Who Let Him Play Yu-Gi-Oh!-Chapter 86: What a Fun Duel

The day of the first phase test finally arrived.

Like the entrance exam, the phase test had both a written and a practical section. For a dueling academy, the school cared surprisingly much about written scores.

After all, Jaden Yuki had always been a top duelist since enrollment, but because of poor written scores, he was stuck in the Slifer Red Dorm.

The written test was in the morning, practical in the afternoon. Kira arrived early, finished the test in about twenty minutes.

But the rules said you couldn't hand in your paper until half an hour had passed, so he had to keep checking a test he thought was already perfect, rustling the pages and drawing envious, jealous, and resentful stares from those around him.

Almost everyone else was still frantically writing, even model students Misawa and Alexis were frowning in concentration. Kira had nothing to do, so he started spinning his pen.

Some students who already knew him were annoyed.

How does this guy manage to tilt everyone just by taking a test?

The moment the clock hit thirty minutes, Kira stood up and handed in his paper, leaving the room with a cool exit.

The pressure on the remaining students instantly went up. (Relatable.)

A while after Kira left, Jaden finally showed up, slapping the sleeping Syrus awake.

"Inexcusable, Syrus, sleeping in the test room! What a waste!"

"Huh!? B-brother?"

"Cheer up, Syrus!" Jaden grinned. "The real battle is just beginning!"

His words drew looks from everyone nearby.

Alexis frowned, wondering if he thought this was just child's play and if he could ace it easily.

Misawa was also confused—if this guy was so strong, why did he never appear to take things seriously?

Professor Lyman, overseeing the test while petting Pharaoh the cat, watched it all with a smile.

This year's academy has some real talents. One just arrived, the other already gone.

Each had managed to mess with his classmates' nerves in their way.

But even though Jaden marched confidently to his seat, he didn't finish the test. Ten minutes later he joined Syrus in snoring until the end.

Professor Crowler, passing by the back door, nodded in satisfaction.

Just as he expected—bad students didn't need any help to fail the written test. As long as he fiddled with the practical test—

Heheheheh...!

...

After lunch, Kira arrived early at the duel arena to get a good seat for the practicals.

"You're early, number one."

Misawa Bastion sat next to him.

Kira grinned, "So are you, number two."

"But after today, maybe those rankings will switch," Misawa smiled.

The practical test paired students from the same dorm. As expected, as the top two in Ra Yellow Dorm, they were matched against each other—just as Misawa predicted.

During the internal Ra Yellow Dorm tournament, they hadn't faced each other, and both were undefeated. So today, not only was it a test, but it was also the most anticipated duel in Ra Yellow Dorm.

Today would decide the Ra Yellow Dorm king.

"Huh?"

Misawa looked at the field below and was surprised.

"Is that Jaden Yuki from Slifer Red? And his opponent is Chazz Princeton?"

Many eyes were drawn to the field—it seemed this matchup broke the rules.

But Professor Crowler had his reasons.

"With Jaden's outstanding dueling record, he can't be properly matched within Slifer Red Dorm, no? Only Chazz Princeton is suitable as your opponent, no?"

He wasn't entirely wrong. Jaden was a very unbalanced student—failing written tests but peerless in dueling. In Slifer Red Dorm, he was absolutely a big fish in a small pond.

Crowler wanted to maintain the school's elite ranking system. He picked Chazz not just because he was strong, but because Chazz had the credentials for automatic promotion to Obelisk Blue.

"But as a tradeoff, if Jaden wins this duel, he can be promoted to Ra Yellow Dorm early. Is that okay?" Crowler asked.

"No problem!"

Jaden agreed instantly.

He probably didn't even hear what Crowler said—he just heard "time to duel."

So, the professor announced the match and quickly stepped aside.

First up today: Jaden vs. Chazz.

Kira watched with mild interest. If nothing had changed, this was supposed to be Chazz's debut with VWXYZ, but now that deck was in Kira's hands—he was curious what Chazz would use.

Chazz started with a defensive play, summoning "Stone Dragon" (ATK 2000) and setting three cards in the back row before ending.

Without VWXYZ, it seemed he was going for a Dragon deck now.

So, is he going for the manga version of Chazz's deck?

No, it's just one monster—can't tell yet.

But those three ominous backrow cards...

Yeah, nothing to do with me, Kira thought.

Then it was Jaden's turn. Jaden played solidly as always, opening with Avian, Burstinatrix, the classic fusion duo, plus Polymerization. That familiar Elemental HERO flavor.

No surprise there.

Flame Wingman, the star of the entrance exam, made a glamorous first-turn appearance. But as Jaden excitedly prepared to attack, Chazz suddenly threw his head back and laughed.

