Dueling life in a futuristic world

‘Great, now to explain the whole pendulum magician archtype to a bunch of duelists whose decks until now have comprised nothing but normal monsters and simple spells…’

The teacher takes a few seconds looking at it to figure out the deck.

“Interesting…” she mutters, then looks back at me.

“Very interesting deck Yuumi, now normally I would ask what the deck does, but even if it was I explaining it, I doubt your peers would understand. Still, how you tell us what your deck’s aim is?”

I stand up to answer the question. “Well, it depends. If I’m playing turn one, the aim is to put as much disruption with ‘apollousa’ and other negation cards as possible.” I explain.

“What if you play second?” Asks the professor.

I arch my eyebrows. “Then its aim is to win.” I say, leaving some of the students stunned.

“And how do you plan to do that, exactly?” She asks.

“Accesscode can get easily 5300 ATK and can also destroy monsters multiple times. Then I just need a total of 2700 in monster ATK to do that.” I explain.

“So I gather your main deck’s only job is to bring out extra deck monsters?”

“Mostly.”

“Then why do you only have 15 extra deck monsters?” She says... seriously.

‘What?’

I shudder.

“What? Isn’t 15 the limit of the extra deck?” I confirm.

This results in laughter from the other students.

“Now, now, class. No laughing. Yuumi, who told you that?”

“The same people taught me how to duel.” I make something up.

“Well, from the duels I’ve seen, they taught you well. But they seemed to have misunderstood something. The amount of extra deck monsters is unlimited unless we are talking about a tournament where the limit varies but is usually between 15-30.

‘………………WHATTTTTTTT!??!!??!?!?!?! OH IM ABOUT TO MAKE UP SOME DUMB SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!’

“Just to make sure… Main deck is 40 to 60, the extra deck is unlimited unless otherwise specified and side is 15?” I ask nervosly ask.

“Yes, that’s correct.” The teacher confirms.

“Then I guess I’m visiting the card shop after the class is over,” I quip

“Hehe, yes, that would be my recommendation. You may sit down now.”

I do that, and the class continues. The implications are massive and I didn't expect that. I think I’m going to extend my stay at normal classes for another week just to make sure there are not any more fundamental differences that I don’t know yet.

The rest of the class goes by until the professor has no more decks to analyze. She then asks.

“Now, this has been a lot of theory. How about we have a duel to break things up?” She suggests, pointing at Mia.

“M-Me?” Mia asks, shying away.

“Why not?” The teacher maintains.

Mia looks at me for confirmation.

“Go for it. You have nothing to lose.” I tell. In a practice duel you use duel gazers and no elo is at stake, so there is no reason for her not to go through with this.

She then faces the teacher and says. “I accept then.”

“Great, if you don’t own a duel gazer, please use one of those over there.” The professor points to a shelf with basic duel gazers. - “Now if you want to spectate and have a duel gazer, please equip it as well, but if you don’t, you can still see the duel through the strategic interface.” She instructs to us.

Mia walks down, puts on a duel gazer and faces the teacher with her disk at the ready.

““AR PRACTICE DUEL!”” Both announce.

I get an invitation to spectate.

…

…

…

…

…

“I set a monster in face down defense position. Turn end!” Says Mia.

I’m sure the teacher isn’t using her normal deck. After all, she’s the deck building professor. She has the resources to get a deck that isn’t straight up LOBY format material. Mia, on the other hand…

The duel drags on for ten more minutes after the class was supposed to end. The teacher obviously wins.

“You played well, Mia. Just keep in mind what I told you and your deck will shine!” Tells the teacher.

‘I don’t think so. I mean, the only way to fix a deck that’s just normal monsters is to start over…’

Regardless, I stand up and exit the pavilion with Mia and Aiko.

“So can where do you girls want to go?” I ask as we pass through the door.

“How about the card shop?” Mia suggests.

“Sounds good. Aiko?” I agree and turn to Aiko for her opinion.

“S-Sounds good to me, too.” She shyly agrees.

We walk over to the card shop. Yasuna is still in class. Apparently, she’s in the action duel course, and that class only ends at 12:45.

I could have gone to other shops in the area but I think Mia want’s to get something so I’ll go in this one where she can actually afford the things on display. The inside is quaint, like some sort of rental shop with cards on display. There’s two machines that remind me of the duel terminal ones - I mean, from what I could see in videos, there weren’t anywhere I lived. - Mia goes up to one and plucks her phone down on the machine.

“So, what are you opening?” I ask, assuming they must be where you open packs from.

“Oh, just some basic 5 DC academy packs.” She reveals.

I watch her pull her packs… She pulls decently. I mean, I do not know what cards are in those packs, but she even pulled some sprights! That has to mean something.

“Let me try.” I say, going over to the machine right beside it.

The interface displays my DC count of 525 and name plus picture, like the dispenser. The menu comprises three hexagons.

[Card Database]

[Open Packs]

[Sign out]

I select ‘card database’ and search for some cards I’ve decided I would add to my extra deck. The packs they have here differed completely from the ones back home, so I need to go over the cards I want. After doing so, I go back and open the appropriate packs. They are 5 DC each, thankfully, but the newer packs seem to go for 10.

Mia is done with her pulls, so she moves to watch mine. Aiko didn’t want any.

…

…

“Come on!” I exclaim.

I had already had spent 95DC on packs, so I decided this would be my last one.

...

...

“Yes baby! That’s what I’ve been waiting for!” I exclaimed, having pulled a copy of Lyrilusc - Independent Nightingale. If you know what that card does, you already know what bullshit I’m adding to my deck. Honestly, I don’t want to use it unless I just want to end the duel quickly. The people I’ve dueled so far paint a picture of a world full of opportunities and I really don’t want to ruin that. Still, if I have to duel another normal beatdown deck, I would go insane! So it’s nice to have the option to end it quickly. If my hubris ends up bitting me in the ass, so be it.

