Final Orientation Event - Welcome to Duel Academy!

"Impressed with the strength of your seniors yet?" Tori asked rhetorically. "Now then, I think I'll end my turn."

Tori has Blood Mefist and Newdoria on the field, clocking 2800 and 1200 ATK points respectively. Tori still had a hidden card as well and a number of cards in her hand she's not using yet. Both Yuriko and Akiha only have a single facedown each and 2600 and 1500 life points respectively. On top of that, Blood Mefist's ability will steal another 300 for each card they respectively control. For Yuriko, the moment she draws she's gonna be down 300. For Akiha, since she controls both a facedown and a field spell, that's 600. Neither of them will be in a good position if they keep things dragging out.

It's all up to how they handle their next turn.

Yuriko looked at the field and how little remained of her and Akiha's monsters as Tori ended her turn. She gulped and looked down at her cards, ready to see which one of them that she can draw for now. It seems as though it's her turn.

"Hmm, which card could I draw next?" She wondered, somewhat worried. She needed to take down the Blood Mefist somehow.



She gasped and proceeded to summon Darkspear so she can attach it to the lance as well as put it in attack mode, her target? The Newdoria, even if it will cause her to lose 300 life points from both monsters.

"I activate a trap!" Tori declared. Just before Dragunity Darkspear made a beeline for Newdoria, Tori's one facedown flipped open.



With the addition of Divine Lance, Darkspear totalled 1300 ATK points. It wasn't anything superb but it was enough to attack over the weak Newdoria. However, despite this being the first successful destruction, Tori lost no points thanks to her trap and even got to draw a new card. It would've been very minor damage to begin with, but perhaps Tori was setting an example. It's going to take more than that to damage an upperclassman. and there's more.

Newdoria shattered to pieces from Darkspear's attack, but it remnants seemed to swarm around the small dragon and before Yuriko knew what was happening, Darkspear burst into dust.

"Guess you didn't know Newdoria's special power," Tori winked at her junior playfully. "Newdoria is a real sore loser, so when its destroyed, it takes down one of your monsters along with it!"

Yuriko was now wide open for an attack. It was still her turn, but does she even have a move to make?

Yuriko smiled when the plan to destroy the Newdoria worked, unfortunately due to it's effects it had managed to take down the Dark Spear as well, meaning that unlike Akiha, she didn't have a monster now to attack and she can quickly get targeted by Tori.

She didn't know what to do. Looking down sadly, she didn't have any cards left to draw in this turn.

"I end my turn." Yuriko said sadly.

Now that Yuriko had ended her turn, it was Akiha's turn. Things were not looking too well, but Yuriko didn't seem as much as in the red as Akiha was.

"Yes, you aren't a misfit!" Shiki was cheering Yuriko from the back, though her voice was monotone as ever. "F-I-G-H-T."

Akiha wiped the sweat off her own brow as she looked at the monsters on the field.

"I draw a card," Akiha announced.



Seeing the card and the situation before them, Akiha knew it was going to come in handy.


She then went over her other cards.

"First, I place Fluffal Bear on the battle field in defense position," Akiha declared.

Seeing her cards, even if she wanted to jump on things, she decided it'd be best to wait.

Reluctantly, she sighed.

"I place a card face down and end my turn."

Akiha's life points were reduced to a mere 900 thanks to Mefist's effect, but now she's set another card, bringing her down another 300. If Blood Mefist isn't rid of before the start of Akiha's next turn, she'll be burned to death. As for Yuriko.....

"Sorry, but this is the end," Tori stated before she even looked at her new card. "You girls have some potential, but not enough to take me on. Time for the end of the tour!"

Blood Mefist swung its cane and hit Yuriko directly with a wave of dark energy. With that her life points immediately went to 0.

"End turn. Sorry, but that's a wrap," Tori declared with a playful wink.

It didn't matter what Akiha drew next. The moment she did, Blood Mefist's effect would kick in and the rest of her points would get zapped away. Both girls were down for the count essentially simultaneously.

"Who's next~?" Tori called out playfully.

