Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: The Second Story ❯ Entry Exams ( Chapter 1 )

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: The Second Story

 

A/N's: The original characters are each to his/her own. For spoiler reasons, owners of the original characters will not be made for claim unless the creators feel that they want to.

 

Chapter 1 - Entry Exams

When a living room was quiet, anyone could hear the birds chirping outside greeting the afternoon. That would be until the front door is kicked down. “EEEEEEEEYAH!” A girl's battle cry rattled the rafters of the attic and her kick nailed the door so hard the knob remained on the doorframe while the rest of the door hung on a single hinge. Her blazing hazel eyes only added to the infuriation of her gritted teeth and wild brown hair tied in a ponytail, except for a lock too short to be pulled back dangle on her right. A black T-shirt and boot-cut denim flares ended to her attire over sneakers and a shard of quartz dangling on a silver chain around her neck. “SABRE! IF WE ARE LATE FOR THE ENTRY EXAMS I'LL SKIN YOU ALIVE!” She shrieked.

On the floor above her, a housemother with shoulder-length black hair and wide brown eyes looked stunned at the invasion of clamor, she wore her usual pastel purple dress and a white apron. She stood at the side of an occupied bed; moreover, the one that was previously sleeping in was terrified. “Mom? Artemis…is here…isn't she?” He asked while shuddering under the blankets.

“Certainly sounds like her.” She said and looked down the doorway. “Jordan will be down in a few minutes! Help yourself to the fridge, Artemis!”

“Arigato Sabre-chan!” Artemis called back, quickly silencing her rampage. “But we are running late, we need to get to Kaiba Corp in five minutes!” Jordan finally pulled the covers off of him and pulled into his casual wear of a teal T-shirt under a flaming pullover shirt and black jeans; all in a matter of minutes.

“Sorry mom, I gotta go! Artemis will back those threats!” He said after a quick sweep of his short black hair with a comb and checked the mirror on his breeze down the stairs. He flew past Artemis who just bit into an apple from the fridge and followed after him out the door with a quick wave goodbye.

Jordan sprinted down the streets as fast as his strides could carry him, constantly looking back to see Artemis hot on his tail and gaining fast. “Awcrud! Awcrud!” he grunted and bolted faster, dodging the busy sidewalks and lucky to catch all the green lights, in his belief anyway. He knew Artemis would never back down from her threats, even if they seemed overly exaggerated. Jordan still remembered when Artemis had her Command Knight card stolen from her deck. She beaten down the kleptomaniac and got her card returned within ten minutes of notice.

Artemis kept his backside in sight while making the endurance sprint. She knew that over the years Jordan had had a huge lack in confidence, even while they were learning Duel Monsters together. She knew that a trip to the infamous Duel Academy established by Kaiba Corp. could give him more help in his confidence among friends and duelists alike. Personally she didn't like her frontal attitude but it appeared to be the only way to get Jordan to his feet.

After five minutes of dash, Artemis and Jordan finally reached the front of the Kaiba Corp building, a towering spire of glass with a flatten surface up top. Quickly they signed in and entered the building after given instructions. The crowding currents gave way to the both of them to an exam room built like an orchestra setup and students began to file in, all of ages varying between 14 and 19. “Alright, first there's the written exam. Then when we're done, we need to take a Duel exam using our decks.” Artemis reviewed the instructions registration gave them. “We'll be assigned an administrator to duel. And our performance will be compared to our score on the written exam to see which dorm we belong in if we pass.”

“What do you mean `if we pass'?” Jordan gulped.

“Well, this is an exam, right? No guarantee what is considered the line between passing and failing among our exam and duel. But try your best.” Artemis answered and they were both handed their packets and pencils. Each of them took a seat separate from each other and began to look through the questions.

First section is Duel scenarios…nice. Artemis thought with a wide grin.

Duel scenarios? Aw man…. Jordan thought otherwise and tried to go through the exam without showing weakness. Alright. Duelist A has a Kazejin…

 

Almost an hour passed, and most of the examinees have already left. Artemis flipped her packet shut and walked down the stadium steps. She drifted past Jordan who watched with scanning eyes between her and his test. I'm almost done, just one more section. It looks like these are just facts about the cards themselves. Jordan thought and skimmed through the multiple-choice before reading the question.

