nostalgia or something he thought was neat. Now…what was he supposed to say when he had world-ending threats in card form?
He glanced down at the shadow being cast by the overhead light.
Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon’s eye peered back, as if asking him if he wanted something.
Past his Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon stood the armored-clad warrior, sword and shield in hand.
He briefly opened his eyes too but closed them a moment later.
Past the warrior was another dragon, its outline much fainter, yet it exuded undeniable power even as it suppressed itself for the convenience of everyone else.
The dragon barely even cared to throw him a glance as it continued its sleep since there was no danger.
And past the final guardian, there was a set of cards, not a deck, but grouped all the same. And they were bound tightly in mystical chains, suppressed by all three of his Duel Spirits.
Never to see the light of day unless absolutely necessary.
Theodore retracted his gaze and let out a sigh. He mentally chided himself for even considering it and chalked it up to his inexperience and anxiety.
In this world, if one wanted to be a proper duelist, they needed to have confidence.
Most people mistook that for arrogance, but the point still stood.
Theodore would not lose his confidence.
One last look at his card, he collected them back up into the deck and slid them into the inner pocket of his jacket.
He adjusted his collar and his tie and made sure his sleeves weren’t wrinkled before putting his Duel Disk on.
It was game day.
The entrance exam for Duel Academy.
To even get to this point was considered difficult. He was lucky that when he woke up here, he had apparently passed all the preliminary tests and exams, saving a lot of headaches.
He made sure to wake up extra early just so he wouldn’t end up missing the exams or being late.
Punctuality was important.
Thankfully, the type of person he is, he had scouted the city’s train routes and already knew exactly where he was going.
He finally walked out of his apartment with his companions in tow.
This past month or so, this had been his home. He looked back at his door as he went down the stairs, then stopped outside, taking a look at the building.
Even if he got accepted, it’s not like he would be immediately shipped off. They gave everyone a few days to pack and whatnot.
Regardless, it felt like he was saying his goodbyes to the only home he had known in this world thus far.
Greener pastures awaited.
The streets were already crawling with people from all walks of life.
A woman was pushing a stroller down the sidewalk; she had a Duel Disk stuffed in the back pocket of the stroller.
A businessman was on the phone, cigarette in his other hand, along with a duel disk on his wrist as he went about his business.
There was even a group of punks loitering outside a gas station, all with duel disks on their arms.
This was the world Theodore now belonged to.
He paused to take a deep breath before running a hand through his hair, finding himself smiling. It was like he was finally taking his first steps forward towards his new goal; maybe he might even be bold enough to call it a dream.
It wasn’t lofty.
It wasn’t overly ambitious.
He wasn’t seeking to become a name that went down in history or someone who redefined the world of Duel Monsters.
What he simply wanted was success.
Fame, fortune, and maybe other things that intertwine closely with those concepts. He wanted that; he wanted to be successful, to feel like he had succeeded in life.
But it wasn’t greed; he didn’t have some overly possessive need to obtain riches and glory. Merely, he wanted them because they were a well-earned reward for the hard work put into reaching those places.
To look back on his deathbed and say in his final moments, ‘I lived a good life.’
But that was a far-off thought; he hadn’t even been accepted into Duel Academy yet.
Confidence, though.
It wasn’t a matter of if, but when he gets accepted; thus, he was looking towards the future.
The happy daydreams carried him several blocks, near the entrance to the train that would take him to the other side of the city, close to the testing site.
But he stopped as he passed by an alley.
Something tugged at his senses.
Even his Duel Spirits ever so slightly stirred.
Curiously, he looked to what was calling him and blinked a few times before his feet carried him forward.
“Do you want your fortune told, young man?” An ethereal voice called to him.
A woman, covered in a hood that cast a shadow over her face for the most part. Her clothes are black robes properly named. He could see enough to make out her feminine features and the color of her hair, however.
She sat at a table with a crystal ball on it.
To someone else, they’d probably think it looked very sketchy, almost like one of those cliche charlatans that sets up on the street hoping to rip some naive person off.
“My fortune, madam?” Theodore repeated. “Perhaps I would be acceptable to such a thing. What cost would this entail?”
He could see her smile slightly curl. “Only a small price; I need none of your money. You won’t even notice anything missing.”
