Yusil's alarm clock blared, the relentless ring, ring, ring tearing through the room like a siren announcing the end of the world. He groaned, burying his face in his pillow, utterly defeated by the thought of waking up. The alarm continued its merciless onslaught. Five minutes passed. Ten. Fifteen.
Suddenly, the door to his room flew open with a bang that shook the walls. His mother's voice thundered through the room like the wrath of the gods.
"YUSIL! YOU FOOL!" she bellowed, her eyes blazing with fury. "THE BUS WILL BE HERE IN 8 MINUTES! GET YOURSELF TOGETHER, NOW!"
Yusil shot out of bed like he'd been struck by lightning. His heart pounded in his chest as pure panic surged through his veins. Clothes flew through the air as he scrambled to get dressed, his arms and legs flailing in a chaotic dance. One shoe was half on, the other had disappeared into the depths of his room, and his shirt hung from one shoulder, completely inside out. He wrestled with his pants, nearly tripping over himself as he stumbled toward the dresser. His hair looked like a bird's nest after a storm, but there was no time to fix it.
"Where is it?!" he muttered frantically, rifling through the clutter on his dresser until his fingers brushed against the smooth surface of his deck. He grabbed it, clutching it like a lifeline, and bolted into the living room, half-dressed and completely disheveled.
His mother stood in the center of the room, arms crossed, tapping her foot with an air of simmering impatience. Her expression was a mix of exhaustion, amusement, and a faint touch of pity. She sighed deeply, the kind of sigh that could fill an entire room with guilt.
Finally, she spoke, her voice tinged with an odd combination of pride and frustration. "Yusil, do you even realize what today means?" She shook her head, and for a moment, her fierce exterior softened. "I'm so proud of you, my son. You got accepted into Zeta Duel Academy—one of the finest, most prestigious schools in the world." Her eyes flicked to the side, and the warm tone wavered. "And do you know how much it cost me to get you here? One hundred and sixty-nine thousand dollars," she said, dragging out the amount with a dramatic sigh that echoed like a heavy bell tolling. "That's how much I spent raising you, pouring everything into making sure you had a chance at this life."
Yusil gulped, the weight of her words hitting him harder than any duel could. His chest tightened. He forced a weak, apologetic grin, trying to push aside the gnawing guilt that threatened to overwhelm him. He knew he had put her in severe debt. How could he not? The financial strain had become a ghost in their house, a shadow that clung to every meal, every conversation.
But he couldn't let her see that. Not now. So, with as much false bravado as he could muster, he puffed out his chest and grinned. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll win so many duels, I'll pay you back fifty times the debt! I promise! I'll be the greatest duelist Zeta Duel Academy has ever seen!"
For a moment, there was silence. His mother looked at him, eyes narrowed, as if she could see right through the mask he was trying to wear. Then she gave a small, almost imperceptible nod and placed her hands on his shoulders. Her grip was firm, her gaze unwavering.
"Listen to me, Yusil," she said, her voice low and intense, almost like she was casting a spell over him. "I believe in you. I have always believed in you. You are destined for greatness, and Zeta Duel Academy is just the beginning of your journey. You have power, potential, something special that no one else has. You can—and will—conquer everything you set your mind to."
Yusil's heart swelled at her words, a spark of hope igniting in his chest. But before he could get too carried away, her grip tightened, and her smile shifted into something sharper, almost predatory.
"But," she continued, her voice laced with a subtle edge that made the hair on the back of Yusil's neck stand up, "this isn't a free pass, Yusil. I've sacrificed everything for you. I've poured every ounce of my savings, my time, my energy into your future. Do you understand what that means?" Her eyes narrowed, the weight of her expectations sinking into his skin. "I expect results. And not just any results—I expect greatness. You're going to win every duel, you're going to rise to the top, and you're going to make sure all this money and effort wasn't wasted. Because if you don't…" She let the words hang ominously in the air, leaving Yusil to fill in the rest of the terrifying possibility.