Shiki's right, Yuriko wasn't a misfit. She can do this, she can beat Tori at her own game. She can win this, for her, for Akiha, for Ryouta, and most importantly for herself----

Tori ended up beating her and Akiha shortly after the girl's turns ended, causing Yuriko to be sad that she lost her first proper match at this Academy against someone like Tori.

"Oh... I lost." Yuriko sighed and looked away. It was probably going to be Shiki's turn now as she stepped away from the battle area and back towards Shiki.

It seems it's Shiki's turn now... If she wanted to have a turn that is. She wondered how Akiha will feel about this.

Akiha's eyes widened when Blood Mefist started chipping off Yuriko's points.

She then grabbed her hair and let out a loud scream.

"CRAP I COUNTED THE POINTS WRONG! NOOO!!!"

How could she be so dumb!?? Of COURSE it'd chip off more points the more cards there were. As her points reached zero, Akiha schlumped over and let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry Frightfur Bear...I failed youuu..." she groaned.

In the background, Shiki was softly clapping, her eyes dull and her expression flat.

"Good show," the miko said with the least bit of enthusiasm.

Akiha scowled.

"Y-yeah...thanks..."

Akiha sighed and stepped off the platform along with Yuriko. She placed a firm hand on Yuriko's shoulder.

"Well, we tried our damndest."


Tori quickly asked who was next, and Shiki innocently pointed at herself.

"I guess I can," she murmured. "Though...I wouldn't have a partner."

"W-Wait!"

A voice yelled out behind Shiki and the girls. Stepping out of the shadows was a boy in a grey hoodie. He pulled the hood down. It was the boy who from earlier who expressed concern about co-ed dormitories. How long was he there?

"I-I'll go!"

"Oh?" Tori raised an eyebrow. "You're the one who didn't want to play earlier. Shiryui, Yato right?
Changed your mind?"

"I have... I have to give it a shot at least!" he exclaimed, opening up his duel disc. His was the color of stone.

"Oh! I love that spirit!" Tori beamed. "Oh, you both look so tasty, I don't know who to pick. So I guess it's triangle duel time again!"

The field was set up for a new round.

"It was left off right before my turn last round, so I'll go!" Tori declared, drawing a new card. "I'm gonna lay some backup and set a card!"

Tori placed a face-down in her spell/trap area, setting up more support for her monster. "Your move boy!"

Yato drew a card and suddenly Blood Mefist burned him for 1500.

"Huh??" Yato exclaimed. "But my field is empty!"

"Check again," Tori winked. "Remember, this is a relay match. You inherit the cards left behind from the previous round."

"Urg..!"

Yuriko left behind a facedown, Akiha left behind two facedowns, Fluffal Bear, and her field spell. Since they both had control of these cards, they counted as present for both of them, totalling a count of 5 cards each.

"Not good..." Yato murmured. He looked at his cards, then glanced at his partner "I can at least...."

He slipped a card in his hand into his graveyard. "I use Fusion Recyling Plant and add Polymerization from my deck to my hand!"

His deck ejected the specified card and he added the spell to his hand. "Next, I'll tribute Fluffal Bear to summon Ryo Kokki!"

The stuffed animal was dragged underground and emerging in its place was a monster that was a conglomeration of discarded bones and skulls.



"Then, I'll activate Designer Frightfur and special summon Fluffal Bear!"

Akiha's leftover facedown flipped up and suddenly in a pink poof, Fluffal Bear appeared on Yato's field.

"Next... I'll set a card," Yato stated, but the moment he did, Blood Mefist thrusted its cane in his direction and he was hit directly with a bolt of dark energy. He's down to 2200 and Tori has yet to attack.

"Hey hey, are you the reckless type?" Tori inquired curiously. "Sure, you summoned a big monster and a little one for backup, but they both fall way short of my Blood Mefist."

It's true. Ryu Kokki only clocked 2400 ATK and Fluffla Bear was only half strong as that. Yet, he opted to put both of them in attack mode with only one facedown.

"This is fine," Yato stated. "Now there's only three left."

Yato went out of his way to use up as many of the inherited cards as he could. With this, Shiki won't take as much damage from Blood Mefist's effect. That still doesn't explain why he put all of his monsters in attack mode though.

