Next King of Games

The sun was shining brightly above Domino City. Without a care in the world, a brunette haired teenager ran through the streets. His name was Jaden Yuki, a user of the Elemental Heroes.

Jaden's motivation was to be the next King of Games. Presently though, he was running late for registration being held at the Kaiba Dome.

Just up the road was a man wearing a dark blue motorcycle jacket. He wheeled a blue motorcycle along the streets. The young man suddenly turned and noticed Jaden running down the street. This was Ryan Fudo, a rather smart individual for someone around his age made apparent with the book in his hand. He was also someone who wasn't that fond of people who bully others. He also had a muscular physique as he lifted a lot of weight.

*'Why is he in such a hurry?'* Ryan asked himself sweat dropping, slightly confused by his behavior.

"Hey, are you going somewhere?" He questioned Jaden.

"Yeah, the Duel Academy Entrance Exams." Jaden answered back.

"Really. So am I." Ryan whispered to himself in exasperation before walking to the back of his motorcycle and opened a compartment located in the back of the Duel Runner. He took a helmet out and tossed it to Jaden.

"Well then. Hop on my Duel Runner." He stated. Jaden placed the helmet over his head and the two drove to the Kaiba Dome.

They had arrived at the Kaiba Dome just as registration was about to end and removed the helmets. A Duel Disk was disconnected from the Duel Runner. Jaden and the man scaled the wall, then stepped over the railing.

"We're not late, are we?" Ryan inquired.

"No actually." The oldest of the three stated. "Fill out this form and head inside."

Their decks were inspected for any illegal cards such as Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End. Once given the all clear, the pair headed inside and waited for their duels to begin. The Kaiba Dome was filled with students wearing red, blue and yellow uniforms.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say these are already students at the academy." Ryan commented.

"Yeah." Jaden smiled in agreement.

A duel was currently in progress. A boy with black hair in a white and gray uniform stood on the other side of the duel arena. His opponent's field consisted of Big Shield Gardna (100/2600) and Gear Golem the Moving Fortress (800/2200). The applicant in question had Vorse Raider (1900/1200)

"Alright, new guy, multiple choice!" The proctor called out. "There are two monsters staring you down, do you, A: Throw in the towel, B: beg for mercy, or C, run home to mama?"

"I'll go with D: none of the above." The boy activated a face down card.

"A trap?!"

"That's correct. Ring of Destruction allows me to destroy any monster on the field and then we both take the monster's attack points as damage." The boy explaining as a ring of bombs attached itself to Vorse Raider and then blew up, ending the duel.

"Well done, applicant." The proctor said as the holograms faded. "Welcome to Duel Academy."

"Thank you, wise proctor." The teen bowed in respect.

Elsewhere, there was a conversation between three students in blue uniforms.

"Wow, that guy's pretty good, don't ya think, Chazz?" A boy with blue hair and glasses inquired in a southern accent.

"Guess the rumors about him being some kind of whiz-kid were true. Huh Chazz?" Another boy with spiky brown hair asked in a thick voice.

"He's a punk." Chazz responded, not too impressed. "We spent the last three years at Duel Prep School. We're more than ready for Duel Academy."

Chazz then sneered. "These applicants have no idea what they're getting themselves into, but they'll find out soon enough."

Meanwhile, Ryan and Jaden watched the duel with a short boy that had light blue hair and gray eyes with glasses. He wore a blue school uniform along with green and white sneakers.

"Wow, that guy really tore it up!" Jaden said.

"That young man is Bastion Misawa. He received the highest written exam score of the applicants trying out for the Academy. I also heard that he had a predecessor, she and her siblings were given the option to attend prep school but they turned it down preferring to earn the dorm they were placed in." Ryan explained. "I scored just as well as he did."

"Really?" Jaden inquired in shock. "I barely passed."

"So did I. My name's Syrus. Nice to meet you guys." Syrus introduced himself to Ryan and Jaden before looking slightly depressed. "I tend to get test anxiety. I have no idea how I won my duel."

