People in Yu-Gi-Oh! The hyper-converged audience is also integrated

Chapter 314 Early Duels

The Academy of Arts is located on the edge of the main city, like an isolated island. Its gate has no guards, only two huge stone statues: one is a minotaur holding a battle axe, and the other is an elf holding a staff.

As I stepped into this area, the air seemed to change. A man with a wolf's head led a little girl with a fish tail and a human body past. The girl's tail fin swayed gently in a specially made floating water sphere. Several burly bear-men were haggling over a stall, their voices booming like bells.

People of all shapes and sizes come and go here, with wings, scales, animal ears, and sharp claws—everything seems so natural.

I pulled my hood up, completely shrouding myself and the white paper in shadow.

"Brother, look at that birdman, its wings are so beautiful." Bai Zhi's voice came muffled from under the hood, "I just wonder if it would taste good when roasted."

I ignored her nagging, kept looking ahead, and kept walking.

"And that one, with six arms, can it cheat during a duel?"

Strangely enough, when humans merge with other species, onlookers either find it novel or impressive.

However, monsters formed by the fusion of humans are considered disgusting and are driven away.

Perhaps I haven't read enough books, because I've never been able to understand this principle.

The white paper was quiet for a moment, then nuzzled its head towards me: "Yay~ We're the coolest!"

I didn't say anything, but quickened my pace. Our goal today was very clear: to get into this college. We had spent a lot of money to get this opportunity by leveraging Immy's connections.

According to Immy's insider information, the first round of the Divine Arts Academy's dueling student assessment, the preliminary selection, is held in an affiliated card shop outside the academy.

This card shop is even larger than the Chamber of Commerce in the underground city of the Commonwealth. It's a three-story building with a long queue that stretches as far as the eye can see. The queue is full of all sorts of people, noisy and bustling, like a vegetable market.

"My dear brother, hurry up, hurry up, we're going to miss our turn," Bai Zhi urged in his ear.

I squeezed into the crowd and stood at the end of the line. A centaur in front of me was pawing the ground impatiently with his hooves, kicking up a few specks of dust that almost got on my robe.

The Divine Arts Academy is not the first academy to offer a dueling course. In recent years, with the popularity of "Duel Fairy Tale" and Duel Disks, this emerging form of entertainment has rapidly evolved into a culture and even an industry.

Major fortified cities have successively opened dueling schools to recruit talented students.

We also went to other colleges, but each time we were stopped during the physical examination. When I took off my hood and revealed my neck connected to the white paper, the eyes of those admissions officers changed from curiosity to astonishment, and finally to disgust and fear.

"I'm sorry, your situation... does not meet our admission standards."

This is the sentence he has heard the most.

It wasn't until Immy, the intelligence broker from the Council of the Commonwealth, told him that he could try going to the Academy of Arts.

“That academy takes any freak,” Immy said nonchalantly while cracking sunflower seeds. “As long as you have the skills, they’ll take you even if you’re a slime with nine heads. But because they’re not picky, there are a lot of people who want to get in, so you have to be really good at it.”

The first test of true skill is a written exam. A test paper is used to filter out those "duel illiterates" who don't even understand the rules of dueling.

The line moved slowly forward, filled with tension and anticipation. An hour later, it was finally my turn. I took a piece of paper and a pen from an expressionless proctor and walked to an empty seat in the store.

The entire first floor of the card shop was transformed into a temporary examination room, packed with people. Each person received a different test paper with only three questions.

I looked down at my exam paper and was momentarily stunned.

Immy's predictions were surprisingly accurate; the written exam really did test entirely on homology, overscalarity, and connectivity.

The white paper also leaned over and softly read out each word:

"Question 1: Please write down a set of monster materials that can Synchro Summon [Arcanite Magister].

"Question 2: Please write the full name of a Rank 4 Xyz Monster that requires three or more materials."

Question 3: Please write down a group of connecting monsters whose arrows can be connected to each other.

After reading it aloud, the white paper exclaimed, "Imi is so accurate! We got our money's worth!"