Artemis approached the front desk, seating a rather elite-looking school official whose appearance wouldn't be questioned. Even if he wore heavy purple lipstick, crescent-dangle earrings, a blonde ponytail, and pink ruffles around the collar and sleeves of his blue uniform.

“Hm, took your time, didn't you?” He said skeptically with a deep accent and hideous gum-to-teeth ratio, and took the packet from her hand. In returned he handed her a pass. “This is your examiner for your Duel exam, proceed to the arenas.” Artemis nodded silently and proceeded to the right exit of the classroom. She soon heard footsteps behind her, a gaze over the shoulder found Jordan coming up behind her.

“Did you rush on the rest of the test so you wouldn't fall behind me?” She asked a gasping Jordan.

“Nah, it was easy, probably for you. By the way, how did you do?” Jordan questioned as they both walked down the hall to what sounded like cheering near the end. “You think that's where the duels are held?”

“Certainly sounds like it. To whom are you dueling?” Artemis wondered while looking at her own pass. “I'm supposed to duel Kaiba, head of the Gaming Design at the Academy.”

“But I've got Kaiba, Academy First Lady.”

“Then that means one of two things: one, your pass got really screwed up; or two, Kaiba has a female in charge of the Academy along with him.” Artemis said and compared the two passes; all it addressed were the last names and the position of which they had in the Academy.

“But what about you? If you're going to duel THE Kaiba, then it would have said more than `head of the Gaming Design'.” Jordan tried to argue just as they passed through the doors. Both their school days told them to find the nearest associate and ask for further instructions. While they looked for a school official without a duel, they watched eyes dead-set on them. In return they gazed at students whom already qualified, uniform and all.

One such set of darkly gray eyes belonged to a boy just slightly older than them, with a large mess of black hair mostly brought forward without covering his eyes, and wore a regal-looking blue uniform much like that of the administrator in the exam room without the pink insult. He watched the two new duelists like a hawk spying out its prey. “They're late.” He simply said, commenting to the two other boys that sat by either of his shoulders.

Jordan found the first officiate while Artemis' gaze turned into a glare. He hoped that nothing broke into a fistfight while he dashed up to a female in a white shirt and a blue short skirt. She'd look like the other female students if it weren't for the fact she was at the least five years older than them; plus she had more to the uniform such as a longer sheet of blue fabric draping behind her legs. Her long black flow of hair was left untied behind her and ends trailed her back. “Excuse me, Miss?” Jordan called her attention. “Do you know where my friend and I can find Kaiba?”

“Depends on which Kaiba you're talking about.” She replied lightly, “Who are you looking for?”

“Well I'm supposed to find the Academy First Lady, and my friend is supposed to duel the head of Gaming Design—are you saying there's more than one Kaiba?!” Jordan jumped, catching Artemis' attention and paced to his side. She looked at him curiously while the female administrator smirked. She turned over her shoulder and called out.

“Mokuba! You've got another one!” She cried out, looking to someone leaning against the wall of the six-arena stadium. Artemis' jaw hung low at the sight of a male dressed in a blue shirt and black pants under a long white coat with a blue collar just around his neck, hanging undone. He had a plume of black hair uncut from mid-back and bangs swinging just over his eyebrows.

But the stereotypical infatuation wasn't the reason Artemis stood in unspoken shock. “M-Mokuba? Kaiba's brother?” The female administrator nodded with a complimentary smile.

“And I am the Academy First Lady, and the elder Kaiba's wife, Saphira Kaiba.” She introduced. If possible, Jordan would skyrocket to the stadium rafters in sheer shock. Both administrators came to face their respective opponents, and the examinee students tried to keep their excitement low.

He's the head of Gaming Design? This might turn out to be a fun year for me. Artemis smiled, trying to look formal in front of him.

Aw man, she's throwing off one nasty vibe…. Jordan figured while watching Saphira keep the most sinister leer, and he trembling. I really hope I don't mess it up, Artemis will kill me if I'm not accepted into the Academy. Both of them gestured and led their opponents to one of the spare arenas, handing them the upgraded Duel Disks from what was used during the Kaiba Corp. Grand Prix six years ago. The Duel Disk appeared more advanced that before, deactivated it was a forearm's length with a blue sphere imbedded on the silver mechanism attached to the arm and a red sphere began a blade-shaped thick plate with three card slots. Two more card slots shot from the other side of the red sphere after it shined in activation.