"So, you're in!" Jaden exclaimed, patting Syrus on the back.

"Nice job." Ryan remarked. "We'll be in as soon as we duel."

"Wait, you two haven't dueled yet?" Syrus asked, shocked.

"No, we just got here." Ryan replied.

"Then you two might have a problem. That was supposed to be the last duel." Syrus explained.

On the other side of the arena...

The teachers were overseeing the duels. Word had spread about the late arrivals.

"I will not allow these late comers to duel." Dr. Crowler screamed.

Then his phone rang in his pocket.

"Who is-"

"Crowler, it's me Sheppard." The voice on the other end spoke. "It's my understanding that two applicants just arrived. Make sure they get a chance to duel."

"But sir they-" Crowler's protest was cut short.

"Do you remember last year?" The doctor then became pale. Last year he cut more than half the applicants for a ridiculous reason. It being they got his title wrong. Crowler didn't want to repeat the same mistake, so he reluctantly agreed to duel.

"I'll be right back."

"Where are you going Crowler?" The other proctors questioned.

"To duel these two." Crowler answered before continuing down the stairs.

*On the other side of the arena*...

"That was a awesome duel Bastion." Jaden told him.

"Thank you." Bastion replied.

"You dueled as I expected from the person that got the highest score on the written exam." Ryan added. "You might be one of the best duelists here."

"Jaden Yuki and Ryan Fudo, report to Exam Field 4." A voice called out their names.

"Both of us at the same time? That's surprising." Ryan remarked with a raised eyebrow.

"Hold on a second!" Bastion stopped the two before they headed to the arena. "Who's better than me."

"That would be us most likely." Ryan shrugged his shoulders. He didn't really see a point in being number 1.

With that resolved, the two headed to the arena.

"Those two seem real confident. I wonder if they're that good." Syrus said out loud.

"They'll need to be. That's their opponent." Bastion pointed to the exam field.

Dr. Crowler stood in the middle of the floor, disappointment across his face.

"Alright, what are your names?" Crowler asked the two.

"I'm Jaden Yuki." Jaden introduced himself.

"And my name's Ryan Fudo. Who are you?"

"Dr. Vellian Crowler. Department Chair of Techniques at Duel Academy." Crowler introduced himself.

"We're facing a Department Chair? What's the reason behind that?" Ryan questioned him.

*'You'll soon find out.'* Crowler thought to himself.

"What's Crowler's motivation for dueling these two?" A blue-haired boy wearing a pair of glasses asked.

A tanned boy wearing the same blazer as the other two asked, "Well we will see what these two can do huh Chazz?" He asked the black haired boy in between them.

"This should be good for a laugh." Chazz smirked.

"What's the point of this?" Ryan questioned.

"It's rather simple. You two have to defeat me in a duel." Dr. Crowler answered his question.

"In that case, I'd like to go first."

"You don't seem to understand, I'm dueling both of you at the same time."

"What?" Ryan repeated in shock.

"This is a special occasion. You'll both take your practical exam at the same time against the same proctor which is yours truly."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Ryan was a bit apprehensive facing Crowler.

"Oh well, let's get this over with." He inserted a deck into his duel disk.

"It seems both of you are ready for this duel." Crowler activated a Duel Disk that was part of his blazer.

"You know it." Jaden grinned.

Dr. Crowler had a scowl on his face. "Since I'm facing two opponents at the same time, my life points will be doubled. You can share your field and graveyard, but you aren't permitted to see each other's hands and after each of my turns one of you will go next."

"I understand." Ryan nodded.

"Hey, how did you obtain that Duel Disk?" Jaden asked.

"Lots of marks." Crowler responded. *'But you have to win this duel first and I won't make that easy.'*

"Let's duel!" The three shouted.

Dr. Crowler: 8000

Jaden/Ryan: 8000

Dr. Crowler made the first move.

He looked over his hand with a smirk. *'Since this is my own personal deck, I'll decide the outcome of our duel.'*

"I'll start with the field spell, Geartown." The field spell slot on his duel disk opened.

