The man walked slowly in the small grove of Duel Academy, hands clasped behind his back, with steady and composed steps.
He sported a curly mustache, wore a red suit with a bow tie, and his smile was elegant and confident.
His name was Matt Motika, nicknamed "Doctor Math," a renowned Mathematician Duelist in the professional league, ranked tenth in the entire league in the last tournament.
Being in the top ten of the league, you can tell he's quite formidable.
But to say, the professional league is indeed intriguing. Although all the participants are professional card players, their actual professions seem to be varied.
There are dancers, bartenders, idols, and here we even have a Doctor of Mathematics.
It can only be said that perhaps this great figure delved into mathematics for many years and, after obtaining a doctorate, finally comprehended the true law of this world—playing cards.
Perhaps he discovered that the ultimate questions of mathematics required seeking answers in the world of card games, so he decisively abandoned numbers for cards, embarking on a professional career.
Of course, considering the league's top ten include a felon currently imprisoned, Doctor Math doesn't seem that much of a surprise...
Today is the first day of the GX Tournament opening.
Doctor Matt Motika strolled confidently searching for his opponent on this expansive island.
As someone ranked in the top ten professionals, he participated in this event with a relatively relaxed attitude. After all, many participants are merely students from Duel Academy, which he considered as easy pickings.
As for encountering other professional players, there was nothing to fear, Matt Motika was confident that the vast majority in the league weren't his match.
The newly crowned world champion, Ed Phoenix, was said to be participating, but to be honest, he didn't really pay attention to this rookie still wet behind the ears.
Because of the tournament format, Matt Motika was eliminated by others this season and didn't directly face Ed, so he presumed the newcomer might have some skill, but luck played a big part in his sudden rise to the championship.
"If I were there, I could do it too!"
"The reason I didn't do well this time was simply that I didn't perform up to par!"
While walking, Matt Motika soon spotted his target.
Hmm? There's a wild jellyfish head over there, looks like a student from the school?
Ha, you have bad luck then; you're going to be my first opponent, Matt Motika the Doctor Math!
"..."
A few minutes later.
"Matt... Motik... what now?" Judai was full of question marks, clearly finding the name too much of a tongue twister.
Matt Motika had a vein popping on his forehead, but he still maintained his professional elegance and smiled, "It's Doctor Matt Motika."
Standing beside, Maru commented, "Bro, you usually don't pay attention to the professional circle. This guy is known as Doctor Math, a regular in the playoffs!"
Somehow ending up alongside Judai again, Asuka also introduced, "He's said to excel in calculation, using meticulous thinking to defeat his opponents in the professional leagues, earning the title of tenth place this time."
"Oh, tenth place in the league!" Judai's eyes brightened.
Doctor Math smiled and nodded, even brushing his curly mustache, seemingly enjoying the students' praise.
But the next sentence made his blood pressure spike.
"Didn't even make it to the top eight..." Judai muttered softly.
What a weakling.
Matt Motika: "..."
"Don't say that, he might've just been not in top form this time, and luck wasn't on his side." Asuka pondered, "Well, of course, strength might be an issue too."
Matt Motika: "......"
Maru added, "But tenth place, bro, you should be able to win pretty easily, right? Just lucky, the first badge in the GX Tournament is almost handed over like that."
Matt Motika: "........."
Do me a favor and don't talk as if I'm a dead man right in front of me, okay?
Also, this conversation among these students gave Matt Motika the absurd thought for the first time in his life that "being the tenth professional is embarrassing."
This instantly ignited a fire within him.
Ha, a group of kids that haven't even left their school, flowers in a greenhouse, dare mock someone like me, who's fought tooth and nail in the league for so many years?
A bunch of kids with high aspirations and little ability!
Of course, the Doctor wasn't aware that shortly before the opening of the GX Tournament, the world champion of their league lost to this jellyfish head. So from these students' perspective, the tenth didn't seem all that impressive...
Matt Motika decided to give these arrogant boys a good lesson!
Thus the duel began.
To card players, Matt Motika's deck was sure to be quite unfamiliar because his main cards were mostly original from animations and never materialized as physical cards. However, his playing approach wasn't entirely unfamiliar to players, it even had a somewhat realistic card flavor.
Because in the professional circles... he was also famously anti-social.
As the duel proceeded, his tactics were soon revealed to the few.
On Judai's side, he had an "Elemental Hero Neos Alius" on the field, along with as many as three set cards in the backfield, creating a very powerful setup.
On Doctor Math's side, the core of his tactic lay in his backfield, a continuous trap card for anti-social specialists called "Gravity Bind," preventing all monsters level four or higher on the field from attacking.
Also dubbed the "Four-Star Bind," its effect clearly showed that it's a favorite among anti-socials. By using traps to block the opponent's high-level monster attacks, it allowed him to do vile things to the opponent, quite sneaky indeed.
Next came a level three original animation monster, "Measuring Warrior - Compass." This creature looked like an animate compass, level three so it wasn't restricted by "Gravity Bind," most importantly, it could directly attack by sacrificing a monster on his field.
The strategy became clear. With "Gravity Bind" restricting attacks, "Measuring Warrior - Compass" could directly slap the opponent, theoretically taking only four hits to smack the opponent to death!
But of course, Doctor Matt Motika wouldn't be content with a speed of someone taking four turns to slap people to death. So he revealed another card: "Continuous Magic - Illegal Summon! Choose one monster level four or below from the deck and special summon it to the opponent's field!"
Illegal Summon, Continuous Magic, also an original animation card.
The card image was quite intriguing. Depicted is a white-haired ninja with red paint on his eyes, red robe, wooden sandals, weaving seals with his hands, and stepping on a big toad...
It was hard not to suspect that the pervy sage from Konoha's village next door might be guest starring.
"I'll special summon 'Mid Shield Gardna' to your field!"
[Mid Shield Gardna, defense 1800]
"Huh? So generous?" Judai stared dumbfounded at the newly added monster on his field, "Good to go? Then I'll take it..."
"Don't mention it." Doctor Math smiled, "But as a return favor, you must also choose a monster from your deck and give it to me."
"Huh? Is that so?"
Judai thought for a moment, pondered over his deck.
"Hmm... then this guy!
I'll special summon 'Lava Golem' on your field!"
Lava Golem rose up, appearing behind Doctor Math, surrounded in a cage that locked him securely in the center.
[Lava Golem, attack 3000]
Matt Motika's face slightly changed.
Oh goodness, directly gifting me an eight-star big baby?
This jellyfish head is that amazing?