"Don't worry," he said out loud. "My zombies are always on the offensive."

He glanced at Shiki as if trying to tell her something. They're not allowed to tell eachother what to do or what they're planning, but he seems to be giving her a hint. If his monsters are ready for an attack, does that mean she should too?

"I end my turn," Yato declared.

Shiki turned to look at her new partner and blinked. She merely regarded him with a nod and a bow as they both stepped up to the platform, Shiki's duel disk opening up and a pale pink color.

"My turn," Shiki said plainly, drawing her card and checking her current hand.



Of course, there was the issue of Blood Mefist. They had to get rid of this card pronto. Shiki didn't fully understand Yato's hint, but she guessed he had something planned and keeping things on the offensive. Knowing Ryu Kyokki's description, that meant that perhaps she had to do the same.

"First, I place down Hermit of Prophecy in attack position," she declared as she placed the card down. "Each time I activate a Spellbook Spell Card, I increase this card's level by 2 and add 300 attack points."

She'd then pick her next cards.

"I also place down Spellbook Star Hall and Spellbook of Secrets which lets me add any Spellbook card from my deck to my hand."

She took Spellbook of Power and placed it to her hand.

"I add Spellbook of Power to my hand and add it to the field, letting Hermit of Prophecy 1000 attack points. Since Spellbook Star Hall allows me to add 100 attack points per Spellbook Card as a result of a Spell counter, and Hermit of Prophecy gains 2 levels and 300 attack points per Spellbook Spellcard, it gains a total of 3300 points, allowing it to take on your Blood Mefist!"

She pointed at Tori.

"May the gods will the destruction of Blood Mefist at the hands of my Hermit," she declared.

"Oh my, 3300 ATK on the first turn," Tori smiled devilishly. "You're much more interesting! But your move was too shallow!"

Tori looked mischeviously at her one facedown card.

"Hold it!" Yato declared suddenly. "I activate my trap, Call of the Haunted!"



"I can bring out a monster present in my graveyard!" he stated. "And since we've inherited the cards left behind from our classmates, that means I can resurrect Dragunity Dux!"

A misty vortex appeared on top of the flipped card and from it, the noble winged warrior arose.

"Eh?" Tori perked an eyebrow. "That doesn't help at at all."

"Not on its own," Yato stated, "But I activated the trap card its owner left behind. Icarus Attack!"



"That facedown was Icarus Attack??" Tori exclaimed, shocked. "Wait, hold on-"

"I tribute the Dragunity Dux I just brought back!" Yato declared. "And I destroy Blood Mefist and your facedown!"

The winged-beast rapidly ascended to the sky and reached up. A ball of fire formed and its wings caught ablaze. It rapidly descended and dived towards Blood Mefist. On impact, both Tori's monster and her facedown were destroyed.

"My Skill Drain!!" Tori yelled out her destroyed trap card. Her field was now left empty.

Now that her field changed, Shiki is given a chance to change her attack order. Now wide open, she has a clear path to Tori's life points with Hermit.

"Understood!" Shiki said.

There was no need to cast her runes here. The path was clear.

"The Hermit of Prophecy directs its fury upon you directly!" Shiki said, permitting it to attack.

"Uwawawawawa!" Tori cried as the wizened man cast its magic on her, blasting her with a massive wave of power. Her life points went out blindingly fast, leaving her with only 700. The bustling upperclassman in the shadows were suddenly hushed and watched nervously as the smoke cleared. The redhead was standing there, arms raised protectively in front of her face. She slowly lowered her arms with a steely look, and grinned devilishly. "AHAHAHAHA! Now that's what I'm talking about! These first years got potential afterall!"

Tori cracked her neck in a very unladylike show and readied to draw a new card. "Now I have to get serious! It's time for an underworld tour!"

She drew her next card and grinned. Her field was empty, and her life points were dangerously low, but she didn't lose a lick of her confidence.

"I activate Card Destruction!" Tori declared, showing her card.



"Now we all have to ditch our entire hand to the grave!" Tori declared. "And then draw a new card equal to the amount we discarded!"

