"You're late, Cael."
The examiner's voice was flat and unimpressed. I stood in the middle of the large dueling platform, sun burning down on the stone tiles, surrounded by students watching from the stands.
Most were here for the spectacle. Others were scouting future rivals.
I was just trying to survive being in an anime.
Rows of Duel Academy students—Obelisk Blue elites, Ra Yellow nerds, and Slifer Red underdogs—lined the sides. All eyes were on me. The weird transfer kid with zero recorded duels.
[MISSION: Pass Duel Academy Entrance Exam]
[Reward: Trainer Rank – Academy Trainee | PokéDeck Slot Expansion +1]
My opponent was already waiting: tall, confident, and wearing an Obelisk Blue uniform that practically screamed "rich bully energy." His name tag read Victor Crane.
He looked at my red-and-white PokéDeck box and scoffed.
"You've gotta be kidding me. You think some cosplay deck's gonna get you into Duel Academy?"
I just smirked. "Let's duel."
[DUEL START]
[Cael Arvon – LP: 4000]
[Victor Crane – LP: 4000]
Victor went first.
"I summon Mad Sword Beast in Attack Position!"
A reptilian monster burst onto his field with a roar.
Mad Sword Beast – EARTH – ATK 1800
"I'll set one card face-down and end my turn. Try not to embarrass yourself, Poké-boy."
My turn. I drew my starting hand.
Hand: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Pokéball, Rare Candy, Thunder Stone
Perfect.
"I summon Pikachu in Attack Position!"
A spark flashed across the field as the yellow mouse appeared, cheeks sparking with electricity.
Pikachu – LIGHT – Level 4 – ATK 1600 / DEF 1000
Laughter broke out in the stands.
"Is that a rat?"
"Where's the real monster?"
Victor snorted. "This is hilarious."
I ignored them.
"Next, I activate Pokéball! I Special Summon Bulbasaur in Defense Position!"
A red-and-white holographic ball opened on my field, releasing the little green dinosaur.
Bulbasaur – EARTH – Level 3 – DEF 1200
"And now I activate Rare Candy to evolve Bulbasaur into Ivysaur!"
A glowing light enveloped Bulbasaur, who grew larger, more muscular, and more confident.
Ivysaur – EARTH – Level 4 – ATK 1900 / DEF 1400
Effect: Once per turn, reduce 1 opponent's monster's ATK by 500 until the End Phase.
"Activate Ivysaur's effect! I weaken Mad Sword Beast by 500!"
Vines shot out, wrapping around Victor's monster.
Mad Sword Beast – ATK: 1800 → 1300
"Pikachu, attack Mad Sword Beast!"
With a chirp and a blast of lightning, Pikachu took down the beast.
[Victor – LP: 4000 → 3700]
"And Pikachu's effect activates—300 more damage when he destroys a monster!"
[Victor – LP: 3700 → 3400]
Some students in the Ra Yellow section sat up straight. Even a few Obelisk Blues stopped smirking.
Victor's grin had vanished.
"My turn," he snapped, drawing a card. "I summon Sabersaurus!"
A towering red dinosaur appeared, slamming its tail on the ground.
Sabersaurus – EARTH – ATK 1900
"Sabersaurus attacks Ivysaur!"
The impact was hard. Ivysaur exploded into shards of green light.
[Cael – LP: 4000 → 3900]
Victor ended his turn with one card face-down.
My turn again. I drew Thunder Stone.
"Now I activate Thunder Stone! Since Pikachu has been on the field for one turn, I can evolve him!"
A bolt of lightning cracked down from the sky, hitting Pikachu.
"Evolve into Raichu!"
Raichu – LIGHT – Level 6 – ATK 2400 / DEF 1800
Effect: When this card destroys a monster by battle: Inflict 500 damage to your opponent.
Raichu burst from the storm with a thunderous roar, tail sparking with electricity.
"Battle phase! Raichu, attack Sabersaurus!"
Raichu zipped forward, dodging a swipe, and delivered a full-body thunder slam. Sabersaurus shattered.
[Victor – LP: 3400 → 2900]
"And now Raichu's effect activates! Since he destroyed a monster, you take another 500 points of damage!"
Raichu crackled with energy and released a bolt directly at Victor.
[Victor – LP: 2900 → 2400]
Victor gritted his teeth.
"I set one card face-down and end my turn."
He drew on his turn, hesitated... then set another monster and ended again.
I drew Tackle.
"No monsters strong enough to defend? Too bad. Raichu, attack his set monster!"
Raichu dashed forward and fried the face-down card—Giant Rat.
"Giant Rat's effect—"
"—Only works if it survives battle damage," I cut in.
Victor paled.
"And Raichu's effect kicks in again. You take 500 more damage."
[Victor – LP: 2400 → 1900]
"I activate Tackle—a simple spell that lets Raichu attack again this turn."
Raichu charged.
Victor panicked and activated his trap: Sakuretsu Armor.
"Trap card—destroy attacking monster!"
Raichu was blasted back and destroyed.
A burst of shock ran through my Duel Disk.
[System Notice: Raichu has fainted]
The crowd roared—half in relief, half in awe.
I ended my turn, but it didn't matter.
Victor drew—and sighed. "I... I have no monsters left."
I drew again. Charmander.
"Normal Summon Charmander in Attack Position. Direct attack."
[Victor – LP: 1900 → 700]
Victor staggered back.
"Next turn," I said, "I evolve him. So unless you've got a Raigeki up your sleeve—"
He drew.
And bricked.
"No... not like this..."
I smirked. "Charmander, finish it."
A fireball burst from his tail. The attack hit Victor directly, and the duel was over.
[Victor – LP: 700 → 0]
[YOU WIN]
Silence followed.
Then a slow clap began in the Slifer Red section.
The instructor approached me with narrowed eyes.
"That... was not a standard deck. And yet you used it with surprising coordination."
He held out a hand.
"Welcome to Duel Academy, Cael Arvon. We'll be watching your progress very closely."
I nodded once.
Chosen of Arceus. Trainer of Pokémon. Duelist of another world.
Yeah. This was just the beginning.