“I see you and your friend have been introduced to us but I don't know your name.” Mokuba said while he found his spot and pointed Artemis to the other side.

“The name's Artemis Minh. And here's hoping for a good duel.” She said.

“Same here,” Mokuba nodded. Both took their stance and drew their first hand. Artemis' right hand quaked while she drew cards. A technicality she hoped would have been fixed since the Duel Disk's first appearance in Battle City; she disapproved of the fact that the mass production only made Duel Disks that could be worn on the left arm no problem. It was her problem; when she dueled on tabletop, she always drew from the deck with her left hand. Here she was forced to play the opposite, something she could never get used to.

Mokuba studied Artemis quickly before calling a delay in the duel. “Hold on Artemis. Are you a left-handed duelist?”

“A what?” Artemis didn't figure what the term “left-handed duelist” meant.

“You know, like if you write right- or left-handed. How we tell is if by which hand you draw from your deck, not to mention how you hold your cards.” Mokuba explained. “Right-hand duelists hold their cards so they see the upper-left corner of the cards in their hands. And it's apparent you see the upper-right corners.” He was right, Artemis looked down to her hand and saw that she could see the Attribute Icons on her cards.

“Well putting it that way, yes I am a left-handed duelist.” Artemis answered, earning a grin from Mokuba.

“We'll start our duel in five minutes, you just need a Duel Disk swap, and I've got just the perfect one for you.” He said and scampered to a briefcase he was leaning by before Saphira called him.

 

Jordan's only problem was not to get distracted by Saphira's intimidating appearance. He took his stand on one side of the arena while Saphira stood at her mark. “You better be ready because I'm not considering holding back on a newbie.” She said, pulling on a pair of blue open-finger gloves while approaching her end of the duel arena and her Duel Disk snapped into action on her left arm. Jordan was given his own Duel Disk from a girl dressed in the same design of uniform, only colored yellow instead of blue. He clicked on his Duel Disk and pulled his hand first.

Saphira did the same. “I believe it's you should have the opportunity of first attack, so I'll begin this exam.” She said and drew her hand of six. Saphira always seemed to have some unlucky draws in her game but she managed. “I set one monster face-down and set one more card face-down. You're up.”

“That's all?” Jordan looked with slight disbelief before drawing his sixth card. He probably had about the same luck. Maybe Artemis was right, 50 cards is too much in a deck. He thought and tried what he could with brute force. “I summon Archfiend Soldier in attack mode!” He declared. A monstrous hologram stood fast with a wicked blade and an exoskeleton of a fiendish figure.

“A rookie's mistake, I activate my trap card Gravity Bind!” Saphira countered summoning, “When I activate this card, all monsters with four level stars or more cannot attack. Looks like you're bum out of luck.” Saphira's trap was something Jordan should have seen. He recalls Artemis doing that same move when she plays first turn in their duels. A massive net of light linked together and formed a semi-sphere barrier around Jordan's field. The Archfiend Soldier drew its sword from the scabbard and slashed wildly with no avail.

“Alright, since my Archfiend can't attack, I guess I end my turn here.” Jordan said, passing his turn before it could reach the Battle Phase.

Turn came back to Saphira, nothing came to her as her draw was another weak monster with a relatively fair defense; and with Gravity Bind on the field, she could breathe a sigh of relief to be bought some time. “I'll set another monster face down and end my turn.” She said, and another card hologram lined itself up with her first one.

“I know what to do now!” Jordan said after drawing his initial card of the turn. “I'll begin with Pot of Greed, giving me two free cards!” He said and pulled another two from the deck, his eyes going wide in shock. No, no, no! These won't help me either!

In the stands, some of the spectator students looked over the edge to watch closely at Jordan's duel. One of them was a girl with tan hair and matching eyes, wearing the blue uniform including the mini-skirt. She was leaning forward onto the back of the next row of chairs, a hand proper her chin and the elbow balanced on the chair's back. “Gotta feel sorry for someone with the misfortune to duel against Saphira-san, huh Ryo?” She commented.

