A Western fantasy world, the Elf Continent of sword and magic.
The midterm examination of Fusion Duel Academy was currently holding the Duel Monster summoning ritual——
Summoning lights rose one after another, continuously illuminating the vast Academy plaza.
This is the Duel Academy's traditional biannual ritual, held once during the middle of the term and once at the end of the term respectively.
After experiencing half a semester of study, the Academy students pour all their effort into performing the summoning of Duel Monsters.
Based on the standard of the summoned monsters' strength, the Academy teachers conduct grading, using this as the examination score.
Of course, as an important ritual held only twice a year, regarding Duel Monster summoning, Fusion Academy also arranges a magic power supply formula in the venue beforehand, providing absolutely sufficient magic power, to ensure students can summon the strongest Duel Monster corresponding to their level of effort over the past half-year.
Therefore, for the Academy's students, this is both an examination and likewise an opportunity.
Everyone mustered their full energy, attempting to touch and surpass their own limits in this summoning ritual examination.
Ross: "Come forth, Monster Summon——!"
[Elven Swordsman ★★★★ (4-Star) EARTH][Warrior-Type ATK: 1400 DEF: 1200]
The iron longsword in its hand cleaved through the summoning light; the Elven Swordsman clad in green armor was successfully summoned by a student.
Naturally, this student also received the approving gaze of the first-year homeroom teacher—the rather beautiful Teacher Aileen Rockefeller.
"Not bad. Although its attack and defense attributes aren't top-tier, its level reached 4 stars. To be able to summon a Duel Monster of this degree in the first semester of the first year. It can be said you have a promising future, Ross."
Having received Teacher Aileen's praise, the boy named Ross couldn't help but show a smug smile on his face.
From the current perspective, the Duel Monsters summoned by the first-year students of the Duel Academy are all 3-star monsters. The Elven Swordsman, having reached 4 stars, truly stands out from the crowd.
But Ross's smugness did not last too long.
Shuiyue Wu: "Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes, a 5-star monster is coming out!"
A monster 1 star higher than Ross's summon, a Level 5 monster, was summoned into the examination field.
[Leo Wizard ★★★★★ (5-Star) EARTH][Spellcaster-Type ATK: 1350 DEF: 1200]
"Although it's a Level 5 monster, its attack power is even lower than the 4-star [Elven Swordsman]." Teacher Aileen said helplessly: "To be able to summon a monster with such awkward strength, it really is just like you, Shuiyue Wu. I'll give you 70 points."
"Ya☆Da☆Ze! 70 points is great too!" Shuiwuyue exclaimed excitedly.
"Roar——!"
Immediately following, as if starting a competition of star levels, a vigorous and powerful dragon's roar shot straight into the sky; a massive black dragon slowly raised its head within the light of the summoning technique.
[Red-Eyes Black Dragon ★★★★★★★ (7-Star) DARK][Dragon-Type ATK: 2400 DEF: 2000]
"It's actually, Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" Teacher Aileen's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Teacher, this is the monster I summoned."
Amidst everyone's astonished gazes, the slender, black-haired youth seemed not particularly surprised by his own top-tier summon, his tone remaining indifferent and calm.
However, the sounds of everyone's hushed discussions inevitably arose.
"As expected, it's Kevin Set. The second son of the nationally renowned great noble Set family."
"It's said that the monster his older brother, who is in the second year, summoned during his first semester of the first year was the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon."
"Both brothers revealed their brilliance with top-tier Dragon-Type monsters in their very first summoning test at the Academy. The two heirs of Grand Duke Set are truly remarkable."
"Looking at it this way, the Set family's position in the kingdom for the next hundred years cannot be shaken by any other family."
On this Soul Continent, absolutely dominated by Duel Monsters, those who possess the 「Elven Eye」 and can summon Duel Monsters are called——Duelists.
Because powerful Duel Monsters can be summoned in the snap of a finger. And such power can only be countered by another Duelist. Therefore, Duelists are talents that every nation and every family must recruit.
The rights and status of nobility are also linked to the strength of the Duelists within the family. Basically, powerful Duelists will all be brought under the banner of prestigious families.
Subsequently, after several hundred years of recruitment and development, the holders of the Elven Eye, the Duelists, basically exist only among the nobility. The national Fusion Duel Academy has also become a noble academy in name and reality.
Although occasionally commoners might mutate to possess the Elven Eye and become Duelists capable of summoning Duel Monsters. But such rare talents are basically recruited by the major families at the earliest opportunity.
The Duel Monsters and Duelists who dominate the continent and possess absolute power have also gradually evolved into a war exclusive to the nobility, a war of status and power.