Yato had 2 cards, Shiki had 4 and now they had to send their whole hands to the grave and draw new cards. However, Tori didn't look like she was aiming for that. She had a mischievous grin as she slid her two cards into the grave and drew two new ones.

"Now the fun's about to start!" she declared. Suddenly, behind her, the phantasmal images of two cards appeared.



"You see, when they discarded to the grave, the denizens of the Dark World army get to use their special ability!" Tori stated. "First I'm gonna use my bro Broww the Huntsman who lets me draw a new card."

Tori drew a new card and kissed it with a wink. "Isn't that sweet? But now Snoww the Unlight lets me search for any Dark World card I want!"

Tori pulled out her deck and opened it like fan. She card card after card, humming eenie-meanie-miney, before pulling one out and sliding her deck back into place, letting her D.D.D shuffle it.

"And now to work a little magic!" Tori declared, sliding in a new spell card. "Bippity boppity boo, I use Dark World Lightning!"



"I'm gonna rain judgement on that last facedown!" Tori declared. A bolt of black lightning shot from the sky and struck Akiha's Struggling Battle. "Now I have to discard a card and I think I got juuust the one!"

Tori slid another card into the grave and all of a sudden-



A new monster suddenly appeared on Shiki's side of the field without her permission.

"Meet Ceruli the Guru. Isn't he a cutie?" Tori asked rhetorically, giving a playful wink. "He wanders around, so when he's discarded he special summons himself on my opponents side of the field. That's not all. When he special summons himself, the opponent of its controller has to discard a card."

Tori waved her finger in a circle and pointed. "So since he's now your monster, that means I have to discard a card. Get ready, the next part of the tour, we're gonna see a rainbow!"

Tori discarded one of her cards and suddenly a great torrent appeared on her side. Emerging from it was a giant shadow and as the whirlwind cleared, a new monster appeared.



"When he's discarded by my opponent's card effect, he special summons himself from the grave!" Tori explained. "Ceruli is your monster, so the conditions are just right! And there's more. When he's brought out to play, Reign-Beaux clears my opponent's field of its monsters!"

The demon let out a terrifying roar and as the air shook in its wake, both Yato and Shiki's monsters were wiped out. They were both wide open!

"Now who should I pick?" Tori asked rhetorically, tapping her chin with a finger. "Eeenie, meenie, miney, HOODIE!"

Reign-Beaux raised its wicked polearm and aimed at Yato who was left without anything to defend himself and only 2200 life points. He wouldn't survive Reign-Beaux's 2500 ATK points.

"I use Necro Gardna!" Yato declared. Suddenly, a phantasmal warrior appeared in front of him.



Necro Gardna shielded Yato from the attack. He was safe for a turn.

"Phooey," Tori said, not looking particularly disappointed. "Then I'll just set a monster in defense mode and end my turn."

Tori has Reign-Beaux and a defense monster on her field, and now Yato had had lost his one defense. The boy looked nervous, but he drew his next card all the same.

"... Pyramid Turtle in attack mode!"



"Even if you destroy it by battle, you'll only let me bring out a much stronger zombie!" Yato declared. "I'll also active Pyramid of Wonders!"



"My zombies now get a powerboost for every monster you control!" Yato stated. "That puts my turtle at 1600! And whatever I bring out will also get that power boost!"

"Clever," Tori smiled devilishly. "Let's see what your overgrown tombstone can do."

"I attack your facedown!" Yato declared. The giant turtle moved slowly, but with a stomp of its feet, the ground quaked and Tori's facedown got hit by the rupture.

"You chose poorly!" Tori shouted.



A black worm-like creature emerged from the jar, laughing like a child, opening its toothy mouth.

"Shoot!" Yato yelped.

"Now all of us have to ditch our current hands," Tori smiled. "And draw five new cards!"

Morphing Jar was now destroyed, but now Tori had a new hand. However, that means both Yato and Shiki had a new pool of cards too.

Yato drew his five new cards and grimaced. "I can't use any of these yet.... I'll end my turn."

Yato looked sheepishly towards Shiki. His eyes peeked from under his oversized bangs and he looked at her apologetically.