“Is that so?” Theodore spoke, taking the seat opposite of her. “A price unspoken is often the most expensive of all. How am I supposed to trust your claims of clairvoyance, Madam? Perhaps I should request a test of your mystical might?”
“A test? And would not that be me providing a service without payment? Shall you demand I give your future for free and then become content and leave before I am paid?” She had a clear tone of humor in her voice.
Theodore picked up on it too. “Ah, a conundrum then. Perhaps it’s not the future you scry to prove your credentials? Perhaps a peer into my past already happened? A miniscule event, a triviality in the grand tapestry of fate, I would expect. I have gained a new card for my deck in the last few days. Dare you scry your magics to name it?”
“A test of skill then. But to have me expand so much effort, I would double the payment on a promise of completion of your future told after. Such terms would not be remiss for a gentleman, would they not?”
“As named a gentleman, how could I reject such a request from a lady?” Theodore acquiesced.
“Twice told, once promised.” She spoke. “I tell you a second time, if proven accurate, then as a gentleman, you would not reject these ladies’ request for double payment for the glimpse into the future offered thereafter?”
“Twice told, I promise.” Theodore responded. “As a gentleman, my word is my bond.” He held up his hand, and there was just ever so slightly a surge of power.
The shadows at the edges of the alley shuddered for just the tiniest moment.
“Then an accord is struck." The woman spoke. “A proof of skills I offer. A card you obtain, and secrets I reveal.” His fingers danced around the crystal ball as it flashed with various colors, smoke inside of it pulsing rapidly. “Yes, I see a card from a man that will remain unnamed and unprovoked. A name given it is “The Witch.” She paused.
She looked up at Theodore.
Theodore had a rather smug grin on his face. “Is there something wrong, madam?”
“Thou art a cheeky boy.” She scowled indignantly; her tone and mannerism of speech had abruptly changed. “Dost thou enjoy teasing a pitiful old crone like me?”
“You are many things, madam, but pitiful or an old crone you are not.”
She sniffed in annoyance. “I should have expected from thy spirits in thy shadow. Thou hast recognized my visage on sight. Pray tell, what reason do you have to interrupt my business? A small spirit like myself is hardly worth the trouble of one who surrounds himself with the likes of the ones staring at me from below.”
She was being polite.
She didn’t say it out loud, but it was more along the lines of, ‘What could you possibly want with me when you have such terrifying monsters with you already?’
“If thou wishest to feed me to thy spirits, thou wilt find thy meal lacking. This pitiful old crone can barely subsist in this world from meager offerings for parlor tricks.”
It was a known quantity in the world that Duel Spirits can technically gain strength from devouring other Duel Spirits in the human world.
It was one of the reasons that Duel Spirits made contracts with humans in the first place.
“Madam, I can speak for all of us—” he said, referring to not just himself but also his spirits. “-- when I say we do not find you pitiful at all. You are a magnificent spirit, and I simply wanted to meet such a lovely lady.” He reached over, gently picking up her hand and giving it a kiss on the back.
“Thy words are filled with false praises.” She huffed but didn’t pull her hand away. “My existence is far below the likes of the ones you accompany.”
Without hesitation, Theodore took out his deck and pulled out both copies of a certain card. “The Witch of the Black Forest.” He said, putting them on the table. “It is one of the most important cards in my deck. And if my other spirits didn’t understand that much, then they wouldn’t be worthy of being my companions.”
The woman cast her gaze at the cards with a strange expression on her face. Then her eyes drifted downwards; she could see the spirits because they let her.
The two-headed dragon, powerful and ancient.
It would have made many a mortal proud to call such a creature their companion, yet it seemed it was merely the proverbial gate guard.
The one who stood at the bridge that blocked the unworthy.
Then came the one in armor.
It startled her in more ways than could be put into words. Spirits were instinctive to the hierarchy of spirits, in both power and mystical might.
It was an insurmountable existence in comparison to her.
Yet it did not look at her in disdain, even offering a faint smile before stepping to the side.
The last one, though, she dared not look upon fully.
It sent a glance her way and snorted but didn’t show a look of disdain either.
“Madam, you’re the one that rounds my deck out to make sure all the pieces move correctly.” Theodore said with sincerity. “How could I possibly offer false platitudes to a woman of your lofty status?”
In this world, if you didn’t respect your cards, your cards wouldn’t respect you back. And to meet the literal spirit of one of his most important cards, he had to be polite and affectionate towards her, even if they were strangers.