Yusil's forced smile had long since faded, replaced by a look of sheer determination. He nodded vigorously, his heart pounding in his chest. "I won't let you down, Mom," he said, his voice firm despite the slight tremor in his hands. "I'll make sure of it."
She studied him for a long moment, her gaze piercing, before her features softened once more. She pulled him into a tight hug, her voice returning to its earlier, more gentle tone. "Good," she whispered, her words barely more than a breath. "You've got this, Yusil. I know you do. Just… don't forget everything I've done for you. And don't oversleep next time. You've got a reputation to uphold, after all."
With that, she gave him one last pat on the back and ushered him toward the door. Yusil grabbed his backpack, his deck, and raced out of the house, his mother's words burning in his mind.
This was it. His shot. He couldn't mess this up. He wouldn't mess this up. He had a debt to repay—one far greater than dollars and cents.Yusil kissed his mom quickly on the cheek, giving her one last, hurried grin before bolting out the door, his backpack bouncing against his shoulders. The distant hum of the school bus engine was already getting louder, and he sprinted as fast as his legs would carry him. Barely making it in time, he leaped onto the bus, panting heavily as the doors hissed shut behind him.
He made his way down the aisle, scanning for an empty seat, when suddenly—thud. His foot caught on something, and he went sprawling to the ground, his books scattering everywhere. Laughter erupted from behind him.
"Oops! Watch your step, Yusil!" Brad sneered, sitting smugly in his seat. His gang of goons snickered around him, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
Yusil blinked, pulling himself up from the floor. He dusted himself off, shaking his head with a sigh. He had no time for these idiots. He just wanted to survive the bus ride and get to Zeta Duel Academy. "Whatever, Brad," Yusil muttered, grabbing his stuff and sliding into a seat further back. Don't let them get to you, he reminded himself.
After what felt like an eternity of enduring the bus ride—and 8 grueling hours of anticipation building inside him—the bus finally pulled into the grand campus of Zeta Duel Academy. Yusil's jaw dropped as he looked out the window. The towering spires, the sprawling courtyards filled with duel arenas—it was even more magnificent than he'd imagined. He stepped off the bus, taking in the sight before him, and whispered to himself in disbelief, "Man, I really can't believe I'm actually here... Zeta Duel Academy."
The energy around him was palpable as students from all over the world chattered excitedly. Duelists from Delta City, from the mystic towers of Alchemist City, and so many other places had all gathered here. The line to get through the gate stretched for what seemed like miles, and Yusil groaned inwardly as he joined the back of the line.
Three long hours later, after shuffling forward inch by inch, Yusil finally reached the front gate, sweat dripping from his forehead. His back ached, his feet throbbed, and his eyelids felt heavier with every passing second. "I'm exhausted," he muttered to himself, wiping his brow. "I didn't know people from Delta and Alchemist City came here… so many different duelists. Man, this is nuts."
With his acceptance badge in hand, Yusil dragged his tired body to the dormitory, excitement rekindling within him as he got closer. When he opened the door to his assigned room, his eyes widened in pure awe. The room was immaculate—a luxury suite compared to his cramped home. The bed was huge, with soft, silky sheets, and the view outside the window overlooked the academy's dueling arena. There was a desk, a bookshelf, and a mini-dueling table for practice. "Wooooow," Yusil gasped, stepping inside. "This room is better than my whole house!"
Excitement bubbled up inside him despite his exhaustion. He explored the room, jumping on the bed, testing out the soft cushions, flipping the light switches on and off just to see the lights change. For a moment, it felt like all his worries melted away. He even tried out the shower—something he had never seen so fancy before.
After bouncing around the room like a kid, Yusil finally flopped down on the bed, letting out a deep sigh of satisfaction. "Hehe, now… time to check out this deck." He eagerly pulled out his cards, his prized possession, and started to lay them out on the bed.