“H-Hey Yuumi.” Calls Mia with a stutter.

“Yes?” I turn around and find a Mia with a fake smile spread across her face.

“How much DC did you just spend?” She asks.

“Oh, just…” Oh shit, I did it again.

“100DC…” I whisper

She gives me a look of disappointment.

“I really have to get better with money…” I murmur.

Mia gives a exasperated sigh. “*Sigh*, yes you do.”

I log out with 425 DC remaining.

[<Hey, just got out of class where you at?> Yasuna]

I receive a message from Yasuna

[<Went to the card shop with Mia and Aiko> Yuumi]

[<Met you there then> Yasuna]

“Hey, I just received a message from Yasuna. She’s coming over here.” I tell Mia and Aiko.

With that, we get out of the store and wait by the entrance for her.

I finally spot a tanned girl wearing a loose, short-sleeved, white t-shirt with a red armband and a shorter red skirt with bike shorts. That’s one of uniforms they give us for the PE classes. You get to choose between a very short skirt with bike shorts or just bloomers; the boys get a similar uniform but with shorts; the armband signifies the rank. We can wear it outside of PE classes, if we want, but they only give one out for free when you sign up - and you really want to shower and change clothes after class - most people reserve it for the class itself.

“Ayo!” greets Yasuna, waving at us.

“Hey!” I greet, waving back.

“So, what did you all get up to?” Asks Yasuna.

“Ehh, not much.” I say, scratching my head.

Yasuna looks over at Mia, suspicious.

“She spent 100 DC on packs after learning that the extra deck can be over 15 cards.” Tells the traitor with the same fake smile as before.

Yasuna facepalms. “Of course she did.”

I roll my eyes. “Oh, come on, I can afford it! I mean, Yasuna’s clearly bought another PE uniform just to wear around school!… You did right? Don’t tell me you are wearing dirty clothes…” I trail off.

“Of course I’m not! And for your information, it was only 10DC! With 150 you could buy a last gen Dragon fruit duel disk.”

I blink repeatedly. Then ask. “You can?”

“Yes, I mean, their duel disks are proprietary so it would be useless without a Dragonfruit phone and those go around for 5000@ minimum.” Explains Yasuna.

“Intersting…” I murmur.

“Yasuna! Don’t give her ideas!” Shouts Mia.

“Oh, yea I totally can see you spending that… Please don’t.” Yasuna Urges.

“Yasuna, I don’t make promises I can’t keep.” I quip.

An awkward silence follows.

…

…

“H-how about we go get lunch?” Suggests Aiko.

We swiftly elect to accept her suggestion.

“We go back to the dorm then?” asks Yasuna.

I face her and counter. “How about a restaurant?”

‘There’s no way the corpos of this world haven’t found out about this figurative gold mine.’

“Eh, they’re kind of expensive…”

I look at her, stupefied, then exclaim “Its obvious I’ll pay!”

“Yuumi, there’s no need for…” Mia tries to be humble.

“Come ooooon, it’s our first day here and I have money. Let’s eat out.” I interrupt.

After some back and forth, they all eventually accept.

“Fine. I know one that serves the best hotdogs you’ll ever have. Follow me.” says Yasuna.

With no one else having any better ideas, we follow all the way back to the red dorms. I look at her in a questioning manner, but she reassures we’re not going to the canteen.

We go past the dorm and spot a fancy hotdog stand with some benches outside. It isn’t the only food stand out here, it’s actually quite busy with most of the clients being other red ranks.

We make our way to the stand named “Fantastic Dog!” that has a lot fewer clients than the other stands.

“Hey, Yasuna, you know that just because I’m paying that you have to go to a cheap place?” I reveal.

“Cheap? Oh, no. This one is actually very expensive compared to the other food stands around here. Why do you think it’s so empty? These people think we have yellow students’ budget to spend!”

“Wait, you don’t pay with DC, do you?” I ask. Confused as to why rank matters here.

“Haha, no. It’s just that normally the only ones that enter at red rank are the people who can’t get dueling tutoring and that leaves us. Either orphans or from poor families…” She trails off and an awkward silence ensues.

.….

“Geez! What a way to bring the mood down, Yasuna! I’m STARVING here!” Mia manages to bring us out of the slump.

“R-Right.” Stutters Yasuna.

So we go up to the stand and make out an order of four “Fantastic Dogs” I pay by bringing my phone up to a terminal and then we sit down on an outdoor bench nearby waiting for our food.

We make some small talk, talking about our classes.

“So what did you think of the deck building class Yuumi?” Asks Mia.

“Well… Besides the thing with the extra deck, I already knew all of it. I was so bored.” I reveal.

“I imagine, even seeing your deck, I have no idea how any of it works!” she jokes.

“What? You got to see Yuumi’s deck?!” Yasuna follows, surprised.

“Well, it’s not like the students in the first year class could play it, so I don’t see the problem.” I explain.

“While that might be true, try to not do that from now on. People here don’t care about honor if it means getting ahead and they’ll have no reservation with copying your deck.” She reveals.

Our food arrives, interrupting our conversation. I look at the hotdog, that’s almost as long with as my forearm, on my plate, topped with meat and many other toppings with a white condiment spread on top, flabbergasted.

“Holy shit!” Is my reaction - “Are all hotdogs supposed to be this big?!?”

“Hahaha, yeah, that was also my reaction the first time!” Tells Yasuna.

We don’t bother with manners and dig in to our feast that, by the way, was only 600@ for the whole… Oh shit that’s almost 200 bucks… I mean 50 for each is fair but yea this was expensive.