He had entered the academy as an elite from Middle Division and was directly assigned to Obelisk Blue. He had represented Duel Academy in competitions and won championships in large tournaments twice. Since joining Duel Department, he had always been a mainstay.
"Interesting."
Shuuichi, dressed in a blue uniform, stood up, put on his Duel Disk, and stepped onto the field, studying Yugen with interest.
He had come to the recruitment event expecting to just fill a seat. He was prepared to sit out the whole day, because normally no one would challenge him.
Shuuichi smiled and said, "Do not think that choosing me will lower the passing standard. The judges' criteria will not change."
"I know. No need to hold back, senior." Yugen smiled politely.
"Good. Duel Department needs people with this kind of courage," Shuuichi paused. "As long as you also have the strength."
"Then senior can find out for himself."
"Duel!" both of them said.
Around the arena, students began to talk.
"This freshman is really confident."
"Someone actually dared to challenge Shuuichi. That is bold."
"Didn't you hear? This year's Moonlight Cup…"
"Seriously? Is this freshman that strong?"
At this moment, in the entire arena, only Manjoume, who had been sitting next to Yugen, seemed to vaguely guess how this Duel would end.
Manjoume stared straight at Yugen without blinking. Hearing others seriously analyze how strong Shuuichi was and how flawless his tactics were, he almost could not hold back from speaking up.
No, you all do not understand how serious this is.
Just before Yugen went on stage, Manjoume had personally seen him scrolling through the list of defending members on the terminal, especially looking at each person's usual Deck and key cards.
Then, the moment he stopped on Watanabe Shuuichi's profile, Manjoume clearly saw his eyes light up.
It was the look of someone who had found something interesting and could not wait to test it out.
Manjoume did not know what dirty ideas were forming in that schemer's head again. But there was one thing he was certain of.
This guy was definitely up to something.
Author: Name Taken
"Let the challenger choose who goes first."
Shuichi Watanabe spoke with easy confidence, clearly trying to show the calm of a senior and a seasoned player. He looked relaxed, as if this were all well within his control.
"Go on. Do you want to take the first turn or the second?"
Yugen did not bother being polite. "I will go first. Card Draw."
He drew three cards in one smooth motion.
"I set one monster on the field, then set two cards in the back row. My turn ends."
"An opening focused on defense." Shuichi Watanabe gave a small nod and commented calmly. "But can you hold out against an insect assault?"
"My Turn!, Card Draw!"
Just as Yugen had researched beforehand, Shuichi Watanabe was using an insect-focused Deck. The most famous user of insect themes was the former national champion, the Legendary Duelist Weevil Underwood, though rumors said that Weevil Underwood had been completely crushed by the first Duel King Yugi Muto years ago and quit dueling for good, disappearing from the scene.
Still, his championship run had once sparked a wave of insect popularity and pushed the development of many insect LV Series cards. Even now, long after that era, insect Duelist were far from rare.
Shuichi Watanabe said, "I activate the Continuous Spell 'Verdant Sanctuary'!"
Though it was a Continuous Spell, its effect felt more like a field. Green waves spread across the arena as vines and towering trees burst upward, forming a lush habitat fit for insects.
"Then I Summon 'Pinch Hopper'!"
Pinch Hopper, ATK 1000.
"Pay attention, junior. I am not holding back just because this is an assessment." Shuichi Watanabe continued. "I activate the Spell Card 'Dark Hole'! Destroy all monsters on both sides of the field!"
A collapsing void opened above the field as the power of Dark Hole descended. The insect on Shuichi Watanabe's field and the face-down monster on Yugen's side were both torn apart in the blast.
"The monster I had set was 'Sangan'." Yugen Do said evenly. "When this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can add a monster with ATK 1500 or less from my Deck to my hand."
He raised the searched card for everyone to see.
"I add 'Magical Beast Cerberus' with ATK 1400 to my hand."
"Then I also use the effect of 'Pinch Hopper'." Shuichi Watanabe said. "When it is sent from my field to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon one Insect monster from my hand."
He spread his arms slightly.
"So I Special Summon this one."
From the depths of the dark forest, a grim reaper of death emerged between the trees.
"Doom Dozer is Summon!"
Doom Dozer, ATK 2300.
Some of the freshmen watching could not help but gasp. "He summoned an ace-level monster right away."
"Using 'Dark Hole' to clear the field and trigger 'Pinch Hopper' at the same time. As expected of a core member of the Duel Department."
Shuichi Watanabe was not done yet. "The effect of the Continuous Spell 'Verdant Sanctuary'. When an Insect monster on my field is sent to the Graveyard, I can add an Insect monster with the same Level from my Deck to my hand."
"I add another 'Pinch Hopper'."
He pulled the Deck free, selected the second copy of 'Pinch Hopper', shuffled, and slid it back into the Duel Disk.
"Now, 'Doom Dozer' attacks directly!"
The insect reaper charged forward, its scythe swinging down toward Yugen. Without any sign of panic, Yugen flipped one of his set cards.
"I activate my face-down card, Trap Card Lightning Vortex. I discard one card and destroy one card on the field. I destroy 'Doom Dozer'!"
Shuichi Watanabe froze.
Dark clouds rolled overhead as a massive hand reached down, lightning crashing from its fingertips. In a single strike, the green insect was blasted apart.
"Tch. You set a trap like that."
"And the card I discarded was 'Witch of the Black Forest'." Yugen Do continued. "When this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can search a monster with DEF 1500 or less from my Deck."
The witch and Sangan had both been revised multiple times over the years, with added restrictions in later printings. In the animated ruleset, however, they still matched their older versions and retained their powerful search effects.
"I add 'Don Zaloog' with DEF 1500 to my hand."
"Then the Battle Phase ends."
Shuichi Watanabe snorted. "If you think I would leave myself wide open after that, you are underestimating me. I activate the Spell Card 'Monster Reborn'! I revive a monster from the Graveyard."
"Come back to my field, Doom Dozer!"
Doom Dozer, ATK 2300.
"I set one card and end my turn."
"My Turn!, Card Draw." Yugen Do said. "I activate the Spell Card 'Graceful Charity'. I draw three cards from my Deck, then discard two."
Two cards were sent to the Graveyard, and one of them quickly revealed itself.
"One of the discarded cards was 'Card of Compensation'. When this card is sent from the hand to the Graveyard, I draw two cards from my Deck."
Using banned cards and anime-only Card Draw engines, he tore through his deck at high speed. Even so, when the new hand settled, he frowned slightly.
He had noticed an old legendary combo while trading cards with credits at the Academy Department the day before and wanted to test it today. Unfortunately, even after all that drawing, the pieces were still not complete.