She pursed her lips in quiet contemplation. “Doth thou whisper honey words into mine ear in an attempt to win my favor, Magician? Am I to be another one of your…conquests?” She spoke normally, but there was perhaps a hint of flattery shown on her face. Subtle enough that it was almost unnoticeable, and with her best effort to push down.
“That depends; will it work if I do so?” Theodore smiled cheekily.
“’Twas a jest, yet you claim to desire me? I am…not a spirit of high powers. Even in ages past, very few of your kind sought my wisdom and power. I cannot stand against the great beasts of destruction, nor am I a vaunted sorcerer of legends.”
Theodore gently took her hand again and looked into her eyes, showing not a hint of dishonesty to the spirit. “And yet, without you, I fear I would lack confidence in my future trials.”
She looked away. “Thou art blessed with a glib tongue.”
“I’d much rather be blessed with the favor of such a magnificent woman by my side.”
“Cease thy hollow words; they fall upon deaf ears.” Though she said that, her expression spoke differently. “’Tis a great sin to insult a witch, and thou wilt choose thy further words carefully lest thou wish to incur this witch’s wrath, human.”
Theodore put his hands up in surrender. “I will keep my very true thoughts to myself then.”
The Spirit scoffed indignantly. “Thou hast made a promise, but this witch no longer calls thee a gentleman. Doth thou still claim the oath given?”
“You want some of my Ba, right?” Theodore asked. “Very well, I am a man of my word.”
Ka and Ba. Spirit and Soul.
Ba is basically one’s spirit energy, their ‘magic.’ When in a shadow duel, it’s represented as Life Points.
For one to summon spirits into the world (Ka), it requires the use of Ba.
Spirits subside off Ba
The spirit in front of Theodore, she would lure people with more than average amounts over with her presence and offer them their future told in exchange for a tiny bit of their Ba.
It was by no means dangerous to them; a person’s Ba recovered over time, and if large chunks are taken, it can certainly be debilitating and possibly damaging. But in this case, it would be like someone pricking you for a few drops of your blood.
“Thy words are correct, Magician. The deal struck must be completed.” She pulled down her hood, revealing herself completely. She noticed him looking at her and perhaps became more flustered than she would have liked to admit. “Cease your staring, you false gentleman.”
Theodore smiled awkwardly at her words, knowing that perhaps he was staring a bit too long. “Do you need me to do anything?”
She grumbled and held her hands together to form a triangle. “Consider thyself fortunate. I shall give thee service reserved for only mine own use.”
She held her hands up to her forehead, and a third eye opened.
Theodore felt a faint pulse of power.
Her eyes were unfocused and glowed.
“Thy future is difficult to perceive. Thy presence uncertain, thy destiny…I cannot find your thread of destiny.”
Theodore stiffened a little but didn’t say anything. He could more or less guess why that was happening even if he wasn’t well versed in magic.
“A trace echoes backwards, a future reasonable, a place of learning upon an island clad in darkness. No more can I see.” She let out a breath, looking visibly tired. “My promise unfulfilled, my power does not allow me to pierce the veil; thy future is engulfed in chaos.”
“...Does that have anything to do with—”
“Do not speak the name on thy tongue!” She quickly hushed him, hissing under her breath. “Names carry power, young Magician. Speaking the name of your companion will alert the others. They conceal themself for your own benefit.”
Theodore swallowed and nodded wordlessly.
“Now, leave me.” She waved her hand. “Thou art but a nuisance to linger any longer upon my sight.”
“I still need to give you payment.” Theodore stated. “You need Ba to sustain yourself in this world? You can take a bit more from me; I think I got more than the average person.”
The spirit crossed her arms, looking at him strangely. “Dost thou ignore my words? Trade has thus been rendered null; my offer of future revelations has failed.”
Theodore did ignore her and gently took her hand again. “I admit, I’m not quite knowledgeable enough to…give you my Ba, so please take it.”
Her lips quivered slightly. “I refuse thy promise—”
“Either accept payment, or I’ll happily keep holding your hand all morning.” Theodore said cheekily.
Her lips trembled a little bit more. “Thou art a crude man. The foulest lie to pass thy lips is to claim to be a gentleman. Fine, thou art forcing me, then I shall take a meal of thy Ba.”