"Say hello to Ancient Gear Beast."

"That field spell allows you to normal summon a monster with one fewer sacrifice."

"Exactly." Crowler nodded.

"I was not expecting Crowler to take them this seriously." The blue-haired boy said, a little nervous.

"These two don't stand a chance against Crowler's personal deck, don't you agree Chazz?" The brown-haired boy asked Chazz.

"No way." Chazz had a smirk form on his face.

Up in the stands, a sandy blonde-haired girl narrowed her eyes.

"What's Crowler thinking? These two are applicants. There's no reason to use a personal deck against them."

"I get the feeling there's more to these two applicants then we realize." A dark blue-haired boy told her as he came over.

Nearby a black-haired girl and her three siblings also oversaw the duel. The girl's name was Kaoru Shiba. She was the smartest duelist the Academy proctors had ever seen due to the skill she had with her Elemental Hero and Masked Hero deck.

Her intelligence rivaled that of Bastion's and she had a figure that rivaled Alexis's, but her black hair went down to her knees.

Her older sister Arisa was in the same year as Zane. She was known to use Spellcasters which included the Dark Magician archetype as well as Spell Counters and it's headliner is Dark Magician Girl and the other Blue's dislike her for spending all her time with the Ra's and Slifers.

Kaoru had a older brother named Davis and a younger brother named Tyson. Davis used Gadgets while Tyson's specialty was Six Samurais.

Arisa and Davis were in the Blue Dorm while Tyson had yet to enter the Academy. He was going to enroll next year as a freshman while Davis was in his second year at the Academy.

Her family and the Princeton family didn't get along. It probably had to do with the fact that Chazz and his brothers weren't very pleasant individuals. It was also due to the fact that the Shiba's had a railroad company and were much more pleasant not only to those in the upper class but also to those in the working class as well.

"Zane has a point." Kaoru's sister Arisa spoke. Like Kaoru she had raven black hair and was two years older and more developed. "Still from what Davis told me about Crowler's deck this might make a good test. Who knows if these two applicants can beat Crowler's personal deck then they could be the strongest duelists we've seen."

"And from what I've seen of Crowler's deck so far those two are going to need all the skill they can bring." Davis Shiba, Kaoru's older brother with short black hair spoke before thinking, *'Considering I'm Dr. Crowler's favorite student and our decks work well together.'*

"I'm sure they'll find a way out." Kaoru said.

Dr. Crowler then placed another card into his duel disk.

"Now I activate the continuous spell Ancient Gear Castle." A enormous brick castle rose up from the ground behind him.

"This increases the attack of Ancient Gear monsters by 300." He explained.

Ancient Gear Beast ATK 2000 + 300 = 2300

"Bring him on." Jaden smiled.

Dr. Crowler simply placed a card in his spell and trap zone. "If you insist."

"I summon Elemental Hero Avian in defense mode." Jaden said. "Next I fuse Avian and the Burstinatrix in my hand to summon...Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!"

"Attack Ancient Gear Beast with Skydive Scorcher." Flame Wingman released a torrent of fire from his dragon head destroying Ancient Gear Beast.

"Well it seems you have more bite then your bark. Because that's only 100 points of damage." Dr. Crowler smirked to Jaden's location.

"Not if Flame Wingman's effect has anything to say about it. Whenever it attacks and destroys a monster in battle, the attack of the monster that was destroyed is turned into effect damage. In this case, 2000 points."

**Crowler**: 6000 LP

Dr. Crowler 2nd Turn:

Dr. Crowler growled before saying, "My turn!" He drew looking before smirking, "Well now, ready for your next lesson you two?"

"Of course." Jaden grinned at that.

"Well here! I summon Ancient Gear Golem!"

Hearing the name of the next monster surprised everyone as the girl cried, "The legendary rare card his deck has!?"

What rose up from the ground was a huge rusty mechanized golem with a red eye in a hollow head letting out a roar.

"How did you-?" Jaden was confused.

