A vortex opened toward the Underworld, and in a flash of light, Gene-Warped Werewolf returned, looking battered but alive. "I activate my set card, the Trap Card Trap, Magic Jammer," Yugen said, pressing his disk.
"When the opponent activates a Spell Card, pay 1000 life points to randomly discard one card from their hand." His life dropped from 4000 to 3000.
"Nani?!?" the examiner exclaimed. He looked down and saw one card vanish from his hand in a flash of light.
"It is not over yet," Yugen continued, flipping another set card. "I chain another Trap Card, Torrential Tribute. When a monster is summoned, special summoned, or flip summoned, destroy all monsters on the field."
A torrent burst from the card and flooded the field. The unfortunate Gene-Warped Werewolf was swept away once more and crushed to nothing. The examiner stood silent, words failing him.
The Sunglasses Examiner was starting to understand why this examinee had deliberately asked before the duel whether an examiner's mood could affect the exam score.
Because if it really could, he felt a strong urge to draw a huge X across this student's file and tell him to get as far away as possible.
It was only the first turn, yet half his hand was gone, his field was still completely empty, and on top of that he had lost a "Sakuretsu Armor" without even getting the chance to set it. A powerful Trap that could destroy an attacking monster had been sent straight to the grave before it ever touched the field.
That thought flashed through his mind only for a moment.
The Sunglasses Examiner forced himself to suppress the impulse.
Calm down, stay calm. Right now he was an examiner, a professional one, and no matter what happened he could not lose his temper.
Yugen entered the field with the number 001 above his head, and his exam had already drawn the most attention among all the candidates. After this turn, even more eyes shifted toward this duel, and many people began to grow curious about him.
"So that boy named Yugen is this year's top candidate," Asuka Tenjoin said as she leaned against the railing. "How should I put it, his duel feels a bit different from what I imagined a number one would be like."
"."
Over by Manjoume's side.
Lackey A said excitedly, "It's starting, it's starting! That Yugen is at it again!"
"That's it, that's the feeling," Lackey B added. "This tempo, this direction, it feels like even Manjoume got dragged straight into the abyss!"
"You're exaggerating," Manjoume muttered.
He had struggled for several turns before falling into that underworld pit.
As he spoke, his face darkened into a gloomy, unsettling expression.
"But if they think this is everything, they're being naive. For that bastard, this is only the beginning."
The two lackeys looked at him with sympathy.
"Big brother Manjoume really has experience."
"Yeah, the kind that makes people feel bad for him."
Manjoume snapped, "Shut up!"
"."
"My turn, Card Draw."
Yugen calmly slotted another card into his Duel Disk.
"Spell Card 'Prankish Delinquent Duo'. I pay 1000 Life Points, randomly discard one card from my opponent's hand, then my opponent chooses another card from their hand to discard."
Yugen's LP dropped from 3000 to 2000.
One blue demon and one red demon flew out together, each clutching a card from the examiner's hand, laughing mockingly as they vanished.
The examiner stared in silence.
Secret Technique, Hand Evaporation Technique.
He pushed up his sunglasses and looked down at the last remaining card in his hand.
A Continuous Spell, 'Chivalry Spirit'. Its effect prevented monsters with equal attack from destroying each other in battle.
It was completely meaningless right now.
For all practical purposes, he had no cards left to play.
If this were an anime, the Sunglasses Examiner would already be at the point of steam shooting straight out of his head.
The only reason he did not smash his Duel Disk and roll up his sleeves was his solid professional discipline and constant self-reminders.
I'm a professional. I can't get angry. I can't.
Yugen said, "I Normal Summon 'Witch of the Black Forest'."
Witch of the Black Forest appeared with 1100 attack.
"Witch of the Black Forest attacks directly."
The examiner's Life Points fell from 4000 to 2900.
The examiner stood there, face dark, and took the hit without moving, as if he were charging up a rage meter.
"End of turn."
"."
Up in the stands, Lackey A whispered, "It's really just like big brother Manjoume said."
Lackey B shook his head, already starting to feel sorry for that unlucky examiner.
Manjoume said nothing. With his fingers interlaced, he leaned forward to watch the duel, and without realizing it, a smile slowly crept onto his face.
"Heh. Heh heh."
The corners of Manjoume's mouth kept rising.
To be honest, he did not even know why.
But watching the examiner suffer down there felt just like looking at himself yesterday.
A strange sense of pleasure welled up inside him.
Only then did he suddenly realize that when you were not the one on the receiving end, this kind of underworld duel could actually be very enjoyable.
From behind, Lackey B glanced at his increasingly exaggerated grin and whispered, "Big brother, you look really creepy when you smile like that."
"."
"My turn, Card Draw!"
The examiner took a deep breath and forced himself to focus on the duel.
"I activate the Spell Card 'Silent Doom' from my hand. It lets me revive a Normal Monster from the graveyard in Defense Position, but a monster summoned this way cannot attack.
The monster I revive is the one you discarded last turn."
He took the card that emerged from the graveyard zone of the Duel Disk.
"Millennium Shield!"
A massive shield rose from a swirling vortex in the Underworld, standing firm on the examiner's field.
Millennium Shield appeared with 3000 defense.
"It's Millennium Shield!"
Students immediately cried out in surprise.
A legendary shield said to come from ancient Egyptian royalty, rumored to even block the Burst Stream of Destruction from the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, a monster known for its near‑impenetrable defense.
"End of turn."
The examiner would have liked to do more, but he had no cards left. Still, this was Millennium Shield with defense on par with the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and it should not be broken so easily.
If he could hold out until the next turn, there might still be a chance.
"My turn," Yugen said. "I activate the Equip Spell 'Wonder Wand' from my hand. Only a Spellcaster Type monster can be equipped.
I equip it to Witch of the Black Forest, increasing her attack by 500."
Witch of the Black Forest's attack rose from 1100 to 1600.
"Next, I activate Wonder Wand's second effect. I send the equipped monster and this card to the graveyard to draw two cards.
I send Witch of the Black Forest and Wonder Wand to the graveyard and draw two cards."
After drawing, Yugen pulled his Deck from the Duel Disk and continued without pause.
"Witch of the Black Forest's effect activates. When this card is sent from the field to the graveyard, I can add a monster with 1500 or less defense from my Deck to my hand.
I add this card to my hand."
He held up a card between two fingers.
"Mahavir, with 1400 defense, added to my hand," Yugen said. "Then I Normal Summon 'Mahavir' in Attack Position."
Mahavir appeared with 1550 attack.