"Amaki-kun, are you joining the Fusion Club?"
"Yes."
"Uh... okay, then please sign your name here."
"Right. Later, the Fusion Club will arrange for students who have also signed up to duel with you."
In the Academy's Duel Hall, a girl in a blue uniform asked Hikaru a couple of questions, and after receiving a positive answer, she wrote down his name for the entrance test.
At the Duel Academy, different dorms are distinguished by the color of their uniforms. The lowest status is Slifer Red, worn by the "problem students"; the middle tier is Ra Yellow, considered to be above average students; and at the top is Obelisk Blue, the highest-ranking students, the "top students."
The student in front of him who was recording was wearing a blue uniform, so she was a "top student," while Hikaru, in a yellow uniform, was a middle-tier student.
Honestly, Hikaru was surprised—he never expected that his previous self's deck level could still be considered "average."
Meanwhile, the girl responsible for signing him up looked at him strangely, as if she were looking at a weirdo or a lunatic.
This was normal, though. The Duel Academy has various activity clubs, and every student can choose according to their preferences.
The "Fusion Club" used to be an activity club that many students would join, but since the possibility of other dimensions was discovered, some extreme factions developed a dislike and fear of "complex other summoning methods" and formed the "Fusion Fanatic Supremacy" faction led by Leo Akaba.
Now, the Fusion Club had become the headquarters for the "Fusion" army, and ordinary students found it somewhat crazy to see a new student applying to join such an activity club.
Hikaru glanced around the hall, where there were only a few students from Ra Yellow and a few from Slifer Red. Among them was even someone with a jellyfish hairstyle...
—It was Jaden Yuki!
Hikaru didn't expect to see the protagonist from the original series this early; it was quite a pleasant surprise.
"Hey!! Good luck!!" Jaden shouted enthusiastically as he saw a student step up to duel.
Although Jaden was a die-hard duelist who almost always played when he had cards, this particular match was one he wouldn't participate in—while he loved Fusion, he wasn't one to buy into the idea that "Fusion is the absolute best, and everything else is garbage."
But he couldn't miss the chance to watch a duel, and with his personality, that was a must.
In fact, he might have already watched duels all day long.
"Hey! Kid, stop looking around!" When Hikaru zoned out, his opponent became impatient. "Hurry up and admit defeat, I can't wait to wear the purple uniform!"
Meanwhile, on the spectator stands, a few Obelisk Blue students were also shouting.
"Hey, Tatsuya, make that Ra Yellow kid realize that Ancient Gear is a deck only worthy of us Obelisk students!"
"Haha, don't need you to tell me!"
Hikaru raised an eyebrow.
Indeed, the vast majority of Fusion Club students seemed to be from Obelisk Blue, with very few from Ra Yellow or Slifer Red.
It appeared that even Fusion fanatics had color prejudice.
"Duel!"
"Duel!"
[Hikaru, LP: 4000]
[Tatsuya, LP: 4000]
Both duelists launched their duel disks and drew five cards for their starting hands.
"The first turn is mine!" The Obelisk Blue student shouted, drawing a card at lightning speed.
'Holy crap! He broke the rules—'
Just as Hikaru was about to call that out, he suddenly remembered that in the era of Yu-Gi-Oh GX, it was still allowed to draw a card on the first turn. He quickly stopped himself.
The opponent's declaration of "The first turn is mine!" and an immediate card draw caught Hikaru off guard.
If being fast at shouting could secure the first turn, then he'd definitely need to train that skill—imagine how great it would be to always go first!
Tatsuya finished drawing his cards, looked at the ones in his hand, and flashed a sinister grin. "Haha, you're done for."
"I activate a Spell Card, Fusion Sage!"
He revealed a card from his hand, his smile growing even wilder. "This card allows me to add one Fusion card from my deck to my hand!"
"Starting off with Fusion!"
"Haha, that yellow kid is finished."
A group of Fusion Club students, now wearing purple uniforms, nodded in approval as they saw Tatsuya's play.
"A Ra Yellow student actually dares to join the Fusion Club's selection process? They really don't know their place!"
"Ancient Gear is a deck that only we Obelisk Blue students deserve to use!"
"That's right, our professor is Professor Crowler!"
"Don't think that anyone can challenge our position just because a professor made a mistake and a Red student won!"
They excitedly discussed amongst themselves.