Theodore felt something drain from him, coming from deep inside.
It was one of the strangest feelings he’d ever experienced. Pain wasn’t quite the right word; it was almost like he was metaphysically throwing something up.
She pulled her hand away with another huff of indignance after she was finished.
“Was that enough?” He asked; his sincere, worried tone wasn’t missed by her, and it only made her more indignant.
“...thou hast provided for my continued presence for a handful of missing moons.”
Theodore tilted his head.
“Tis more than enough, you fool!” She harumphed. “...if thou wilt listen to my advice beyond any other words, offer not thy Ba to others without precautions. Thou shalt face the most treacherous of spirits if thou dost not heed my words.”
“Are you worried about me?” Theodore asked with a smile.
She gave him a dry look. “Cease your foolishness and depart from my sight.” She made a shooing motion.
Theodore got up, buttoning back up his suit; he looked at her one last time before he departed, knowing that he couldn’t linger here all morning. “...my offer was genuine. I would really like it if you came with me.”
She looked up at him; her haughty and growing temper from a moment prior seemed to dissipate completely. “Thou art a strange man.” She looked away as if trying to make a decision. “Upon the island shrouded in chaos, there lies a facsimile of my form. Discarded, thrown away, knowing only shadows and endless darkness. If thou truly wishes to force upon me thy continued presence, then find it and…mayhaps I will accompany thee for a period….”
As she said that, her form flickered, and she disappeared from sight.
“...cute.” Theodore whispered.
He vaguely felt a certain spirit of his, the lowest one, snort at that, and he didn’t know why.
It was because the Witch of the Black Forest, whom Theodore had left, was, in fact, nearby and heard him.
Regardless, he carried on.
He had another goal. Once he got to Duel Academy, he would find the card she said was discarded and tossed away.
Beyond having a third copy of Witch of the Black Forest, he genuinely wanted her to come with him.
If nothing else, he needed someone to start teaching him how to use his Ba properly.
She called him a magician, but he didn’t even know how to ‘use’ his Ba consciously.
There was a lot to digest based on what she said, but he figured he would have time to do that later.
For now, he continued onwards towards his goal for today.
[Line Break]
If there was one thing Theodore appreciated about this world, it was the fact that the public transportation here was excellent.
Maybe it was just because he wasn’t living in Japan in his past life.
He still had many questions, like, why did most people here have English-sounding names? And why did everyone in Japan speak English?
Perhaps it was just some magic side effect that he simply heard what was familiar to him; who knows.
But it was strange.
Still, he was appreciative that he didn’t need a vehicle to navigate the city. And walking was good for one’s health.
As soon as he disembarked the train, he could see the large dueling arena where the entry tests were being held.
He could easily spy a couple people moving in that direction with duel disks on their arms as well.
Like him, it seemed that plenty of people had the idea to make sure they’re a little bit early.
Theodore got in line behind several others for entrance.
The line went relatively fast, but he didn’t recognize any of the names that were said ahead of him.
“Name?” The man at the booth asked.
“Theodore Blackwell.” He said politely.
The man tilted his head back behind a screen as he searched it up. “Blackwell, got it.” He pulled off a piece of paper behind him and handed it to him. “You’re number 14; your number will be called when it’s your turn to duel.”
Theodore thanked him and moved on inside.
Number 14 wasn’t bad; it means he was within the first bit that arrived.
He stepped inside, and it quickly unfolded into a big stadium. Big enough that thousands of people could fill these seats with more left over.
The center and the stages had been separated into several blocks for dueling.
Despite people just starting to arrive, he noted that it had a sort of lively atmosphere. He could see several staff members down below. Not all of them were teachers, he would assume; some of them looked like various other staff.
Some that looked like security guards, a few who looked like they were setting up recording equipment.
Or otherwise, some were just miscellaneous staff that did work in the background.
It was a sight he hadn’t seen in his previous life.
All he had to go on before was Jaden running in beforehand without so much as going through the proper procedures and barely making it in time.
He shook his head because as much of a nice guy as Jaden was, Theodore couldn’t help but fault him for his attitude.
He certainly had the attitude of ‘everything will work out,’ which isn’t a bad thing to have, but it had to be facilitated by a proper work ethic.
Jaden would be a good friend to have, but he would be a poor partner for anything requiring actual work.