The slightest wrinkle formed on Shiki's forehead as Tori pulled one card after another and wiped out her Hermit as well as forced her to discard her hand twice. Yato apologetically mentioned he couldn't use his cards. Shiki gave him a small, but reassuring smile and nodded.

"I'll do my best for the both of us," she murmured.

She pulled up a new card and checked her current hand. Considering how many cards had been sent to the graveyard she had to keep track of those too.

Shiki's GY:

"First I place one card face down," Shiki said.



"I then use Spellbook of Life. This allows me to banish one Spellcaster monster in my graveyard and reveal 1 Spellbook spell card in my hand so I can special summon one other Spellcaster monster to the field in attack position," she said. "I banish Stoic of Prophecy and reveal Spellbook of Fate, and I return Hermit of Prophecy to the battle field!"

The Hermit would emerge from the ground onto the field once again.

"I then use Spellbook of Fate to banish three of my Spellbook Spell Cards so that I can banish Reign-Beaux, leaving you wide open!" Shiki announced. She'd point her finger at Reign-Beaux, banishing, a little riskily, some of her most useful spell cards from the battle. "With this spell card, my Hermit gains two extra stars and 300 points, making him level 5 with 1500 attack points."

Shiki pulled out another card.

"I also special summon The Tricky by discarding one card from my hand," she said, discarding Strength from what she had drawn. "Now, I could leave The Tricky here, but I tribute him and send him to the Graveyard to summon the Emperor of Prophecy in attack position!"

The Tricky would leave the field and be replaced by a regal man in black, gold, and violet attire holding a wand.

She then pointed at Tori.

"With two cards that are or were at level 5, I can summon Empress of Prophecy!" Shiki said next.

She'd stack Empress over the Hermit and the Emperor.

"The Empress gains 300 points for each card attached to it as Xyz material, making its attack points at 2600," she said. "And with your field empty, I will her to attack your life points directly!"

Shiki would watch as the Empress made her attack and then stand back.

"I end my turn."

Tori continued to have a confident smile as Shiki seemed to only bring out minor monsters, but it gradually started to turn.

"Ah, w-wait," Tori muttered. Then with Spellbook of Fate, her Reign Beaux was sent away with a vortex. "H-Hold on, is that some kinda cheat card??"

Tori was left wide open and with only 700 life points, the Empress's attack would end the duel.

"Wait wait wait wait wait!" Tori panicked, waving her arms frantically as the attack charged towards her. Then she glanced at her hand and gasped.

When the Empress's attack landed, it kicked up a dust cloud. The upperclassman watched in tense silence. When the smoke cleared, there was...



"I-I thought I was going to diiiie," the red head panted. "Good thing I had battle fader or I would've.... would've..."

Tori slowly rose up, her face blank and expressionless. Then she smiled, her her grin becoming wider, her cheeks flushing.

"No way!!" she yelled happily. "I can't believe first-years can actually make me sweat! Thisis amaaaazing!"

She threw her back and laughed. She was in a dire state, but she looked like she was having the time of her life all the same.

"Looks like I'm gonna have to take things up a notch!" Tori declared, drawing her new card. "Next stop on the tour, The Gates of Dark World!!"



Akiha's Fusion Recycling plant vanished, and in its place, a giant doorway rose from the ground behind Tori. It was strange, eerie, unlike any door known in the world. There was a light brimming behind the cracks in the frame, but there was this overwhelming feeling to never let what's behind them out.

"I activate the effect of my field spell!" Tori declared. "First I'm gonna banish the Tardy Orc in my grave, then discard a fiend so that I can draw a card!"

Tori slipped a card to the grave and drew a new one. Suddenly, the air went cold, the dark room seemed to get darker. A dark mist seemed to seep through the gaps in the gate and there was a strange grumbling.

Suddenly the ground below Empress opened up and a dark clawed hand emerged and grabbed her in a painful grip, dragging the regal lady down into the depths before closing up.

"Don't underestimate how terrifying my demons are," Tori grinned. "Now for the real fun. The monster I just discarded has another effect and you're not gonna like it. First things first, I'm gonna summon Bromm the Mad King!"