As he sorted through the cards, his hands froze. His brow furrowed, and his smile faded. "Hmm… I don't remember adding Dark Samurai..." His heart skipped a beat. His hands trembled as he continued flipping through the deck. He started scanning through all the cards, faster and faster, panic rising in his chest. "No... no no no NO NO!" he muttered, his voice rising with each word.
Yusil's face turned pale. His worst fears were materializing before his eyes. "Who changed my deck?!" he shouted, his voice cracking with panic. "Was it my cousins?! No, they wouldn't dare mess with my cards... Could it have been Mom? Heck no! She knows better than to touch my deck. Wait... WAIT—"
Suddenly, the realization hit him like a slap to the face. His mind flashed back to the night before the big day. He could see it so clearly now: sitting at his desk, carefully pulling together all his strongest cards, meticulously building the perfect deck. But in his excitement—he could see it happening again in slow motion—he had accidentally grabbed his worst cards, the ones he was supposed to leave behind, and slipped them into the deck!
In the flashback, he saw himself fiddling with the cards, tossing aside his favorite ones as he reached for others in a frenzy. "No... no, I didn't—did I?" he muttered, shaking his head as if he could undo it all by sheer will.
Back in the present, Yusil groaned, slumping down onto the floor, staring at the pile of mismatched cards scattered around him. "I... accidentally put them in, didn't I?" His voice was a defeated whisper.
His mind raced, trying to piece together how to fix this disaster. The cards weren't just bad—they were embarrassing. His rookie-level Dark Samurai, his weak old cards from his early dueling days—they had no place in the tournament he was about to face at Zeta Duel Academy. His heart pounded as the full weight of the situation sank in.
"What am I gonna do...?"Got it! Here's a revised version incorporating the rank system based on wins and losses, with ranks like Bronze through Unreal: --- Yusil's face turned pale as he sat at his desk, rifling through the cards in his deck. His eyes widened in disbelief. "No... no... this can't be right!" He panicked, sifting through the cards one more time. "These are the cards from my **Cyber Deck**! The ones I used when I was a kid!" He flipped through cards like *Cyber Squire*, *Cyber Drone*, and *Dark Samurai*. Memories of losing countless playground duels with these weak, outdated cards flashed through his mind. They were fine back then, but now? He was at **Zeta Duel Academy**, the top dueling school in the world, where only the strongest decks and sharpest minds survived. He groaned, realizing his mistake. "How did I mess this up so badly?" Yusil muttered to himself. Then it hit him—last night, while sorting his cards before bed, he must have mixed up the piles. He had separated his best deck, filled with cards like *Blazing Dragon Knight* and *Thunder Emperor Zephyros*, from his old Cyber Deck. But in his exhaustion, he had grabbed the wrong deck for his big debut. Before he could dwell on it any further, his bedtime alarm went off. A soft melody filled the room, reminding him that it was time to sleep. "Ugh... of all times," Yusil sighed. Despite the dread gnawing at his stomach, he was too exhausted to think clearly. "I'll deal with this in the morning," he mumbled as he collapsed into bed. He barely had time to stress about the looming challenge before sleep took over. --- The next morning, Yusil's nerves kicked into high gear as he entered the gates of **Zeta Duel Academy**. The vast campus buzzed with students from all over the world, each one carrying a deck filled with cards designed for high-level duels. Yusil felt out of place with his old Cyber Deck, knowing that one wrong move could end his dueling career before it even started. Soon, orientation began, and a holographic image of the academy's headmaster appeared, addressing the crowd of new students. "Welcome to Zeta Duel Academy!" the headmaster's booming voice filled the air. "This is the most prestigious dueling school in the world. Here, your skill will be measured through duels, and your progress will be tracked by your rank. There are no levels at this academy—only **ranks** that are determined by your win/loss record. Perform well, and your rank will rise. Fail, and you'll plummet." The headmaster waved his hand, and several ranks flashed above the crowd, each represented by