While Theodore was lost in thought, he did notice someone recognizable, and it piqued his interest.
Funnily, he wasn’t the type to be overly extroverted before. He was by no means an introvert, but he also wasn’t the type to walk up to strangers and chat them up either.
Confidence.
He reminded himself again.
“Good morning.” Theodore greeted the person who looked to be his age. “A participant as well, I presume?”
He perked up. “Good morning to you as well. Yes, I am an examinee, and I presume, based on your wording, that you are as well.” He smiled politely. “Bastion Misawa.” He held out his hand.
“Theodore Blackwell.” Theodore answered back, shaking it. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“And you as well.” He said good-naturedly.
“I see you have the number two spot; how enviable. I attempted to arrive early enough to acquire a lower number, but alas, the world doesn’t always conspire in one’s favor.”
He chuckled. “But your early attendance does you credit, my friend. I’m sure the professors have noted those who were studious enough to arrive punctually.”
“We can only hope.” Theodore chuckled as well, taking a seat nearby, close enough to chat without raising one’s voice. “Would you perhaps like to exchange information?”
“Exchange information?” He raised an eyebrow. “A curious request. What type of information do you find valuable?”
Theodore hummed. “Information gathered about the test, or Duel Academy in general.”
“Such information is hard to come by.” He pointed out. “Duel Academy likes to keep many things a secret for new students, or so I’ve heard.”
Theodore smiled, knowing that what Bastion said was true. There was very little actual information about Duel Academy you could find online.
They liked to keep most things secret.
There wasn’t even a map of the actual academy on the island that you could find online.
“I am intrigued. Very well.” Bastion thought for a moment before accepting. “Shall I start by saying that I have learned the professors use custom decks provided by the academy and not their personal decks?”
Theodore held up a finger. “How about I go a step further there? Not only do they use custom decks, but they’re built in specific ways to intentionally test the students on certain aspects. For instance, a deck that’s built around swarming the field with strong four-star and lower monsters to see if a student can handle the most basic of strategies.”
Recognizing the strategy early would be a big benefit to him. It may have taken him one or two extra turns to realize what was going on, and this saved him some trouble.
Bastion looked thoughtful for a moment. “A logical extension, yes, I can see it.” He nodded to himself. “It seems my information isn’t as good as yours in this instance. In that case, shall I tell you that you should most certainly pack extra essentials for the Academy?”
“Extra essentials?” Theodore tilted his head.
“Underpants, for instance.” He said with a straight face. “I have it on good authority that the store on the island—not to be confused with the Card Store—doesn’t open its door until over a month into the school year. If you require essential items, you will be in quite the spot.”
Theodore blinked because he hadn’t thought about that. Frankly, he didn’t even know there was a secondary store other than the card store, from what he recalled.
But it definitely made sense.
What were girls supposed to do when their…monthly items ran out? Or what happens if someone runs out of toothpaste?
“Valuable information.” Theodore acknowledged. “Allow me to offer some in return. Don’t expect to be slotted into Obelisk Blue even if you received a perfect grade in both the written portions previously and the practical exam today.”
Bastion frowned slightly. “Can you elaborate?”
“It’s extremely rare for a student who hasn’t proved themselves to start in Obelisk Blue. That is, it’s mostly reserved for those who come from prep schools or private schools that have connections to Duel Academy. The vast majority of students who show aptitude are put into Ra Yellow, while they put the ones they lack confidence in into Slifer Red.”
Duel Academy had three ‘dorms.’
They were also separated by colored uniforms.
They were arranged after the Egyptian God Cards. Obelisk Blue was the highest and most prestigious.
Then there was Ra Yellow.
And in last place was Slifer Red.
Your treatment also corresponded to the dorm you were assigned.
Bastion held a hand on his chin, looking deep in thought. “I see. To maintain the competitive atmosphere and to filter out those who can’t handle the intense curriculum, they assign them to the second-best house. It allows them to be demoted if they fail expectations or to be promoted if they prove they are capable.”
Theodore nodded, knowing that Bastion hit the nail on the head.
While they were talking, Theodore noticed that the seats in the arena began to fill up.
More and more people were filling in, and he wasn’t entirely sure they were all there for the examination.
Was there a way for outsiders to watch?
He didn’t have an answer to that question.
“Numbers 1 through 15, please come down to the arena for your duels!” A loud voice came over the intercom.