"But he won't be there for long," Tori stated. "I'm using the effect of my monster in the grave and returning Bromm to my hand!"

A vortex surrounded the lengthy monster before seemed to shoot off and revert back to a card in its owner's hand.

"And now I can summon out my favorite monster!" Tori declared. "Denizens of the colorless land, take heed and follow your wicked master who challenges the heavens themselves! Wage war and conquer in the name of the dragon god who opposes the light!"

A massive shadow emerged with brimming red eyes it rumbled and growled, unfurling its leathery wings unleashing a torrent of miasma. It let out a massive roar that shook the air.

"Come on out, Grapha! Dragon Lord of Dark World!!"



"Tell me, have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?" Tori asked with a devilish grin. "Well that's nothing, cause their REAL homefield advantage is right here at the Dark World Gates!"

Grapha received an ATK boost thanks to the field spell, clocking the demonic dragon at 3000!

"Let's go Grapha!" Tori shouted, in which the dragon roared in response. "Purgatory Flame!!"

Grapha reeled its head and breathed out a pitch black flame at Shiki, surrounding her. Her lifepoints were left at a barely survivable 100.

"Now show me what you got!" Tori commanded, her cheeks blushing in her excitement. "I set three cards facedown and end it!"

"Nng..." Yato grimaced. It was back to his turn, but could he do anything? Tori has a brand new powerhouse on the field and she looks confident about it. He drew his card and looked thoughtfully at his hand. All he has is a meager Pyramid Turtle and his Pyramid of wonders. ".... I'm changing Pyramid turtle to defense mode and setting a monster. That ends my turn."

He really must've had nothing else in his hand. At least he had monsters to defend, Shiki wasn't left with much.

Shiki stared blankly as Tori not only dodged her attack, but had taken away her Empress as well as summoned a strong monster.

Yato would notice Shiki slap her fingers onto her deck a little too forcefully as she read her next card.



"First, I activate my trap card, Hidden Spellbook, which allows me to take back two of my spell cards from the graveyard and shuffle them into the deck," she announced before quickly placing Spellbook of Life and Spellbook of Fate back. "I also activate Spellbook of Knowledge. By sending Spellbook Star Hall to the graveyard, I'm permitted to draw two more cards."

Shiki let out a sigh and turned to Valen. Shaking her runes she looked at them and smiled apologetically.

"Sorry. I guess fate's decided my turn is over. I leave it all to you now."

She was wide open and she had no cards to use. She realized she had gotten a little too excited with her tactics and had been careless and now had to suffer for it. It was a fun ride, though, while it lasted.



"..."

She had run out of luck.

She glanced Yato, offering a small rueful smile and then bowed apologetically.

"I'm sorry. It seems my fate has been decided. I can do nothing else now."

She then turned to Tori.

"Unfortunately, I end my turn."

"D-Don't worry," Yato whispered. "It may not look like it but... next turn, I'll win."

His unconfident expression wasn't assuring, but he seemed to have a plan. The combination of his Pyramid Turtle and Pyramid of Wonders was a tricky defense, but what was he about to do with that?

Overhearing the statement, Tori giggled excitedly. "Still not ready to quit eh? Perfect! Show me what you got!"

Tori put two fingers on her deck, ready to draw and start her turn but stopped as a hand touched her shoulder.

"I'll take over from here," Tohru Bashido stated.

"Hah?? But it was just getting good!" Tori exclaimed.

"We don't have all night, y'know," he chided, tipping his hat. "Are you sure you can end this in one turn?"

Tori pouted, her cheeks puffing childishly, but she sighed and raised her hand. "Okay, okay."

The two walked by eachother and clapped hands.

Baton Pass

As the computer announced that, Grapha, all of Tori's facedowns, and the Dark World Gates imploded and disappeared from the field.

"Time to show you kids just how cool your senpais are," Tohru stated. He gripped what looked like a handle hanging at his side and pulled out...

"A gun??" Yato yelled.

Tohru held up a device that distinctly looked like a gun with a wide barrel and a screen on the side. The upperclassman smiled and slid it into a slot on his arm. It it shifted and telescoped, becoming a duel disc.