Standing next to her in the aisle was a male with a different coloration of uniform. It was a long-rider with the high collar, but the majority of the coat was white with the blue snap collar around the shoulders. His hair was deep blue, down to his shoulder blades and manageable. His arms were crossed over, glaring down on Jordan. “In terms of power, Saphira-san has a relatively weak deck that almost anyone can overcome; it's the combos she uses that are dangerous. With Gravity Bind on the field, Saphira-san is free to flip those cards whenever she wants, if they are the cards I think they are.” He said, very conserved of the evident thoughts that were hidden.

Jordan looked back to his hand and pulled out a monster. “I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior!” He called and a second monster came to Archfiend Soldier's alliance. Red armor and gold trim covered every expose limb except for the lower half of his dark face. He held a polished sword and shield of the same orient decoration. “And this is always handy. Breaker comes in with one Spell Counter attached to him, and by removing that Spell Counter I can destroy one Spell or Trap card on the field.” He addressed.

Artemis watched from her position in the middle of the arena, somewhat taken back at Jordan's playing. “I guess you have improved, but you still need to thin out that deck. That was a 1 in 50 you could have got Breaker out.” She muttered and looked to one of the doors Mokuba exited. “And where's Mokuba-senpai?”

Jordan kept the ball rolling. “Go Breaker, destroy her Gravity Bind with Dispel Shield!” He cried and the red spellcaster rammed the lighted net, a resistance of electricity sparked from the trap before it shattered and Gravity Bind shattered into shards from Saphira's field setup. She grunted in disappointment while the holographic pieces flew by her. “Now you're open Saphira! Archfiend Soldier, Breaker! Attack both her defensive monsters!” He commanded. Both raised their swords and charged forward; in sync with each other, they spiked Saphira's two cards easily.

Faint images of two child-like spellcasters with tiny animal apprentices appeared briefly in poses of pain before vanishing and their cards broke into shards once again. Saphira's eyes narrowed, “No, Hiita and Eria.” She grunted, “They couldn't use their special abilities because your monsters are of the Dark Attribute.”

“Relax, at least you Life Points weren't deducted.” Jordan said before signaling his End Phase.

“No but yours will be!” Saphira spat back and drew her next card. The graveyard slot on her Duel Disk began to shine like a flashlight. “Eria the Water Charmer will not go down in vain for she has a task she can perform from the Graveyard.” A translucent image of her blue spellcaster drifted in front of her, stand in prayer with her staff balancing in front of the child. Eria's long flow of blue hair drifted around her plain cloaks of cotton in dyes of brown and green. Along beside her was one-third of her size a lizard humanoid, Gigabyte.

“What…can Eria do?” Jordan asked with uncertainty.

“I can remove Eria from my graveyard, to summon the Aqua Spirit in attack mode!” Saphira answered. Eria vanished and in place of her was another blue spirit that looks like a young bride in pale shrouds.

“Aqua Spirit? Come on, my Archfiend Soldier can take her out easily.” Jordan jumped with a wide grin.

“Not after this he won't: I give my Aqua Spirit Malevolent Nuzzler, increasing her attack power to 2300.” Saphira called out and a darkening aura surrounded her spirit. Aqua Spirit's eyes glowed with a gaze that could make anyone shudder. “Now Aqua Spirit, attack the Archfiend Soldier with Blackwater Rush!” She commanded and her spirit lifted both hands with palms open. In a split second, a powerful shot of water collided into Archfiend Soldier and into Jordan, reducing his Life Points to 3600. “And that will end my turn.” She announced.

“Great…” Jordan commented and his draw gave him a wide smile, but not before Saphira snapped to his attention.

“I activate Aqua Spirit's effect. By your Standby Phase, she has the ability to switch one of your monster's battle positions. And so if you find some oddball way to destroy my Aqua Spirit, she'll force your Breaker to switch into defense mode and remain there for the duration of your turn.” As she said that, a vapor surrounded Breaker's armor and forced him to a kneeling defense posture.