Theodore perked up, clutching his Number 14. He shared a look with Bastion and held his hand out. “Good luck to you.”
“And to you as well. I expect us to meet again on the boat to the Academy.” Bastion smiled.
Theodore gave him a nod as he pulled out his deck and slotted it into his Duel Disk.
Bastion was a good guy, so Theodore intentionally wanted to start a friendship with him.
Meticulous, considerate, intelligent.
Theodore found the stairs heading downwards, taking a different path than Bastion as he saw the numbers floating in holograms over the various arenas down below.
He walked up to number 14, where he met his opponent.
“Good morning, young man. I will be your examiner for your entry test.” It was a middle-aged man, but he had a somewhat dour atmosphere about him. And he wore a Ra-Yellow uniform. “You can call me Professor Satyr. I’m the head of the Ra Yellow Dorms and the Head of the Card Design department for Duel Academy. If you’re so inclined, if you can beat me, I teach an art class that focuses on card design.” He had a warm smile despite the fact that he looked like he hadn’t slept in several days. s
“Good morning, Professor.” Theodore greeted back. “Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to perform my examination. I hope to see you at Duel Academy in the future.”
The Professor smiled a little bit more. “That’s a good attitude to have. Do you need a moment? If not, we will flip a coin to see who goes first.”
“There’s no need; by all means, please go first, Professor.” Theodore politely offered.
He nodded. “I will accept your generosity, young man. Then—”
“Duel!” They both said it at the same time, and the field came to life as their Duel Disks activated.
“I draw.” The Professor declared. “I activate the Spell Card, Pot of Greed! Drawing two cards.”
He looked over his cards for a moment before making another decision.
“Then, I activate the Spellcard Wave-Mation Cannon!” He slapped the spell card onto the field, and a large hologram of a magical cannon appeared in his spell zone. “Every standby phase, this card gains a counter, and during any of my main phases, I can send this card to the graveyard to do 500 points of damage to you for every counter.”
Theodore raised an eyebrow. “Ah, that card.”
“So you’re familiar.” He smiled lightly.
“I presume that you’re playing a burn deck then, Professor.”
Theodore did frown slightly because a burn strategy was perhaps the worst matchup for his deck.
The professor chuckled. “Figured it out so quickly, good, good. Let’s see if you can handle it, young man. Then I play one card face down and set a monster face down, ending my turn. Your move.”
“Draw!” Theodore declared as he looked over his hand and smiled faintly. He noticed the Wave-Motion Canon gained a counter.
It wasn’t only the professor’s standby phase that got a counter; it was every standby phase. Theodore noted the differences between the card effect here and in his previous world.
In his previous world, it was 1000 points of damage, not 500. Though he could chalk it up to the fact that they use 4000 LP totals here and not 8000 like he was familiar with.
“I place one card face down, and I set one monster. Your move, professor.”
“Not scared, huh? Most kids your age would panic and start doing their best to beat me as fast as possible.” The Professor praised him for his calmness. “Very well, draw.”
He shifted his cards round. “I place one more card face down and end my turn. I suppose I don’t need to remind you that I can wait all day.”
Theodore nodded. “Thank you for your advice, professor. But I am confident in my deck. Draw.”
He smiled because his deck gave him the cards he needed.
“Now, I sacrifice my face-down card to tribute summon!” The monster he put face down was sent to the grave, Witch of the Black Forest. “To summon, Bystial Druiswurm!”
[Bystial Druiswurm: Level 6]
[2500/2000]
“Bystial Druiswurm?” The Professor furrowed his brow. “A strong monster.” He clearly didn’t recognize the monster. “To summon a monster with 2500 attack so quickly is impressive.”
“That’s not all; the effect of my Witch of the Black Forest triggers when it’s sent from the field to the Graveyard. I can search my deck for a creature with 1500 or less defense and add it to my hand.” His deck shuffled itself until the card he wanted appeared to pop out. “I choose Thunder Dragon.”
“Thunder Dragon, you say?” The Professor nodded at the name. It was a fairly common card, but not one many played nowadays.
“Go to battle.” Theodore stated. “Bystial Druiswurm, attack his face-down monster.”
“Not so fast, I activate my trap card—Scrap-Iron Scarecrow. When your monster declares an attack, I can negate that attack and set this card back face down instead of sending it to the graveyard.”