Five years ago, "Duel Fairy Tale" burst onto the scene, presenting the complex advanced rules of "Synchro," "Xyz," and "Connection" to the world for the first time through a captivating story.

Before this, although magic cards had existed for hundreds of years, the rules of fortresses in various places varied widely, relying entirely on the card descriptions and personal interpretations, resulting in chaos.

What truly unifies all of this is the Duel Disk.

The Duel Disk's built-in program strictly follows the rules described in "Duel Fairy Tale". If you want to use cool spiritual projections and have your duels officially recognized, you must learn these rules.

In just a few years, the league adopted these rules as the standard, and the dueling culture exploded.

However, these official rules are far too complicated for the average person.

The actual duel rules didn't include 'action points'!
With no action point limit, you can theoretically perform an unlimited number of special summons per turn, leading to a surge in various flashy strategies and a higher composure index.

It is precisely because of its complexity and scale that dueling has transformed from a game into a discipline.

The surrounding candidates reacted in different ways: some were writing furiously with confidence; some were scratching their heads and looking worried; and some had already given up, slumped over their desks and sighing, or peeking at other people's questions.

With the information about the written test provided by Immy, I quickly answered the three preliminary selection questions.

1. [Destiny Girl Pasty] and [Destiny Girl Ershee]

2. [The Awakened Warrior, the Demon Lizard Yihao]

3. [Destroyer of Machines, Rakshasa] and [Destroyer of Machines, Arava]

I handed in my answer sheet.

The proctor was a gaunt-faced middle-aged man. He took the paper, glanced at it casually, then paused. His cloudy eyes cleared for a moment, and he looked up, his gaze lingering on my wide hood for three seconds, his eyes filled with scrutiny.

"All correct." The proctor looked away, pulled a hard card from his side and handed it to me. It had an address and number printed on it: [Duel Hall, Building B, Arena 7, Room 110].

I took the card, nodded, and turned to leave.

“Brother, the way he looked at us just now, it was like he was looking at a fat pig waiting to be slaughtered.” A muffled voice came from inside the hood. “But we’re two-headed pigs, so we’re worth more.”

I:"."

Her mouth is like a machine gun, it can't stop for even three minutes.

I even miss the days when I breastfed her; at least she was quiet when she drank milk.

Ignoring her rambling, I followed the address, walked through several corridors, and arrived at Duel Coffin Building B. As soon as I pushed open the door, the view in front of me suddenly opened up.

A massive, exaggerated indoor arena appeared before us. The dome was a semi-transparent crystalline structure, and soft white light was evenly distributed in every corner. In the center of the arena, eight independent arenas were arranged side by side, where eight fierce duels were currently taking place.

The monster's roar, the roar of energy, and the gasps from the audience all blended together into a wave of heat that hit us.

On one of the arenas, a candidate dressed in purple was full of pride. On his field stood three monsters in a defensive state: [Cotton Candy], [Aromatic Furnace], and [Soul-Slaying Necromancer]. None of the three monsters could be destroyed in battle, like an impenetrable city wall.

"Ironclad defensive formation, complete!"

A loud shout came from the arena. The examinee in purple stood up straight, chin held high, and said, "Examiner, even you can't beat me."

"This guy is so noisy." The voice of the white paper came out from inside the hood, not loud, but very clear.

"My turn, draw a card." The examiner calmly drew a card, and with just a glance, the corner of his mouth slightly raised.

"Preparation phase, the effect of the Continuous Spell [Burning Earth] is activated!" The purple-robed examinee suddenly waved his hand, and a phantom flame was projected onto the Duel Disk, rushing towards the examiner opposite him. "Turn player takes 500 damage! Feel the flames!"

"Boom—" The fireball exploded on the examiner.

Blue team’s basic points: 1500→1000.

A commotion erupted from the stands: "Just 1000 points away! This guy's going to win!"

"Is the first candidate to pass about to appear?!"

"【Burning Earth】burns 500 damage in one turn, and combined with three indestructible monsters, this tactic is too cheesy!"

"Burning blood, the same old trick," another spectator said. Before the official duel rules were released, cards like [Burning Earth] were prohibited because the "preparation phase" in their description was unclear. But since the Duel Disk rules were standardized, all these fancy tricks have come out.