"A counter was placed on Ancient Gear Castle when you destroyed Ancient Gear Beast. Crowler can send it to the graveyard and summon Ancient Gear Golem without getting rid of any monsters." Ryan explained.

"Yeah wicked move, I mean come on!" Jaden grinned really excited.

Dr. Crowler scowled seeing the lack of fear or intimidation but decides not to worry for now, "Well now, Ancient Gear Golem attack! Mechanized Melee!"

With it's gears fast at work to power it the Golem pulled back a fist to punch before Dr. Crowler smirked, "Oh, and if you were thinking of using a Spell or Trap card against Golem's attack don't bother! It's special ability forbids you both from using those whenever it attacks!"

"That's bad news for us." Ryan muttered.

The Golem punched Flame Wingman destroying it while Jaden grunted from the shock wave of the force.

**Jaden/Ryan**: 3100

He stared at the sparkles, *'Sorry Wingman...'*

Dr. Crowler laughed taking this moment to brag, "Don't feel bad this is the top dueling school in the country! Some people just aren't cut out for-"

Jaden only grinned before saying, "Boy, I so want in this school now! You really know your stuff teach!"

Dr. Crowler blinked before growling, *'Haven't they gotten it yet! They are NOT allowed to pass, and they will not treat my Deck like a joke!'* Taking another card from his hand he placed it down, "I end my turn."

"I'm up next. Say hello to Iron Knight Gearfried." Ryan took a card from his hand and placed it on his duel disk.

"But I'm not finished." He placed a card in his duel disk's spell and trap zone. "I use Lightning Vortex to destroy Ancient Gear Golem."

"Now attack!" Gearfried charged forward and swung a blade at Crowler.

**Crowler:** 4200

"I'll set a card face down and end there."

Dr. Crowler 3rd Turn:

A card was ejected from Crowler's Duel Disk.

"And now I activate of Thunder of Ruler. This trap prevents you from attacking during your turn."

"I'm still in this duel. I summon Ancient Gear Frame." What rose was a small rod based robot.

"So now by sending a card in my hand to the graveyard, I add 1 card that has my Golem in it's text." Dr. Crowler said adding a card. "Jaden isn't the only person who can use Fusion Monsters."

"I activate Ancient Gear Fusion!"

*Ancient Gear Fusion*

*Normal Spell Card*

*Fusion Summon 1 "Ancient Gear" Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters from your hand or field as Fusion Material. If you use "Ancient Gear Golem" or "Ancient Gear Golem - Ultimate Pound" you control as Fusion Material, you can also use monsters from your Deck as material.*

"So now I use Golem on my field with Frame, and lastly... Ancient Gear Wyvern from my Deck!" Dr. Crowler called as the two along with a small grown geared dragon rose up fusing together.

"Fusion from his deck?" Syrus cried in shock. "They're doomed!"

"Mechanized Golem with Ancient Culture! Join together with the two gears from prehistoric times to form a more ancient force! Fusion Summon! Level 10! Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem!"

What rose from behind Dr. Crowler was a large centaur version of Golem with a huge silver arm that has three claws.

*Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem*

*EARTH*

*Level 10*

*Machine/Effect/Fusion*

*ATK: 4400*

*DEF: 3400*

*"Ancient Gear Golem" + 2 "Ancient Gear" monsters*

*Must be Fusion Summoned. If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage. If this card attacks, your opponent cannot activate any Spell/Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step. If this card is destroyed: You can target 1 "Ancient Gear Golem" in your GY; Special Summon it, ignoring its Summoning conditions.*

"This is going to be a problem."

"Oh sweet, this is getting good." Jaden grinned.

"I never knew that Dr. Crowler had a Fusion Monster in his Deck." The girl admitted to the boy beside her, "What do you think of this Zane?"

"I think these two aren't going to make it into the academy Alexis." Zane answered. "Especially not dueling the way they have been."

"Oh give it a rest. The duel's not over yet." Alexis told him. "After all, Crowler's not able to attack thanks to Thunder of Ruler."