a glowing emblem. - **Bronze** - **Silver** - **Gold** - **Platinum** - **Diamond** - **Master** - **Elite** - **Unreal** "You will all start in the **Bronze** rank. Every duel you win will boost your rank, while each loss will push you further down. You must maintain a positive win-to-loss ratio if you hope to survive here. And..." The headmaster paused for dramatic effect. "At the end of each semester, only duelists ranked within the **Top 1,000** will remain at this academy." Yusil's heart sank at those words. "If you fall out of the top 1,000, you're expelled from the academy. This is your first and final warning." Gasps and murmurs spread through the crowd. Yusil's mind raced. He had to be in the top 1,000 by the end of the semester, or he'd be kicked out. And with his terrible Cyber Deck, there was no way he could compete. The headmaster continued, "Our **Seasonal Tournament** will be your greatest chance to rise in rank quickly. The top duelists will see their ranks skyrocket. But remember, competition is fierce, and not everyone will make it." Yusil stood frozen. The weight of his situation felt heavier than ever. His chances of ranking up with his current deck seemed impossible. He clenched his deck box, knowing that with cards like *Cyber Squire* and *Clumsy Golem*, he was doomed from the start. "I have to fix this... and fast," Yusil thought. There was no turning back now. If he didn't win duels and rise through the ranks, he'd be out of Zeta Duel Academy in no time.As the school day finally ended, Yusil felt the weight of exhaustion pulling him towards his dorm. His mind was still swirling with thoughts of the rank system and the immense pressure to perform well. But just as he was about to take the path toward his dorm, a familiar voice sneered from behind him. "Well, well, well... if it isn't the scholarship kid!" Brad, one of the upper-ranked students, stood in Yusil's path with a smug grin on his face. His goons flanked him, laughing at every word he spat out. Brad was known for his bullying, especially toward newcomers. Yusil tried to sidestep him, but Brad shoved him back with a hard shoulder, knocking Yusil's deck out of his hand. Cards scattered across the ground, revealing the outdated cards from Yusil's **Cyber Deck**. Brad's eyes widened in amusement as he glanced at the cards. "Holy crap, is this seriously your deck?" Brad laughed cruelly. "This is pathetic. These cards are ancient! You actually think you can make it here with junk like *Cyber Squire* and *Clumsy Golem*? I bet even my little brother has a better deck than this." Yusil bent down, hastily gathering his cards, but Brad wasn't done. "Tell you what, loser," Brad continued, his voice dripping with mockery, "why don't we settle this right now with a duel? That way, I can show everyone just how bad you really are." Yusil hesitated, gripping his deck tightly. He knew his cards were outdated, and he had no chance of winning against Brad, who was one of the more skilled duelists. But before he could say anything, Brad's goons started chanting, egging Yusil on. "What's the matter? Scared?" Brad taunted, walking closer. "C'mon, don't be such a coward. Or are you too scared to duel me?" The pressure was unbearable. Yusil swallowed hard. "Fine..." he muttered, standing up, trying to muster some courage. He knew this was a terrible idea, but he couldn't let Brad humiliate him in front of everyone. Not on his first day. "That's the spirit!" Brad said, flashing a wicked grin. "Let me show you how to activate your **Duel Watch**, so you can at least try to keep up." Brad grabbed Yusil's wrist and forced his duel watch to activate. A holographic display appeared in front of Yusil, showing his cards and his **VP** (Victory Points). "Wow," Brad scoffed, "this is worse than I thought. But let's get this over with." He activated his own duel watch, and the system automatically set the **VP** at 4,000 for each duelist. "The duel starts now," Brad announced, confident and arrogant. He quickly placed **four cards** face-down and summoned **two monsters** onto the field. "I summon *Steelbreaker Golem* in attack mode!" Brad shouted, as a hulking creature of twisted metal and stone materialized in front of him. "And next to him, *Ironclad Brute*!" *Steelbreaker Golem* stood tall, its jagged metal frame gleaming, while *Ironclad Brute* flexed its massive arms, its rock-like skin practically impenetrable. Yusil's heart pounded. These monsters were leagues