"Duel Tech Engineering," Tohru stated. "An advanced class that will become available to you in your second year here. A duel disc is like your partner and with a little tweaking, you can make it something unique to your identity. But now...

His magazone opened to reveal a deck which pushed out 5 cards which Tohru picked up.

"My field is empty. I only have 700 lifepoints, and you guys got a number of cards for defense," he stated. "My six cards can make or break this game."

He closed his eyes but didn't pick up his first hand right away. He looked up and looked directly in each of the first years in the eye.

"Let me ask ya," he said, "What do you wanna accomplish at this academy? You all must have some goals."

"..." Yato looked down at his deck, standing awkwardly in silence. "I want... to give back what dueling gave me."

Yuriko watched as Shiki quickly began her match, however she just realised that Shiki needed a partner. Fortunately someone familiar had soon appeared to join Shiki in her duel, it was Yato, who Yuriko recognised. "Your that boy from the Cafeteria earlier today." Yuriko called to Yato as the match began, and Yuriko watched silently as the duel went on.

"You can do it you two!" Yuriko cheered on from the sidelines, but quickly gasped when Tori's partner soon pulled out... A gun, that seemed to be allowed according to him.

But she kept supporting Shiki and Yato regardless.

But then she looked at Tohru.

"I'm here to find my brother, and do well at this school." Yuriko revealed her reasons to Tohru.

"Even if I failed here now, i'm going to keep trying until I get it right and find out what happened to my brother." Yuriko spat back to Tohru.

Shiki tilted her head at Yato's statement, but considering the clever moves he pulled earlier, she trusted him. She gave him a trusting bob of her head.

As if by the gods of fate, Tori was asked to step down and the other young man from the battles they say during the tour had stepped up. From the back, Akiha gasped.

"Oh! It's that cool guy from the tour!" Akiha pointed out.

Shiki merely offered Tohru going in a small bow. What surprised her, however, was him asking about what their goals were. Yuriko stepped up to ask first. Akiha, meanwhile, hugged her teddy bear thoughtfully before lifting her head and beaming.

"I'm here for my sisters. And...to have the most fun I can!" she said, her green eyes shining with determination.

Shiki herself pressed one of her cards against her chin. Her free hand rattled her runes and she tossed them. She paused for a moment. Then, looking up, "I'm here because the gods want me here."

Tohru smirked, tipping his hat and nodding.

"Ah. I don't completely get it, but it sounds like everyone has strong goals," he stated. "That's good. Never give up. Never give in. Keep moving forward. That's my motto."

Tohru traced the brim of his hat between his fingers.

"That's right. No matter what, I keep moving forward non-stop at full power. That's the kinda man I am," he stated. "So I gotta show you all just how cool your upperclassmen are. I'm gonna take you on a ride. Next stop, the underworld. All aboard!"

In a grand show, Tohru pulled out his cards. "And since we're running out of time, I'll start on an Urgent Schedule!"



"If my opponents control more monsters than I do," Tohru explained, "I can special summon from my deck a level 4 and a high level machine monster from my deck!"

Tohru's duel disc ejects two cards from his deck which he quickly slapped onto his board. Everyone waited for monsters to show up but nothing came for awhile. Then, there was a distant sound, like a whistle of some sort. It grew louder and louder, as if approaching rapidly. Then suddenly, two large masses burst into existence, rolling into the speed at powerful speeds, filling the air with steam and smoke.

"Have your tickets at the ready!" Tohru announced. "The Speedy Express Bullet Liner and Ruffian Railcar have arrived at the station!"



"Keep moving forward!" Tohru shouted. "Make way for Heavy Freight Train Derricrane!"



"Derricrane can special summon itself when an EARTH machine enters my field," Tohru explained. "Keep moving forward! Never give up! If you think you can then you definitely can! I normal summon Lionhearted Locomotive!"



Tohru now had four behemoth machines on his field, each one with powerful engines and sizes. However, there was an issue. Urgent Schedule rapidly brought out two monsters but they were stuck in defense position. Derricrane and Lionhearted Locomotive halved their own ATK strength. These monsters weren't even capable of beating the weakest monster on the opposite field. And yet Tohru continued to smile confidently.

