In the world of Western fantasy, a realm of swords and magic known as the Elven Continent, the midterm exams at Fusion Duel Academy were underway, featuring the ritual of summoning duel monsters.
One after another, summoning lights lit up across the vast academy plaza. This was a traditional ceremony held twice a year at the academy, once during the midterm and once at the end of the semester. After half a semester of study, the students poured their hearts into summoning their duel monsters. The strength of the summoned monsters served as the criterion for the academy teachers to grade their performance, which would determine their exam scores.
Of course, as an important ceremony held only twice a year, Fusion Duel Academy had prepared a mana supply ritual in the venue to ensure an absolutely sufficient amount of mana. This allowed the students to summon the strongest duel monsters that matched their efforts over the past six months. Thus, for the students, this was not only an exam but also an opportunity. Everyone was giving their all, striving to reach and surpass their limits during this summoning ritual.
Ross: "Come forth, monster summon—!"
[Elf Swordsman ★★★★ (4 stars) Earth]
[Warrior Type ATK: 1400 DEF: 1200]
With a swing of his iron longsword, the summoning light was split open, and the green-armored Elf Swordsman was successfully summoned by a student. Naturally, this student also earned the approving gaze of his first-year homeroom teacher, the beautiful Erin Rockefeller.
"Not bad. Although the attack and defense stats aren't top-tier, the level has reached 4 stars. To summon a duel monster of this caliber in the first semester of the first year is quite promising, Ross."
Receiving praise from Teacher Erin, the boy named Ross couldn't help but show a proud smile on his face. So far, the duel monsters summoned by the first-year students were all 3-star monsters. The 4-star Elf Swordsman truly stood out from the crowd.
However, Ross's pride didn't last long.
Mizuki Mu: "Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes! A 5-star monster is about to appear!"
One star higher than Ross's summon, a level 5 monster was summoned into the exam arena.
[Leo Wizard ★★★★★ (5 stars) Earth]
[Spellcaster Type ATK: 1350 DEF: 1200]
"Although it's a level 5 monster, its attack power is lower than the 4-star Elf Swordsman," Teacher Erin said helplessly. "To summon a monster with such a微妙 strength, it's so like you, Mizuki Mu. I'll give you 70 points."
"Ya☆Da☆Ze! 70 points is still good!" Mizuki Mu exclaimed excitedly.
"Roar—!"
Immediately after, as if competing in star levels, a powerful dragon's roar echoed through the sky. A massive black dragon slowly raised its head amidst the summoning light.
[Red-Eyes Black Dragon ★★★★★★★ (7 stars) Dark]
[Dragon Type ATK: 2400 DEF: 2000]
"It's actually the Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" Teacher Erin exclaimed in disbelief.
"Teacher, this is the monster I've summoned."
Amidst the astonished gazes of everyone, the tall, black-haired boy didn't seem particularly thrilled by his top-tier summon. His tone remained calm and indifferent.
However, the whispers and murmurs among the crowd were inevitable.
"As expected of Kevin Seto. The second son of the renowned Seto family, a great noble of the country."
"I heard his older brother, who's in the second year, summoned the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon during his first semester in the first year."
"Both brothers have made a splash with top-tier dragon monsters in their first summoning tests at the academy. The two heirs of Duke Seto are truly extraordinary."
"With this, it seems the Seto family's position in the kingdom will remain unshakable for the next hundred years."
In this continent where duel spirit monsters reign supreme, those who possess the "Spirit Eye" and can summon duel monsters are known as Duelists. With the ability to summon powerful duel monsters in an instant, only another Duelist can rival such strength. Thus, Duelists are talents that every nation and family must recruit.
The power and status of nobles are also tied to the strength of the Duelists in their families. Essentially, all capable Duelists are absorbed into the ranks of prestigious families. Over the course of hundreds of years of recruitment and development, those who possess the Spirit Eye—the Duelists—have become almost exclusively associated with the nobility. The National Fusion Duel Academy has also become a true noble academy.
Although occasionally, individuals with the Spirit Eye who can summon duel monsters emerge among the common folk, such rare talents are usually recruited by major families at the first opportunity.
The duel monsters and Duelists, who dominate the continent with absolute power, have gradually evolved into exclusive tools of the nobility, used in wars of status and power.
Of course, where there is joy, there is also sorrow. As some families rise due to their duel strength, others fall due to their weakness.