"Brother, can't we use it too?" Bai Zhi asked. "Our deck can also survive."

“We don’t need it,” I replied. “Trying to kill the examiner by sneaking around won’t be that easy.”

"It's not over yet, sir," the purple-clad examinee said confidently. "Your [Twin Angels] won't be destroyed by battle, but it has a guaranteed effect: if the duelist takes damage, it will also be destroyed!"

As the sea of ​​fire rose, the Twin Angels let out a mournful cry and vanished into starlight.

The examiner on the stage, a refined man wearing gold-rimmed glasses, remained motionless in the slight heat, calmly adjusting his glasses.

“Textbook-perfect defense,” he began, his voice low but drowning out the surrounding noise, “Unfortunately, the first page of the textbook says that rules are meant to be broken.”

He picked a card from his hand and inserted it into the Duel Disk without even looking at it.

"I summon Tuner Monster, [Masked Chameleon]."

A chameleon the size of a bucket appeared in the examiners' room carrying a twig. Its skin color changed with the surrounding light, and its big eyes darted around curiously. It looked completely harmless.

"Adjust the monster?" The purple-clad examinee's smile froze on his face, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart.

I looked at the chameleon and murmured to myself, "It's over."

"Huh?" The blank sheet of paper hadn't reacted yet.

“Thanks to this noisy candidate,” a tall man in blue, standing in the next audience seat, crossed his arms and said with a hint of anticipation, “we’re going to witness a textbook example of synchronized summoning.”

On the arena, the examiner adjusted his glasses, the lenses reflecting the light of the dueling disk.

"Activate the special ability of [Masked Chameleon]!" He pointed to his Graveyard area. "When it is successfully summoned, if there is a monster with 0 DEF in my Graveyard, I can Special Summon it! Revive, [Twin Angels]!"

A soft white light flashed, and two fist-sized, winged angels flew out of the void, circling the chameleon affectionately.

"So cute~!" Bai Zhi squealed softly, rubbing her head against my neck. "Brother, brother! Can we buy a [Twin Angels] card too, and keep them at home!"

"I have no money," I said succinctly, interrupting her daydream.

"You're such a cheapskate," she muttered under her breath.

On arena number 7, the purple-clad examinee's expression turned cautious, and he took a slight step back: "Level... Level four and level four..."

The examiner's lips curled into a slight smile, and his voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"I'm adjusting the star level of my level 4 [Masked Chameleon] to that of my level 4 [Twin Angels]!"

The Masked Chameleon let out a soft murmur, its body transforming into four emerald green specks of light that circled around it, while the twin angels transformed into a beam of white light, rushing straight into the circle of light.

"The gathered starlight will awaken new knights; let them wield their swords of certain victory!"

A beam of light pierced the heavens and the earth and rose up suddenly in the center of the arena. The dazzling light made the people around instinctively squint.

"Synchronic Summon!"

"Descend! Level 8, [Holy Knight Perseus]!"

As the light faded, a knight clad in silver armor, wielding a holy lance and a round shield, stood on the field. His holy aura overwhelmed the scorching heat of the [Burning Earth], and the three little monsters on the field trembled under this oppressive force.

Attack: 2600
“This is… Synchro Summoning,” the purple-clad examinee said warily.

"Activate the effect of [Holy Knight Perseus]!" the examiner shouted, raising his hand. "Change [Marshmallow] to attack stance!"

"Fight the knights honorably!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Perseus unleashed a flash of light with his blade, startling Marshmallow into jumping up and switching to an attack stance.

"Oh no!" the purple-clad examinee cried out in a short voice.

When a monster is switched to attack position, it will take damage. In addition to Perseus, there are other monsters on the examiner's field. If it gets hit, it will be gone. Burning Earth will burn both sides.

"Battle has begun!" The examiner raised his arm, his voice booming, "[Holy Knight Perseus], ​​attack [Marshmallow]!"

Perseus's winged horse let out a high-pitched neigh, its nostrils smoldering with hot breath, and its sharp gaze pierced the trembling "Marshmallow".