"Time I show you why they call me the bus to the underworld," Tohru stated. "I overlay LV 4 Ruffian Railcar and Lionhearted Locomotive!"

The two smaller trains turned into balls of light and shot into a spacial vortex behind Tohru. With a sound that was like a mix of a beast's growl and a powerful engine, a completely different machine pushed itself out.

"I XYZ summon Rank 4 Heavy Armored Train Ironwolf!!"



"Listen to that girl purr!" Tohru exclaimed. "But I ain't done yet! Keep moving forward! Once more, I overlay Level 10 Heavy Freight Train Derricrane and Speedy Express Bullet Liner!"

The two larger trains rushed forward and disappeared in a flash as if they entered warp speed. This time, something so large and powerful was approaching that the air shook. The ground seemed to rumble, as if the Earth itself was being disturbed by the approach.

"The strongest fortification, the strongest cannon, the most powerful weapon," Tohru chanted. "Shake the Earth itself and let nothing get in your way! Keep moving forward! I XYZ summon!"

A pair of tracks assembled themselves overhead and an impossibly huge machine rolled forward.



"Superdreadnought Rail Cannon Gustav Max!"

The cannon raised its massive cannon and imposed an aura of power unlike any other. two spheres of light circled it in an axis.

"Now I know what you're thinking," Tohru stated, tipping his hat. "You're safe as long as you have defending monsters. There's no way I can take both of you down this turn so you'll still have a chance. Well, sad to say that you are wrong."

Tohru clenched his fingers, extending outward only his index and thumb, making a gun and pointing at Shiki.

"I activate Gustav's ability," he stated, "I expend an overlay unit and my opponent takes 2000 points of direct damage!"

One of the spheres of light shot up and slammed into Gustav's chassis. The barrel lit up and rotated, pointing directly at Shiki.

"Bang," Tohru clicked and his railcannon fired a massive beam shot, washing over the girl like siege fire. In an instant, Shiki's life points fropped to 0.

"Sorry little lady, but I wanted to treat you gently," Tohru stated, flicking his hat, turning his attention to Yato. "My cannon is much rougher when it's on the attack."

Yato braced himself. He had two monsters to defend him, plus his Pyramid of Wonders will prevent one from being destroyed by an effect. Plus, Pyramid Turtle can summon another zombie to take its place. Yato had a good defense. Yet the upperclassman was confident.

"Sorry to say, but there's no wall my machines can't get over," Tohru stated, tipping his hat. "Cause no matter what, no matter the obstacle, I keep moving forward! I use the special ability of my Ironwolf!"

This time, the beast-like train expended one of its revolving orbs. It lifted off the ground and attached itself to the back of Gustav. Rockets opened up from behind and a giant propulsion flame expended out.

"Once per turn, Ironwolf lets one of my machines attack directly!" Tohru stated. Gustav raised its cannon and aimed the barrel directly at Yato.

"Th-that's not fair!" Yato exclaimed.

"Hey, don't let this get your juniors too down," Tohru smiled encouragingly. "Keep working hard, make good friends, and give everything you do everything ya got, and one day you can be just as strong as us. And of course, most importantly..."

Tohru made a gun with his hand and pointed at Yato. "Keep moving forward! Once again! Welcome to Neo Duel Academy!"

Gustav's cannon fired and a torrent of energy rushed towards Yato. The light immersed the entire room, blinding everyone. When the light cleared, Yato was lying on the ground, his life points depleted to 0. That was the end.

At the same time though, both Tohru and the upperclassmen had simultaneously disappeared from the room. A small crack of light showed that there was another door on the opposite end of the room where the upperclassmen must've left through.

Suddenly, the door behind the freshmen burst open and behind it was a man in a security uniform, waving a flashlight.

"Who the heck is here??" he shouted. "Are you first-years?? You must have a lot of guts for breaking curfew on the first day!"

"Wait! This is a misunderstanding!"

"Hold on, was this all a setup??"

"Damn those worthless senpais!!"

"Nobody move!"

The freshmen that regained consciousness scrambled for the door on the opposite side of the room while the security guard wrangled them all up.