“So you've spared yourself some Life Point damage, but not all of it. First I activate Mystical Space Typhoon, this card can automatically destroy one spell or trap card on the field. And I'll destroy Malevolent Nuzzler and reduce Aqua Spirit to her original attack of 1600.” He declared and a windstorm forced out the evil aura from Aqua Spirit.

Saphira reviewed her hand as Malevolent Nuzzler went to the graveyard. This hand is too risky to pay for Malevolent's cost. I hope I can pull something off without it. At least Breaker is still forced to defense mode. She thought as Aqua Spirit returned to her bridal-departed image.

“Now here comes Sapphire Dragon!” Jordan made his next move. A blue-scaled dragon appeared beside Breaker, somewhat deformed with some of its scales chipped away. “Sapphire Dragon, attack Aqua Spirit with Hailing Shard Storm!” He directed and the dragon swung open its mouth, releasing a flurry of shards piercing through the Aqua Spirit and some falling on to Saphira, her own Life Points slid by 300.

“OK hot shot, here goes.” Saphira drew another charmer and the dilemma smacked her skull. I've already played two of my Charmers. If this kid had any brains he'd know my pattern by now. My Charmers have the ability to control a monster of a certain attribute and he's already seen Hiita the Fire Charmer and Eria the Water Charmer. After another moment of thought, she set her next card. “I place one monster face down in defense mode and end my turn.” She said as her empty field possessed a solitary card.

Turn Four came to Jordan with his own dilemma. Wait, didn't Saphira say before that when her Charmers flip she can control one of my monsters? He thought to himself, taking more time than what Saphira spent.

Artemis watched with interest. Both of them must have not-so-good-of-hands here. She figured. But using Charmer cards is an interesting strategy. I wonder if Jordan knows the Charmer drawback.

Finally Jordan made up his mind. “I'll put Breaker in attack mode and end my turn.”

“It wouldn't matter; your Sapphire Dragon is mine! I Flip Summon Wynn the Wind Charmer!” Saphira began her turn right after her draw and forced her card into face-up attack mode. The spectators took a silent gasp as the scholar looking girl began her chanting. “When Wynn is flipped, I can control one Wind monster, and Sapphire Dragon is it.”

The Sapphire Dragon looked submissive in Wynn's incomprehensible words and took timid steps to Saphira's side. Saphira smirked and pulled another card from her hand, “Next, I activate the Spell card, Gift of the Martyr! This card works by sacrificing one monster, and adding all of its attack power to another monster. In this case, I'll sacrifice Sapphire Dragon and add all of its attack power to Wynn.” With that, Sapphire Dragon became a spiritualistic creature and faded into Wynn's being. Her staff illuminated with power.

Mokuba just rushed in with a briefcase in his right hand and came in along side Artemis. “Did I miss anything?” He asked her.

“Just a few decent shots from both of them, Mokuba-senpai.” Artemis replied before moving to another question. “May we duel after they're done?” Mokuba nodded and they watched from the sidelines of Saphira's greatest move yet.

“Now I summon the Raging Flame Sprite in attack mode!” A new monster appeared on Wynn's left side, another childish-looking creature with wide eyes and an even wider smile, holding the brim of her brown hat with one hand and a smoldering scepter of an infinite ember in the other. “Cute, isn't she? Wait until she begins to heat things up.”

Crap, I've got nothing to defend myself. With Breaker in attack mode my Life Points will get chewed out. He thought to himself.

“Wynn the Wind Charmer, attack Breaker with Whirlwind Summons!” Saphira entered her Battle Phase and her Wind Charmer unleashed a powerful gale that sent Breaker flying into Jordan. Breaker faded by him before shattering and decimating his Life Points to 2800. “Raging Flame Sprite, your turn! Hit him with Kindling Spark!” She commanded her next attack as a wave of heat struck Jordan for another 100. “And thus begins the fire; when Raging Flame Sprite makes a successful attack on your Life Points, her attack increases by 1000. And that will end my turn there.”

Jordan drew a card that he found necessary and played it instantly. “Swords of Revealing Light!” He called and sabers of energy surrounded Saphira and her two monsters. That was all that could be done this turn.