"It's over! [Marshmallow] only has an attack power of 300, it can't withstand Perseus's attack at all!" An anxious exclamation came from the audience. "Even if we block it with a face-down card, there's still [Divine Summoning Nova]'s attack."

"Ah—" Some timid female trainees even covered their eyes, unable to bear seeing [Cotton Candy] being gang-raped.

The purple-clad examinee pressed his lips together, his mind racing. Just as Perseus's spear was about to touch the marshmallow, his pupils suddenly contracted, a glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he abruptly raised his hand: "Now! Quick-attack spell—[Enemy Manipulator]!"

"I choose the second effect! Release the [Cotton Candy] on my field and gain control of [Holy Knight Perseus]!"

[Marshmallow] let out a mournful cry, its body transforming into a soft pink stream of light as it actively entered the controller.

After absorbing the energy from the marshmallow, the controller suddenly expanded several times its original size, and countless tiny tentacles stretched out like living things, aiming directly at the Holy Knight Perseus! Perseus sensed the danger, and the pegasus beneath him pawed restlessly.

"A knight's loyalty cannot be easily shaken!" The examiner's eyes were as sharp as a hawk's. He waved his arm again, and another card was flipped open, spreading a dark red halo.

"Counterattack Trap - [Magic Interference Array] activated!"

"I discard one card from my hand to negate and destroy [Enemy Manipulator]!"

The runes on the [Magic Interference Array] lit up, a purple beam of light streaked through the air, and with a piercing "sizzle," the [Enemy Manipulator] shattered into pieces.

The purple-clad examinee showed no sign of panic. Instead, he revealed a smug smile, his tone slightly mocking: "Examiner, although the [Enemy Manipulator] has been neutralized, my attack signal [Cotton Candy] has also been sent to the graveyard."

"In this way, your [Perseus] will lose its target and will be unable to cause me any damage."

"Oh? Is that so?" The examiner pushed up his frameless glasses, the lenses reflecting a cold glint. "It seems necessary to give you another good lesson, so you can understand what a real duel is."

He pointed a finger at another monster on the field of the purple-clad examinees: "[Holy Knight Perseus], ​​attack his [Aromatic Furnace]!"

Upon hearing this, the purple-clad examinee's smile widened, tinged with mockery: "Examiner, are you confused? My [Aroma Censer] is in a defensive stance; it can't penetrate my health points."

"Is that so? Then let this lesson be one you remember well." The examiner's face suddenly darkened. "[Holy Knight Perseus] possesses a special ability—when he attacks a monster in Defense Position, he can inflict piercing damage!"

"Wh...what?!" The smile on the purple-clad examinee's face froze instantly.

"The Holy Lance of Judgment—Piercing the Holy Lance!" the examiner chanted loudly, his voice echoing throughout the examination hall.

Perseus received the command, and his winged horse let out a deafening roar, its four hooves leaving the ground as it transformed into a silver lightning bolt. The holy spear in his hand gathered a dazzling white light, its tip pointing directly at the Aroma Furnace!
"call out--!"

The holy spear shot out like a meteor, and the [Aromatic Furnace] transformed into a wisp of green smoke to dodge this fatal blow.

However, Perseus's holy spear, still powerful, shot straight towards the pale-faced duelist behind the incense burner with a sharp whooshing sound!
"Damn it!" The purple-clad examinee let out a shrill and unwilling roar, watching helplessly as the deadly white light rapidly enlarged in his pupils.

"Pfft——!"

A blinding crimson light exploded on his chest.

[Red side's base score: 1500 → 0]

A cold, electronic voice echoed in the silent examination room, devoid of any emotion:
The winner is—

【Blue Square】

【Duel ends】

As the intelligent referee delivered his verdict, the spiritual projection slowly dissipated, turning into specks of light. Yet another confident candidate, faced with an absolute disparity in strength, was forced to leave the stage in despair.

The examiner calmly raised his hand, pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose with his index and middle fingers, and glanced at the silent candidates on the stage. His voice was not loud, but it clearly carried throughout the entire large examination room.

"Is this all the candidates in this year's cohort are capable of?"

(End of this chapter)