"Got you, Jaden Yuki!"

Chazz shouted.

"Activate face-down card! Trap Card—Chthonian Polymer! When your opponent successfully fusion summons a monster, you immediately gain control of that monster!"

"Huh!?" Jaden blinked.

So that means...

Chazz's grin grew wider. "I take control of your Flame Wingman!"

I heard that's your favorite HERO, Jaden?

Come here!

Yup, trap cards bring happiness, and NTR traps are double the fun. Chazz was practically giddy.

Kira mused.

Yeah, Chthonian Polymer was originally Chazz's card. In their first duel in the anime, Chazz stole Flame Wingman with it. Nothing to do with me. freewēbnoveℓ.com

...

The duel went on for several turns. Jaden stubbornly held off Chazz's attacks, and Chazz, besides stealing Flame Wingman, also summoned "Genesis Dragon," a 2200-ATK Level 6 dragon from the manga.

It looked like he was switching to a dragon deck like in the manga.

Then Jaden used his classic anime combo—activating "A Hero Emerges" when attacked to special summon "Elemental HERO Bladedge" from his hand, taking down Genesis Dragon. But a turn later, Bladedge fell into Chazz's "Mirror Force" trap.

A bit later—

...

"Activate Spell Card 'Fusion Recovery'—recovering Burstinatrix and Polymerization from the graveyard!" Jaden seized the chance to counterattack. "Then activate 'Polymerization' again to fuse Burstinatrix and Clayman from my hand..."

"No way, Jaden!" Chazz's smile was wicked.

"Counter Trap—'Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell'! Discard a Spell from hand, negate, and destroy your Spell! And for the rest of this duel, you can't use that card again!"

Kira pondered.

Yep, this was Misawa's anti-fusion tactic in the anime. Chazz was a top student, so it made sense he'd use it against Jaden.

Nothing to do with me.

That's just how duels are.

"Huh? I can't use Polymerization anymore?" Jaden was shocked.

Chazz: "Hahaha!

You're completely at my mercy, Jaden Yuki! Tremble before my power!

My turn! Flame Wingman, attack 'Elemental HERO Sparkman'!"

"Activate face-down! 'Mirror Gate'!" Jaden flipped his backrow. "When your monster is attacked, swap control of the attacking monsters!"

Chazz: "NANI!?"

How come you have an NTR trap too, Jaden!?

Kira raised an eyebrow.

In the real card game, Mirror Gate was changed to only work when your "Elemental HERO" is attacked, and you only get the opponent's monster for that turn.

But here, Jaden's anime-only version seemed to let him permanently steal the opponent's monster...

Surprisingly useful. Kira made a mental note—he'd try to get one, too.

You can never have too many trap cards.

"Damn it, you think I don't have traps too?" Chazz huffed. "Activate face-down! Trap Card— Chthonian Blast!

When a monster on your field is destroyed, destroy the monster with the lowest ATK on the field, and both players take damage equal to half its ATK!

Only Flame Wingman is on the field, so destroy him!"

Jaden: "Ah, my Flame Wingman..."

The poor Flame Wingman got caught in the trap vortex: stolen, reclaimed, and now blown up again—a legendary journey.

Flame Wingman: Only God knows what I've been through this duel!

[Chazz, LP 450]

[Jaden, LP 850]

Both players' LPs were hanging by a thread. Jaden was out of cards, but Chazz still had two.

"Set two cards, end my turn!"

Chazz was still confident.

His backrow: one "Bottomless Trap Hole," one "Magic Cylinder." Summon any monster with 1500+ ATK and it goes straight to the void; use a weaker monster and "Magic Cylinder" will finish you off.

And his opponent had no field, no hand—no way to break through.

What, are you gonna print a card out of thin air and OTK me?

Jaden: "My turn, draw! I summon 'Elemental HERO Wildheart'!"

Chazz sneered.

Just a weakling. Watch me use my invincible Bottomless—

Wait, Wildheart!?

Chazz's eyes bulged as he remembered Wildheart's effect.

"This card is unaffected by Trap Cards."

Chazz spat blood.

No hand, no field, a thick deck, and he just happens to draw this card?

Did you pull that out of your sleeve!?

"Go, Wildheart!" Jaden cheered, swinging a fist. "Direct attack on Chazz!"

With one blow, Chazz's LP dropped to zero—his smile and happiness vanishing with it.

Lying on the cold dueling arena floor, he grasped a deep truth.

In this world, only one thing messes with your mind as much as toxic decks—

And that's sack luck.

"I won!"

Jaden struck a pose.

"What a fun duel that was!"

Chazz: "..."