Saphira gave him a skeptical look. “Everybody thinks that Swords can save their hides when the chips are down.” She commented with heavy sarcasm and drew, keeping a poker face of a card she found worthwhile compared to the rest of her hand: two ritual monsters, both Elemental Mistress Doriado. “I'll just switch Wynn to defense mode and end my turn, since Gift of the Martyr only lasts for my turn.”

Jordan drew again with a wide grin. “Aw yeah, say hello to the Skilled White Magician!” He summoned another spellcaster, draped in white cloaks. Jordan instantly launched into his attack, “Skilled White Magician, attack the Raging Flame Sprite with your White Magic Spell!” The Skilled White Magician threw down his staff and a fissure of light swallowed the small sprite, and even knocked off another 600 off Saphira's Life Points. “To finish my turn I'll set another card face down.” He stated, a card appearing behind the Skilled White Magician.

Saphira drew her next card. Her excitement was wild, it was too hard to conceal. “I play the Spell card Ekibyo Drakmord!” She slid the card into her Duel Disk and the card appeared on display. A green gas began to fill the air around Skilled White Magician and he had to drop his staff to cover his mouth, but he still began to turn pale and dropped to his knees.

“No, Skilled White Magician! What have you done?” Jordan demanded an answer. Saphira chuckled before she replied.

“Someone doesn't know his Duel Monster Plagues. This is Ekibyo Drakmord, a vile card that can paralyze a monster for two turns before that infected monster is destroyed.” She answered, “so I've decided to plague your Skilled White Magician. In two turns your magician will be destroyed.”

“But that still gives my Skilled White Magician one Spell Counter.” Jordan declared and the head of the staff began to glow. “Each time we play a spell card, my magician gets a Spell Counter. Once he gets three, I can summon a more powerful creature. And this will speed things up for sure, go Pitch Black Power Stone!” Jordan flipped his trap and a large black sphere with a yellow triangle appeared. “This card has,”

“Don't lecture me, boy!” Saphira interrupted him. “I know what that card does but it won't matter, Ekibyo Drakmord will still come back to plague the next monster I choose once Skilled White Magician is off the field.” She reviewed her hand once more.

“Not much you can do, this is only the second turn of my Swords of Revealing Light.” Jordan smiled.

“Don't get cocky. But I end my turn here.” Saphira handed play back to Jordan.

Instantly, right after Jordan made his play he declared his Power Stone's ability. “Now I remove one Spell Counter from my Power Stone and add it to my Skilled White Magician.” Even by that, the White Magician was still disabled from attack. “Alright, here comes another Sapphire Dragon, in attack mode!” Jordan declared a second Dragon. “Now attack her Wind Charmer! Hailing Shard Storm!” Again the Sapphire Dragon fired another blast of shards against Wynn and tore her clothes apart before she vanished, although Saphira's Life Points remained untouched.

Seeing that Jordan couldn't possibly do anything worse, Saphira began her next turn, still surrounded by the light swords that became dim flickers by this turn. Her draw proved successful. Of all the most common card tricks to use…but I'll have to make a distraction. “I'll first set one monster face down. Then I use the Ritual Spell card, Doriado's Blessing.” She declared her turn's beginning.

“Doriado's Blessing?” Artemis wondered, “I'm surprised anyone uses Ritual Monsters anymore.”

“Saphira's one of those types to play cards normally not played by others.” Mokuba commented as they continued to watch the duel.

“To play this card, I must offer a monster with three level stars. So I'll offer one card in my hand to summon Elemental Mistress Doriado!” Saphira called out, bringing a girl with her hands clasped together and a large feathery headdress with matching cloaks of blue. “And that ends my turn.” She announced, the swords vanishing.

Jordan drew his card after his Swords were sent to the Graveyard. Again he move another Spell Counter to his White Magician, making 3. “Now I can do this. I sacrifice my Skilled White Magician to summon Buster Blader!” The White Magician vanished from sight. In place of him was a relatively large warrior in purple armor with gold trim, no skin was left exposed, not even the head. On his shoulder was a larger broadsword with blue stones embedded on the other side of the black, wrapped in golden steel.