"Good grief..." In the front row of the spectator stands, Professor Crowler, dressed in heavy makeup and a long blue coat, buried his head low when he overheard the students talking.
This was understandable, though he didn't support the Fusion Club, the general-purpose deck for Fusion was "Ancient Gear." As an expert in this deck, he had to see who would choose to use his deck.
But hearing those comments made his prideful face redden with discomfort.
"Watch the duel, watch the duel!" He muttered, biting his handkerchief, clearly distressed.
Meanwhile, Tatsuya was still making his moves: "I Normal Summon, Ancient Gear Knight!"
'What?'
Hikaru froze for a moment.
With Tatsuya's move, an old-fashioned robot appeared out of nowhere. It was clad in steel, holding a shield in its left hand and a gun in its right, the first summoned monster in this duel.
[Ancient Gear Knight] Level 4│Earth (attribute)│1800 ATK│Effect (Monster)
"Ancient Gear?" Many students from Ra Yellow and Slifer Red in the stands looked confused.
If you already have an Ancient Gear deck, then why even bother with this selection duel?
Hikaru glanced to his right, noticing the Fusion Club students, all of whom wore amused expressions and seemed certain of the outcome.
"He just Normal Summoned and he already has a strong 1800 ATK monster! Amazing!" Jaden Yuki shouted with excitement.
"Yeah, getting Fusion early and summoning an 1800 ATK wall on the first turn, Tatsuya's first turn is solid!"
"Now, all he needs are the other Fusion materials."
"We were right to lend our decks to those Slifer Red students."
The Fusion Club students enthusiastically discussed among themselves, their voices loud as if trying to make sure students from other dorms heard them.
"End turn." Tatsuya sneered arrogantly.
Hikaru was stunned.
The opponent had already shown him so many moves.
'Is that it?'
"What's wrong? Are you scared?" Tatsuya laughed loudly. "If you're scared, then just surrender! Let me tell you, Fusion isn't something just anyone can handle!"
Hikaru raised an eyebrow and lightly pursed his lips.
'Tsk, what a weak first turn.'
There's no resistance at all, just an 1800 ATK monster in the front row... even with a card like Axe of Despair, you wouldn't leave your back row completely exposed.
'If you had set a Blast Sphere, I'd at least consider it an effort!'
He shook his head lightly. "Disciple."
"Huh?"
"I realized something during my long journey of learning."
"?"
"The more people chase Fusion, the less they understand it. Because people always focus on gathering Fusion materials. Just like you.
You searched for Fusion, but all you did was hold it in your hand, and then Normal Summon a monster! With that kind of play, why should you join the Fusion Army?
Fusion should be the most noble of summons; any unnecessary action is disrespectful to Fusion!"
"What!?"
Not only Tatsuya but even some students from the Fusion Club were astounded by Hikaru's words. Some even had to poke their ears, doubting they had heard correctly.
One thought crossed the minds of many spectators.
'These guys just admire Fusion, but you're truly insane!'
"My turn, draw—"
He looked at his hand, his lips curling slightly.
'Damn, six Spell Cards.'
He'd have discarded them in another situation, but thankfully or not, he wasn't playing Master Duel.
A cold smile appeared on his face, and he stared ahead, raising his hand high, shouting: "Fusion Summon is the most noble of all summons!"
"So, all that's needed is Fusion!!"
"I pay 1000 Life Points to activate, Fusion Spell Card, Ready Fusion!"
"I Special Summon a non-effect Fusion Monster with a level of 6 or lower from my Extra Deck!"
"Here, I Fusion Summon, Bracchio-raidus!"
As he shouted, a deep blue dinosaur roared and flew straight out from the Extra Deck, landing beside Hikaru.
[Bracchio-raidus] Level 6│Water│Dinosaur(-Type)│2200 ATK│Fusion
"N-No Fusion materials, and he still fused?!" Someone widened their eyes and instinctively rubbed them, doubting what they had just seen.
"Wow, that's crazy strong." Jaden's eyes lit up with excitement as he watched the Bracchio-raidus being Special Summoned. "Man, if HEROes had a card like that..."
Every student watching—whether they had no interest in the Fusion Club, were Fusion Army members who had lent Tatsuya and the other test-takers their decks just to laugh at the lower-ranked students, or even Professor Crowler, who had already lost interest in watching—was completely stunned by Hikaru's move.
So Fusion... could be played like this?