"Please, please, this time it has to work! I'm begging you, Kami-sama, I don't have any more chances left QvQ!"
Crouching in a corner of the field, a girl silently prayed.
With her rare silver-white short hair, outstandingly cute appearance, and emerald-green eyes like gemstones, she should have been particularly eye-catching. However, the reality was that this girl, named Aisha Yuna Carlos, the second daughter of the Carlos family, had become the academy's bottom feeder due to her inability to summon anything other than a 1-star normal monster with no combat ability since her enrollment.
Without the support of a powerful monster, she would continue to lose in practical tests.
Continuing to lose meant she couldn't earn enough credits to craft the magic and trap cards used in duels. Trapped in a downward spiral of defeat, Aisha Carlos could only place her last hope on the midterm exam's summoning ritual, where the academy would provide an ample supply of mana.
"If I fail again this time, Father, Mother, Sister… the Carlos family is finished!"
The Carlos family was considered one of the old noble families of the kingdom. Originally a family with solid strength, they inexplicably lost the blessing of the Spirit Eye during Aisha's father's generation, losing their qualification as Duelists. Without the support of a Duelist, the family's decline was inevitable.
However, in the midst of this misfortune, a silver lining appeared—Aisha, the second daughter, was born.
Aisha Carlos, the last inheritor of the Spirit Eye in the Carlos family. To encourage her to restore the family's glory, her father added the name of their ancestor to hers. While she was generally called Aisha Carlos, her full name was Aisha Yuna Carlos.
As the last Duelist in the Carlos family to possess the Spirit Eye, the young Aisha carried the hopes of her entire family when she arrived at Fusion Duel Academy. Yet, just halfway through the semester, Aisha had already received a warning of expulsion from the academy due to insufficient credits.
"Begin your summoning, Aisha."
Frowning slightly, Teacher Erin's delicate face couldn't help but show concern. She quite liked this student who was diligent in class and worked tirelessly to catch up outside of it. However, sheer effort alone couldn't determine one's talent. Erin was well aware of Aisha Carlos's current situation and the crisis she faced.
"Relax, Aisha."
As the first-year homeroom teacher, Erin couldn't change the rule of expulsion due to insufficient credits, but she could, based on her personal fondness and expectations, give Aisha a few extra points during her midterm exam. Erin only needed Aisha to summon a slightly stronger duel monster than usual. As for the reason for the extra points, she could simply claim "significant improvement." Such a condition wasn't difficult to achieve in the summoning ritual where the academy provided ample mana.
But at this moment, looking at the panicked girl before her, Teacher Erin couldn't help but feel worried.
"Believe in yourself. Your efforts over the past six months won't be in vain," Erin encouraged.
"Thank you, Teacher Erin," Aisha Carlos nodded gently, took a deep breath, and stepped into the mana-filled summoning circle with determination.
"With all my strength, my soul, and everything I have! Gather, my wishes, and descend—Duel Monster, summon!"
As if sensing the girl's resolve to fight with her back against the wall, the mana within the summoning circle surged violently the moment the summoning began, even more intensely than when the Red-Eyes Black Dragon was successfully summoned. In that instant, everyone turned their attention to her.
Could it be that the bottom feeder was about to summon a monster even more powerful than the Red-Eyes Black Dragon?
Feeling the exaggerated mana surging throughout the field, almost everyone couldn't help but wonder—was Fusion Duel Academy about to witness a seismic shift?
…
However, after a while, the rampaging mana gradually calmed down, as if nothing had happened. When the summoning ended, no duel monster appeared before Aisha Carlos. Instead, all that remained in her delicate hands was a strange-looking accessory.
It was a peculiar item shaped like a pyramid, with an eye etched on its surface.
No one had ever seen such a strange object before, including Teacher Erin Rockefeller. However, it wasn't entirely unprecedented for someone to summon a magical artifact instead of a duel monster during a summoning ritual. But if a magical artifact was summoned instead of a duel monster during the midterm exam, it could only be scored as the lowest possible grade.
This outcome left even Teacher Erin, who had wanted to help, feeling powerless.
"To think… she didn't even summon a monster…"
Her slender body trembling slightly, Aisha Carlos, clutching the Millennium Puzzle in her hands, collapsed to the ground in despair, looking up at the sky.
"Ah, I've completely messed up. It's over. My career as a Duelist, and my life… orz~"
The girl was on the verge of expulsion.