The gentle sunshine lightly touched the lawn of Duel Academy as Yuki Judai held a fishing rod, lazily sitting by the sea, letting out a long yawn.
"Ah... So boring."
Judai smacked his lips twice, his head bobbing like he was practicing nodding techniques, seemingly ready to fall asleep at any moment.
This wasn't how it was supposed to be.
The GX tournament at Duel Academy had reached its climax over the past few days, eliminating most of the muddling students and mediocre duelists, leaving only the elites and masters...
...At least, that's how it should have been.
But where is everyone?
Judai was very frustrated.
He was excited when the GX tournament started, thinking he could battle various powerful foes. However, as the tournament progressed, he realized nobody really wanted to play with him.
It's understandable. Judai was already quite well-known at the Academy, and the GX tournament had a rule where the first duel challenge of the day couldn't be refused, so most students would avoid Judai from afar.
The original animation was like this too, but in the animation, Saio occasionally sent some masters over to try and seize the satellite sky key that Judai was guarding. Thanks to Saio's friendly sponsorship, he occasionally managed to get a few games in.
But now even the biggest sponsor Saio had been wiped out by Yugen beforehand, leaving Judai truly bored, resorting to fishing by the sea to pass time. This was the true reflection of his inner state at the moment—hoping someone would pass by and save him from the boredom of not having a duel...
"You're Yuki Judai, right?"
A voice echoed from the rear.
"That's me, but... huh?"
Judai finally reacted, his eyes lighting up.
Could it be business?
He immediately put down the fishing rod and jumped up. Turning around, he found a guy dressed entirely in white, wearing black sunglasses, with a rather cool demeanor.
Judai quickly calmed down.
"You're not from the school, are you?"
"Hmm, correct." The man sneered, "My name is Zepp Shokyo, a duelist from the professional league. But now, guided by the light, I've found a career far more meaningful than being a professional."
The shadow of Neos appeared behind Judai, reminding him, "An enemy sent by the Light of Destruction, Judai."
Judai nodded, "I understand."
He had somewhat realized this upon seeing the all-white attire. Yugen had warned him about these people dressed in white from head to toe being particularly noteworthy, mostly likely associated with the Light of Destruction.
"Is the target me?"
"Of course, Yuki Judai." Zepp Shokyo took a step forward, "Duel King Fujiki Yugen and legendary duelist Joey Wheeler are always by your side, making things quite troublesome.
But now they're not around, presenting a perfect opportunity..."
"Ha?"
Judai was stunned, then burst into laughter.
"Really, it seems we've been regarded as easy targets..."
Originally, Judai was the one always rushing to the forefront on both big and small matters in their world line, who probably never dreamed that one day he too would be seen as an easy target...
"It's just right, I've been worrying about not having an opponent lately." Judai chuckled, "Since you're here, you can accompany me."
"Duel!" x2
[Judai, LP 4000]
[Zepp Shokyo, LP 4000]
"I'll go first, draw!"
Judai's starting turn.
"I summon 'Dandelion Lion' in defense mode."
Judai started off with a forbidden card—though it was a future forbidden card. It was a card he had designed in his youth, returning to Earth after receiving mysterious fluctuations in the Cosmos.
[Dandelion Lion, Defense Power 300]
He then drew a card from his hand, pausing as he stared at the card with a peculiar expression for a moment.
Ultimately he said nothing and inserted it into his Duel Disc.
"Next, I set a card in the backfield, ending my turn."
Zepp Shokyo sneered, "Guided by the light, I've heard you're a duelist with extraordinary power. Let me see if that's true.
My turn, draw!"
Zepp Shokyo drew a card.
"I activate the Magic Card 'Angel's Charity,' allowing me to draw three cards from my deck, then discard two cards from my hand."
"I then activate the Magic Card 'Revive the Dead,' to revive the monster I just discarded to the graveyard!"
Zepp Shokyo pulled out a card from the graveyard.
"Arise, White Knight's Swordsman!" (Original Card)
The swordsman in shining white armor wielded a long sword, with a red gem-like object embedded in the shield held by his left hand, and a white cloak fluttering behind him.
[White Knight's Swordsman, Attack Power 1200]
The White Knight Order, still a non-physical card set, was exclusive to the Light of Destruction's deck. In the animation, it was the ace deck of the white-washed Chazz.
So now, with the alteration of the world line, the Light Association team repeatedly hit walls at Duel Academy Island, with many members taken down by Chazz. Thus, without Chazz being white-washed, the White Knight Order deck naturally fell into other hands.
"At this moment, I activate the Speed Attack Magic 'Hell's Runaway Summon'!" said Zepp Shokyo. "Hell's Runaway Summon can be activated when a monster with less than 1500 attack power is special summoned to your field while you have a face-up monster on your field.
It special summons as many identical cards of that monster from your hand, deck, or graveyard as possible in attack mode!"
He paused for a moment and continued.
"Of course, you can also choose to special summon identical cards of your monster."
Judai shrugged, "I don't have any other 'Dandelion Lions' in my deck."
"Then I'll gladly take the opportunity!" Zepp Shokyo said, "I'll special summon two more 'White Knight's Swordsman' from my deck!"
[White Knight's Swordsman, Attack Power 1200] x2
"Battle phase." Zepp Shokyo directly issued an attack order, "White Knight's Swordsman, attack that miscellaneous monster serving as a wall!"
The swordsman obeyed the order, charging out with his long sword thrust forward. Of course, the small frame of the Dandelion Lion couldn't resist, and it was instantly penetrated by the long sword, exploding into fragments.
"Then Dandelion Lion's effect activates!" Judai declared. "When this card is sent to the graveyard, special summon two 'Cotton Wool Derivative' on my field.
Come forth, Cotton Wool Derivative!"
The departing Dandelion Lion released countless golden light spots, each condensing into two blobs, one to the left and right, transforming into small cotton wool balls guarding Judai.
[Cotton Wool Derivative, Defense Power 0] x2
"Then the remaining two 'White Knight's Swordsman' attack!"
The two remaining swordsmen also flew out, one executing a horizontal slash, the other a vertical chop. Both Cotton Wool Derivatives were obliterated under the swords.
"Monsters with a last-words effect, you intended to keep the derivatives for an upper-level summon, right?" Zepp Shokyo chuckled, "Unfortunately, such basic tactics don't work in front of the White Knights."
He drew two more cards from his hand.
"I'll set two cards face-down, ending my turn!"