beyond what he had in his deck. He quickly glanced at his cards, and panic set in. They were all weak, useless in comparison to Brad's powerful creatures. "It's your turn, kid. Don't make us wait all day," Brad sneered, folding his arms. Yusil shakily drew his card and hesitated for a moment. He glanced at the holographic display on his duel watch, which showed his available monsters. Finally, he summoned a creature, but it was a weak one from his outdated deck. "I... I summon *Cyber Squire* in defense mode," Yusil said, his voice barely a whisper. The small, fragile creature appeared on his side of the field, looking completely outmatched against Brad's massive monsters. Brad and his goons burst into laughter. "That's the best you've got? *Cyber Squire*? Oh, this is going to be too easy," Brad mocked. He watched as Yusil also placed one card face-down, clearly nervous. Yusil swallowed hard, knowing that he was in deep trouble. His weak creature was no match for Brad's metal rock monsters, and with each second that passed, his fear of losing grew. He had to think fast—or this duel would be over before it even began.As the tension in the duel mounted, Yusil realized he had one chance to turn things around—his **Cyber Net** spell card. His hands shook slightly as he played the card from his hand, voice steady with forced confidence. "I activate **Cyber Net**!" Yusil declared, causing a ripple of energy to pulse through the arena. "Since I control a machine-type creature, I can destroy all face-up creatures on the field. But... I have to take 2,000 VP in damage to do it." The holographic display on his duel watch blinked as his **VP** dropped from 4,000 to 2,000 instantly. The air crackled with energy as Brad's towering monsters, *Steelbreaker Golem* and *Ironclad Brute*, began to disintegrate in a shower of sparks. Brad's smug grin faltered, replaced by a look of sheer shock. "What?! No way!" he shouted, his eyes wide. "You destroyed *both* of my monsters?!" Yusil couldn't help but chuckle slightly. For the first time, he had managed to catch Brad off guard. The field was now empty, and it felt like the tide of the duel was finally shifting in his favor. "And now..." Yusil said, his voice growing more confident, "I'll summon my ultimate monster!" He triumphantly pulled the card he had been holding onto—**Cyber Dragon Tri-Heads**—a powerful, three-headed mechanical dragon. The massive creature was one of his strongest cards, a monster capable of overwhelming his opponent if summoned. But just as Yusil was about to place the card down, a sharp beep from his duel watch stopped him. The watch flashed red, and an automated voice chimed in: "Summoning requirements not met. Three sacrifices required. Monster rank: S+. Five sacrifices needed to summon an S+ rank monster." Yusil froze, his excitement draining as quickly as it had built up. He stared down at the card, noticing the faint skull symbols at the bottom that indicated how many creatures he had to sacrifice to summon it. His heart sank. Brad, regaining his composure, broke out into cruel laughter, pointing at Yusil with a mocking grin. "You seriously didn't know that? Oh man, this is priceless! You're telling me you didn't even understand basic summoning rules? An S+ rank monster? You need five sacrifices for that! What a joke!" Yusil's face turned red with embarrassment as Brad and his goons burst into laughter once again. "Not only did you wipe your own field clean, but you took 2,000 VP damage for nothing! You're already down to 2,000 VP, and you've got nothing left to defend yourself with!" Brad taunted. "This is what happens when you show up at **Zeta Duel Academy** with ancient cards and zero knowledge. You're done for, Yusil!" Yusil felt a sinking feeling in his gut. He had been so eager to turn the tide of the duel, but his lack of experience had just made things worse. Now he was standing in front of Brad with no monsters on his field and half his VP gone, while Brad's smirk grew wider with each passing second. Despite the setback, something inside Yusil stirred—a determination to keep fighting. He clenched his fist, vowing silently that no matter how much Brad mocked him, he wouldn't give up. This duel wasn't over yet.With a confident flick of his wrist, Brad drew a new card and smirked, revealing a formidable creature to the arena. "I summon *Rock Titan*, with 1,800 ATK!" The ground shook as the massive stone creature appeared, towering ominously over Yusil.