Saphira watched in slight shock while her Ekibyo Drakmord was brought to her hand. Two monsters? I wish he could have kept to his Sapphire Dragon…

“Alright, since my Buster Blader can't attack since he was a Special Summon, Sapphire Dragon! Attack Elemental Mistress Doriado!” Another attack destroyed the shortly lived spellcaster, but left her Life Points untouched. “And that'll end my turn, try and beat that!”

“You know, we REALLY need to wrap this up.” Saphira drew her card. “Now I'll Flip Summon Aussa the Earth Charmer! Do your thing and bring Buster Blader to my half of the field!” She cried. Her fourth Charmer looked like the studious of them all with a staff that looked like a witch's broom with green crystal spiked for the straw. She began making gestures and Buster Blader lowered his weapon, he kneeled before Aussa before turning on a heel to oppose Jordan.

Oh crap… Jordan's sweat sizzled in the stadium light; everyone could see it clearly.

The boy with the black mess of hair watched with a wide smirk. “This guy's not even fit to be in the Slifer Red dorm.” He commented, and glanced to the newcomer next to Mokuba. “She's probably just as a disgrace as he is.”

“Now Buster Blader, attack his Sapphire Dragon!” Saphira declared and she explained details while in the charge. “Since Sapphire Dragons are now an enemy of Buster Blader, his attack points increased by 500 for the first one that landed in the graveyard, now he has 3100 attack points!” The broadsword brimmed with power as Buster Blader struck down the Sapphire Dragon. An aftershock of the attack reached Jordan and reduced his Life Points by 800. “Aussa, attack him directly!” Saphira made a second attack, her Earth Charmer raised her staff and landed a painful blow to his skull. His brain felt like it rattled in his head as his Life Points stopped at 1600.

After a moment's pause, Jordan saw that Saphira could do nothing else. Frankly, neither could him. He sighed and set one monster face down, ending his turn there. Artemis watched with a looked of concerned mixed with skepticism. She glanced to Mokuba, “If Jordan loses the duel, will he fail the entry exam?”

“It depends on the score he got on the exam, but he might have earned himself some points to damage Saphira's Life Points. Plus you have the spaces open in the academy, even if he does have a bad overall score there is a chance he just barely passed for a scholarship into the Academy.” Mokuba explained, “But it looks like the duel is almost over so we better keep it going.” He snapped open the briefcase to a Duel Disk's mirror image, literally. The entire model design was in reverse. “Glad I thought ahead, though Seto didn't exactly think that there'd be people who would be uncomfortable with his Duel Disk.”

“I summon Silpheed in attack mode!” Saphira sprang into the final turn with a green fairy surrounded by wind currents.

The blue-haired student informally introduced as Ryo stepped up to the railing of the stands. “Mokuba-senpai! Can Saphira do that? Normal Summon Silpheed?” He called out in question. Mokuba sweat-dropped in a slight tint of nervousness.

“I haven't the time…” He paused to answer as if to add something that wasn't going to be mentioned before, “nor the courage…to legalize her deck. Silpheed's card text says specifically `This monster can only be Special Summoned by removing one WIND monster from your graveyard.' Meaning she can't Special Summon it any other way. But she can Normal Summon it or Set.” Mokuba said with a stroke of genius to interpret cards.

“Silpheed, strike it!” Saphira declared her Battle Phase quickly, her fairy monster let loose a strong wind storm and blew Jordan's only guarding monster away, a Silent Magician LV4. “Buster Blader! End it!” Buster Blader raised his sword like the executioner and struck down on Jordan, depleting the rest of his Life Points. Saphira's Duel Disk deactivated and her monsters disappeared from the arena, as did Jordan's. “Your score will be posted once the exams are complete.” She said and turned her back. “That was my last assignment, I need to go aid Seto-sama.”

Her voice went only to herself, “Aid Seto-sama in enrolling actual students.” She stopped in step and turned her head to Mokuba. “I won't be gone for long, Mokuba. But don't make the duel too quick ok?” She said with a smile.

“Can do.” Mokuba nodded and turned to Artemis who just adjusted her Duel Disk on her right arm. “Are you ready? You're one of the last to take the Duel exam so you better make it count.”

“More than that, Mokuba-senpai.” Artemis smiled and pulled her deck from the case equipped to her jeans' belt and slid it into the Duel Disk. Both Life Points set to 4000 each.