Of course, some rejoice while others worry. If a family rises due to strong dueling power, then families will fall due to weak dueling power.
"Please, please, I have to succeed this time! I'm begging you, Kamisama, I don't have any more chances left QvQ!"
A girl squatting in the corner of the sports field prayed silently.
Rare silver-white short hair, a cute and outstanding appearance, coupled with emerald green eyes like jewels, she should have been exceptionally eye-catching.
But the reality was, this girl named Aisha Yuna Carlos, the second daughter of the Carlos family, had become the Academy's dead last because, from enrollment until now, she could only summon 1-star Normal Monsters with no combat power at all.
Without the support of powerful monsters, she would continuously lose in practical combat tests.
Continuously losing meant being unable to earn enough academic credits to craft the Spell & Trap Cards used in duels.
Trapped in the spiral of defeat, Aisha Carlos could only gamble her last hope on the midterm test, on the summoning ritual where the Academy would provide ample magic power.
"If I fail again this time, Father, Mother, older sister... the Carlos family is finished!"
The Carlos family could also be considered an old noble family of the kingdom.
Originally a family considered to have solid mid-tier strength, but inexplicably, in Aisha's father's generation, they lost the blessing of the Elven Eye, losing the qualification to be Duelists.
A family unsupported by Duelists, its decline was inevitable.
But the silver lining in the misfortune was that Aisha, the second daughter, was born.
Aisha Carlos, the last heir of the Elven Eye in the Carlos family.
To encourage her to restore the family's glory, her father added an ancestor's name to her name. She is usually called Aisha Carlos, but her full name is Aisha Yuna Carlos.
As the last Duelist holding the Elven Eye in the Carlos family, the young girl Aisha came to Fusion Duel Academy bearing almost the entire family's hope.
As a result, after just half a semester, Aisha received an expulsion warning from the Academy due to insufficient academic credits.
"Begin your summon, student Aisha."
Frowning slightly, Teacher Aileen's delicate face couldn't help but reveal worry.
Teacher Aileen was quite fond of this student who was serious in class and desperately studied after class.
However, mere effort cannot determine a person's talent.
Aisha Carlos's current situation and crisis, Aileen saw it all.
"Relax, student Aisha."
As the first-year homeroom teacher, although Aileen couldn't change the rule about expulsion for insufficient credits, she could, based on personal fondness and expectation, give You Aisha some extra points appropriately in the midterm test.
Aileen only needed Aisha Carlos to summon a Duel Monster slightly more powerful than usual.
As for the reason for adding points, fabricating something like 'showed great improvement' would suffice.
Such a condition was not difficult to achieve in the summoning ritual where the Academy proactively provided ample magic power.
But at this moment, Teacher Aileen, looking at the flustered girl before her, couldn't help but worry.
"Believe in yourself. Your efforts over the past half-year will not be in vain," Aileen encouraged.
"Mm, thank you, Teacher Aileen." Aisha Carlos nodded lightly, took a deep breath, and stepped into the magic power-filled summoning formula as if having made up her mind.
"Betting my full strength, my soul, my everything! Gathered wishes, descend now, Duel Monster——Summon!"
As if sensing the girl's do-or-die determination, after initiating the summon, the magic power contained within the entire summoning formula surged violently, even more exaggeratedly than when Red-Eyes Black Dragon was successfully summoned just moments ago.
At this instant, everyone turned their heads to look.
Could it be that the dead last could summon a monster even more powerful than Red-Eyes Black Dragon?
After sensing the exaggerated magic power surging throughout the venue, almost everyone developed this curiosity——
Could it be that Fusion Academy was about to undergo a major change?
...
However, after continuing for a period, the rampaging magic power gradually calmed down, as if nothing had happened at all.
The summon ended. In front of Aisha Carlos, not a single Duel Monster appeared.
Merely, after the magic power converged, an oddly shaped accessory appeared between the girl's delicate white palms.
A strange accessory with an eye appearing on its surface, shaped like a pyramid.
No one had ever seen such a strange thing, including the homeroom teacher, Teacher Aileen Rockefeller.
However, in a summoning ritual, failing to summon a monster and instead summoning a magical artifact was not without precedent.
However, if a magical artifact was summoned during the midterm test instead of a Duel Monster, this situation could only be calculated as the lowest score.
Such a result made even Teacher Aileen, who wanted to help, feel powerless.
"To think... to think I couldn't even summon a monster..."
Her slender body trembled slightly; holding the Millennium Puzzle in her hands, Aisha Carlos collapsed onto the ground in despair, looking up at the sky.
"Ah, I completely messed up. It's already over, my career as a Duelist, and, my life orz~"
The girl is absolutely in the process of being expelled.