*'I bought us time. But that fusion monster's attack is higher than anything we summon.'*

"That's not good." Syrus cried.

"It's worse than that, thanks to Dr. Crowler's Ultimate Golem they'll need a monster with at least 4500 attack points to destroy it, something I doubt either of them have." Bastion agreed.

"Show me what you got." Crowler sneered.

"Be careful what you wish for." Ryan said to himself.

Jaden 3rd Turn:

Jaden drew before saying, "We're not afraid of your monster."

"And pray tell why not?" Crowler asked the two.

"Why not I show ya." Jaden grinned showing what he drawn was Pot of Greed.

*Pot of Greed*

*Normal Spell Card*

*Draw 2 cards.*

After he drew two cards he checked to see what his partner's face down was.

He had set Interdimensional Matter Transporter.

Ryan saw what Jaden was looking at and then said, "I use my Interdimensional Matter Transporter trap to banish Sparkman."

*'Not what I was thinking but it'll have to do.'* Jaden thought before calling. "Okay, I'll start by activating Elemental HERO Captain Gold's ability in my hand! By discarding it, I can take Skyscraper to my hand!" He shows a field spell before activating it where large builds rose around Geartown.

***(Field Zone)***

*Skyscraper*

*Field Spell Card*

*If an "Elemental HERO" monster attacks a monster that has a higher ATK, the attacking monster gains 1000 ATK during damage calculation only.*

He then raised a card calling, "But of course as this happens I'll use the Spell Card, Card of Demise!"

*Card of Demise*

*Normal Spell Card*

*Draw cards until you have 5 cards in your hand. During your 5th Standby Phase after activation, send all cards in your hand to the Graveyard.*

"So now, I take 5 cards from my Deck to draw!" Jaden drew that many looking before calling, "Next I use Soul Release!"

*Soul Release*

*Normal Spell Card*

*Target up to 5 cards in any Graveyard(s); banish them.*

"It's effect banishes five cards from the graveyards! So I'll banish your Ancient Gear Fusion along with Wingman!" Jaden said as the three were banished.

"What's the point of that move?" Dr. Crowler questioned.

"Well a new way to Fusion of course." Jaden grinned before calling, "I activate the spell, Parallel World Fusion!"

*Parallel World Fusion*

*Normal Spell Card*

*Fusion Summon 1 "Elemental HERO" Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, by shuffling your banished Fusion Materials listed on it into your Deck. You cannot Special Summon monsters except by this card's effect, during the turn you activate this card.*

"A new way to Fusion Summon?" Dr. Crowler asked hearing that.

"Parallel World Fusion allows me to summon an Elemental HERO by shuffling the monsters that are banished back to the Deck!" Jaden revealed with a grin.

"Fusing with banished monsters, it sounds like Jaden at least might be interesting." Zane noted.

"I second that." Arisa said.

Davis and Kaoru nodded.

Sparkman rose up with Flame Wingman fusing together.

"Vigilante of electricity! Form into your true state with the power of the dragon to form to light! Fusion Summon! Level 8, meet Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman!"

What lowered down was a white armored warrior that has green skin, and large wings raising up.

***(Attack Position)***

*Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman*

*LIGHT*

*Level 7*

*Warrior/Effect/Fusion*

*ATK: 2500*

*DEF: 2100*

*"Elemental HERO Flame Wingman" + "Elemental HERO Sparkman"*

*Must be Fusion Summoned. Gains 300 ATK for each "Elemental HERO" card in your GY. If this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the GY: Inflict damage to your opponent equal to that monster's original ATK in the GY.*

"Your new monster is powerful, but it isn't powerful enough to destroy my Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem." Dr. Crowler told him.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that. Cause Shining Flare Wingman gains 300 points for every Elemental HERO in my graveyard."

*Shining Flare Wingman: **(ATK: 2500 + (300 \* 6) = 4300)***

*'And his field spell has a effect to increase attack points. This duel's almost over.*' Ryan thought.