Theodore clicked his tongue; it was an annoying card. “I chain my own trap card and reveal Seven Tools of the Bandit! I pay 1000 life points and negate your trap card!”
Theodore Blackwell [4000 → 3000]
“Very well, then I activate my second Trap Card!” The Professor followed up once more. “Ring of Destruction.”
Theodore’s eyes widened, and the Professor chuckled. “It seems you’re familiar with this card, but I’ll explain anyways. I target one face-up monster of yours and destroy it; we both take damage equal to its attack! And I choose your Bystial Druiswurm!”
Theodore had no response to it.
Theodore Blackwell [1500 LP → 500 LP]
Professor Satyr [4000 LP → 1500 LP]
“What a devastating move, Professor.” Theodore responded.
“Shall I remind you, young man? That on my turn, I will send my Wave-Motion Cannon to the Graveyard to deal enough damage to win the match.” The Professor politely reminded him. “You only have 500 life points left.”
Theodore chuckled. “You should know, Professor. As long as my Life Points haven't reached zero, then it doesn’t matter if they’re at 1 or 1 million. Thanks to my Witch of the Black Forest, I activate the effect of my Thunder Dragon in hand! I can search my deck for up to two more Thunder Dragons by sending it to the graveyard!”
This is why Theodore valued Witch of the Black Forest so highly.
It was why he said that all his Duel Spirits would never balk or diminish her ability even if she wasn’t ‘strong.’
It was because she facilitated their summonings.
Of all three of them, she was the one who almost always made it possible!
“Your battle phase already ended; what trick do you have?” The Professor asked.
“Let me show you! I banish from my Graveyard Witch of the Black Forest and Thunder Dragon in order to special summon Chaos Sorcerer!”
[Chaos Sorcerer: Level 6]
[2300/2000]
“Chaos Sorcerer!?” The Professor exclaimed in shock.
It was an exceedingly rare card.
Now that he had a monster summoned again, his opponent couldn’t simply swing at him for 500 damage with whatever small creature he had.
“So this is your Ace Monster!” The Professor said in awe.
Theodore didn’t correct him.
“I’m not done; I play Mystical Space Typhoon from my hand, destroying your Wave-Motion Cannon! Then I set one card down and end my turn.”
The Professor let out a breath. “I’m impressed. I destroyed your field and set up a win on my turn, yet you turned it around and stabilized in the same turn.” He shook his head. “Very well, Draw!”
He smiled. “It looks like it’s time to end this. I play Giant Germ in attack mode!”
[Giant Germ: Level 2]
[1000/100]
“This monster has a nifty effect. When it’s destroyed by battle and sent to the graveyard, I can inflict 500 points of damage to you and get another Giant Germ from my deck and onto the field in face-up attack position!” The Professor explained. “Now, go to battle! Giant Germ, run into his Chaos Sorcerer and finish the game!”
The Giant Germ smashed into the Chaos Sorcerer, but since the Chaos Sorcerer had more attack, his Giant Germ died, and he took battle damage equal to the differences in attack.
Professor Satyr [1500 LP → 200 LP]
“Not so fast, Professor.” Theodore interrupted him. “I play my Trap Card—Solemn Judgement!” He exclaimed as the professor’s eyes widened in recognition of the card. “By paying half my life points, I can negate the effect of your Giant Germ!”
Theodore Blackwell [500 LP → 250 LP]
“You even stopped my monster’s effect.” He said darkly. “Well done. I unfortunately pass my turn.”
Theodore nodded and drew his card.
“Apologies, Professor, I shall be ending the duel.” He declared confidently. “I activate the Spell Card Polymerization! I fuse together the two Thunder Dragons in my hand to bring out my faithful dragon—Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon!”
[Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon: Level 7]
[2800/2100]
“Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon, attack his face-down monster!”
“Unfortunate.” The Professor sighed as the defense monster flipped up and was then sent to the graveyard.
[Big Shield Gardna: Level 4]
[100/2600]
“Now, Chaos Sorcerer, attack his Lifepoints directly! Chaos Burst!”
Professor Satyr [200 LP → 0 LP]
The professor wasn’t put off, though, even as he lost the duel.
“Welcome to Duel Academy, Mr. Blackwell. I look forward to seeing you for the next several years.”
[Line Break]
A/N
Onwards to Duel Academy.
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