"Rock Titan, attack Yusil directly!" Brad commanded with a cruel laugh. The titan lunged forward, its massive fist swinging with destructive intent. Yusil braced himself, but the impact was swift and punishing; he could feel the weight of the blow as the card's stats were processed in his duel watch. His VP plummeted from 2,000 to a mere 200.
"Ugh!" Yusil groaned, doubling over in pain as the attack landed. He felt the mocking gaze of Brad burning into him. "Look at you! Down to 200 VP!" Brad bellowed, practically glowing with excitement. "What a pathetic showing! I'm 23-2, and you're just going to be another notch on my belt!"
Yusil's heart sank further, but amidst the chaos, memories of his mom flooded back—her tired but proud smile when she had hugged him before he left for Zeta Duel Academy. He could almost hear her words echoing in his mind: "Believe in yourself, Yusil. You have what it takes to rise to the top."
Determination ignited inside him like a flame. He pushed himself to stand tall, shaking off the self-doubt. No more running away. I'm not giving up now!
"Let's see how you handle this!" Yusil declared, his voice steady despite the pounding of his heart. He pulled a card from his hand, adrenaline coursing through him. "I activate *Fusion Break*! This card lets me discard a card from my hand to deal damage to you equal to the ATK of one monster I control!"
Brad's smirk faltered, and he narrowed his eyes, watching Yusil intently. "What are you trying to pull, huh? You're already on your last leg!"
Yusil glanced at his hand, determination fueling his actions. "I'm not out yet, Brad! I discard *Dark Samurai*, which means I deal 1,800 damage to you!" He could feel his heartbeat quickening as the energy pulsed through the arena.
The holographic display flickered as Yusil's attack registered, and Brad's VP plummeted from 1,700 to -100. "Wait—what?! No way! That can't be!" Brad's bravado shattered like glass, shock and disbelief etching into his features.
"Yeah, I can!" Yusil exclaimed, a confident smile breaking across his face as he felt the adrenaline surge through him. "I told you I was just getting started! You thought I was weak because of my old cards, but you've underestimated me!"
Brad's eyes darted around as if searching for a way to regain control. "You got lucky, Yusil! This isn't over! I still have cards left!" He spat, but Yusil could see the uncertainty creeping into his voice.
"Lucky? Maybe. But I'm here to win!" Yusil declared, feeling more powerful with every passing moment. "And now, I summon my *Cyber Beast* in attack position! With 1,600 ATK, I'm ready to fight back!"
The *Cyber Beast* materialized, its mechanical form glinting under the arena lights, standing defiantly against Brad's fading confidence. Yusil felt the energy shift, the arena buzzing with excitement.
"Now, Rock Titan is gone, and I'm coming for you next!" Yusil continued, his voice steady and fierce. "You may have thought you could walk all over me, but you've got another thing coming. This is just the beginning of my journey!"
Brad clenched his fists, his face contorting with anger and embarrassment. "You think you can take me down just like that? You're still a nobody! You'll regret this, Yusil!"
"Regret?" Yusil laughed, his confidence surging. "I'm just getting started! My mom sacrificed so much for me to be here, and I owe it to her to rise to the top! I'll show you what a real duelist can do!"
"Pfft, whatever! You're just a wannabe!" Brad shot back, trying to mask his frustration. "You'll see soon enough. This duel isn't over yet!"
With the duel watch counting down the seconds, Yusil knew he had to make the most of his next turn. He glanced at the cards in his hand, formulating a strategy. He couldn't afford to let Brad regain control.
"I'll end my turn for now," Yusil said, leaning back, his determination unwavering. "But next time, I'm coming in hot! Get ready for the comeback of a lifetime!"
As he prepared for the next round, Yusil could feel the eyes of the spectators on him, their whispers growing. He was ready to prove that he wasn't just a rookie—he was a duelist destined for greatness.