"Shining Flare Wingman, attack!" Jaden ordered. Shining Flare Wingman charged at Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem.

Dr. Crowler started to laugh, "Are you crazy? Shining Flare Wingman will be destroyed because it's attack is lower than Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem."

"That's where Skyscraper comes in. It's effect will raise Shining Flare Wingman's attack by 1000 if it battles a stronger monster."

**Shining Flare Wingman 4300 + 1000 = 5300**

**Dr. Crowler LP**: 5100

"Big deal. That's only 900 life points." He scoffed.

"Yeah that's true why not we fix that?" Jaden grinned which made the good doctor blink.

"Shining Flare Wingman has the same special ability as Flame Wingman." Ryan added.

Shining Flare Wingman flew in front of Dr. Crowler shining to bright at him. **(Dr. Crowler: 700/Hand: 0)**

"That's the second time Crowler took over 3000 points of damage at once!" the blue haired boy cried in shock.

Chazz just frowned at that. Dr. Crowler growled before calling, "I activate Ultimate Golem's ability! It summons back Gear Golem from the graveyard!"

The golem rose from the scraps.

*Ancient Gear Golem: **(Attack Position)***

Jaden checks over his other cards before setting two, "I end my turn. We'll win the duel shortly."

"Well before that happens, I'll have to crush that." the two looked as he called, "I activate the trap, Cross-Dimensional Duel!"

*Cross-Dimensional Duel*

*Normal Trap Card*

*Target 1 "Ancient Gear" monster you control; banish it. During the next Standby Phase, return that monster banished by this effect to the field, and if you do, its ATK becomes double its original ATK until the end of that turn. If 1 or more "Ancient Gear Golem" or "Ancient Gear Golem - Ultimate Pound" you control would be destroyed by battle or card effect, you can banish this card from your GY instead.*

"So now with it's effect Gear Golem is banished!" Ancient Gear Golem vanished which confuses the two.

Dr. Crowler 4th Turn:

"And here's why!" Dr. Crowler called drawing, "During the Standby Phase, it comes back except..." He laughed sadistically as Gear Golem rose back only...

*Ancient Gear Golem: **(ATK: 6000)***

"It's attack has now been doubled." Ryan glared at the powered-up Golem. "But Crowler's underestimating us. Jaden still has a face down and he intends to use it soon."

Dr. Crowler only growled, "Well, now here's what's coming to you! Ancient Gear Golem att-!"

"Can I use your last face-down?" Jaden asked his partner.

"Go ahead." Ryan nodded.

He reveals his face-down to be a spell.

*Emergency Provisions*

*Quick-Play Spell Card*

*Send any number of other Spell/Trap Cards you control to the Graveyard; gain 1000 LP for each card sent to the Graveyard this way.*

"This card sacrifices any number of Spells or Traps on our field to gain 1000 points for each!" Jaden grinned as his face-down disappeared along with his partner's.

Growling at this Dr. Crowler called, "Gear Golem! Mechanized Melee!" Gear Golem charged punching Shining Flare Wingman destroying it like it's lesser form as they braced themselves.

**Jaden/Ryan: 4100 LP**

**Jaden/Ryan: 2400 LP**

"Fine you survived this turn. That's all." Dr. Crowler said with a shrug.

Ryan 2nd turn

He drew a card.

"Let's end this. I play the spell card Dark Core. I discard Sinister Serpent to banish Ancient Gear Golem."

Ancient Gear Golem was sucked into a vortex which then closed.

"Iron Knight Gearfried, cut down the last of his life points!" Ryan exclaimed. Gearfried slashed Crowler across the chest and ended the duel.

Crowler: 0 LP

The holograms vanished as Dr. Crowler said to himself in disbelief, "Impossible... There's no way these delinquents could defeat me...!"

"How did these two manage to defeat Crowler?" Chazz asked with widened eyes.

"This is going to be a interesting year to say the least." Kaoru stared at Jaden.

"This kid's got a lot of potential." Davis added.

Zane walked away.