First Day

It was the first day of school at Duel University. Delilah stood outside the magnificent building, hardly believing that her dream of attending Duel University had finally come true.

Taking a deep breath, she walked through the halls, marveling at the gleaming trophies and framed portraits of legendary duelists that lined the walls. Every step made her even more excited to be there.

She entered her classroom and quietly took a seat among the other students. Delilah was usually friendly and outgoing, but being surrounded by people she had never met made her nervous.

A few moments later, Professor Fenny Chandler entered the room carrying a bowl filled with folded strips of paper.

"Good morning, class, and welcome to your first day at Duel University," Fenny said, setting the bowl on his desk. "We're going to begin with a test to see what you know about the Shadow Game."

He reached into the bowl and pulled out the first name.

"Mr. Minkus, you're up first."

A nervous student wearing glasses slowly stood. Minkus was a genius when it came to math and science, and he had enrolled at Duel University to expand his knowledge by studying the Shadow Game. Unfortunately, most of his classmates saw him as nothing more than a nerd. As he stood, several students snickered and laughed.

Delilah frowned from her seat. She hated seeing people mocked for simply being themselves.

Professor Fenny ignored the laughter and reached into the bowl again.

"Ms. Waters."

"Me?" Delilah asked, rising from her seat with a surprised expression.

Fenny reached into his pocket and pulled out two decks of magic cards. He handed one deck to Minkus and the other to Delilah.

"Good luck to both of you," Fenny said.

Delilah stood and shuffled her deck while Minkus took his place across from her. His hands trembled so badly that he dropped his entire deck onto the floor.

The classroom erupted with laughter as cards scattered in every direction.

Blushing with embarrassment, Minkus knelt down and began gathering his Duel Magic cards one by one. To everyone's surprise, Delilah immediately knelt beside him and helped collect the scattered cards.

When they had picked up the last card, Delilah smiled.

"Let me see your deck," she said.

Minkus hesitated for a moment before handing it to her.

Delilah quickly shuffled the deck a few times, then handed it back.

"There you go," she said.

Minkus stared at her with a confused expression, unsure why she had done that. Across the room, Professor Fenny watched the exchange with quiet interest.

Professor Fenny stepped between the two students.

"Take your places."

Delilah and Minkus stood across from each other, their decks in hand.

"Each duelist begins with 4,000 Life Points," Fenny announced. "Draw five cards."

Both students drew their opening hands.

"The Shadow Game... begin!"

A dark mist spread across the classroom as glowing symbols appeared beneath the duelists' feet. The students gasped as the room transformed into a magical arena.

"Ladies first," Minkus said nervously.

Delilah smiled.

"I'll start. I summon Silverfang in Attack Position!"

A silver wolf appeared beside her, growling at its opponent.

"Then I'll set one card face down and end my turn."

Minkus looked at his hand, his nervousness beginning to fade.

"My turn. I draw!"

He adjusted his glasses.

"I summon Gear Golem in Defense Position."

A large mechanical warrior landed in front of him and crossed its massive arms.

"I also set one card and end my turn."

Professor Fenny nodded with approval.

"An excellent defensive opening."

Delilah drew her next card.

"I summon Flame Swordsman!"

A blazing warrior emerged beside Silverfang.

"Flame Swordsman, attack Gear Golem!"

The flaming blade crashed into the machine, but Gear Golem's defenses held firm.

"No damage," Fenny explained.

Minkus smiled for the first time.

"My turn!"

He drew confidently.

"I activate Power Calculation! Gear Golem gains enough Attack Points to destroy Silverfang!"

The machine lunged forward, smashing the wolf into shimmering light.

Delilah's Life Points remained unchanged, but she nodded with respect.

"Nice move."

Several students looked surprised. They hadn't expected the quiet genius to make such a clever play.

"My turn!"

Delilah drew a card and smiled.

"Just what I needed."

She revealed the card dramatically.

"I activate Warrior's Call! Flame Swordsman's attack increases by 700 points this turn!"

Flames erupted around her warrior.

"Now, Flame Swordsman, attack Gear Golem!”

The enchanted blade sliced through the mechanical defender, destroying it.

Minkus: 3,300 LP

Minkus stumbled backward as the Shadow Game's energy struck him.

"I... I'm okay."

"Finish it, Delilah!" someone shouted.

She ignored the cheering.

"I set one card and end my turn."

Minkus drew his next card.

He searched his hand before sighing.

"I don't have the card I need."

He summoned another monster, but it was too weak to stop Delilah's field.

On her next turn, Delilah drew.

"This duel is over."

She pointed toward Minkus.

"Flame Swordsman, attack!"

The warrior charged forward, cutting through Minkus's final monster before striking him directly.

A burst of shadow energy surrounded Minkus.

Minkus: 0 LP

The magical arena dissolved, and the classroom returned to normal.

"Winner... Delilah Waters," Professor Fenny announced.

Minkus stood frozen, his hands trembling. His mind raced with questions. Had he failed the test? Was he going to be expelled on his very first day?

Before Professor Fenny could say anything, Delilah walked over to him.

"Can I see your deck?" she asked.

Still shaken, Minkus handed it to her.

Delilah carefully looked through every card. Having once played the Shadow Game to help save the Seven Realms and all of mankind, she recognized something immediately. The deck wasn't poorly built—it was incomplete. It was missing a card that could tie the entire strategy together.

She smiled and handed the deck back.

"I think this belongs with you."

Delilah removed a card from her own deck and held it out.

Minkus stared at it in disbelief.

"You... you're giving me one of your own cards?"

"I have a feeling you'll make good use of it."

As Minkus accepted the card, a teenage girl with curly brown hair and warm brown eyes stood from her desk. She wore a colorful patchwork dress with black boots and walked confidently to the front of the classroom.

"Congratulations," she said with a smile. "Both of you dueled beautifully."

She reached into her own deck and pulled out another card.

"I'd like you to have this, too."

Minkus accepted it with trembling hands.

"Why are you helping me?" he asked quietly.

"Because," the girl replied, wrapping him in a brief hug, "one day you're going to become a great duelist."

For the first time that day, Minkus smiled without fear.

Professor Fenny watched the scene in silence. A faint smile crossed his face, but he said nothing.

Later that evening, Delilah was unpacking her clothes in her dorm room when the door opened.

The same girl from class walked in, carrying a large suitcase filled with clothes and several Duel Magic decks.

She smiled.

"It looks like we're roommates."

Delilah smiled back.

"I'm Delilah."

"I'm Topenga."

Topenga set her suitcase beside the bed before sitting down. She motioned for Delilah to join her.

Once Delilah sat beside her, Topenga lowered her voice to a whisper.

"I know you're a duelist... and that you possess magical powers."

Delilah's eyes widened.

"How do you know that?"

Instead of answering, Topenga pulled back the sleeve of her dress, revealing a strange glowing symbol on her shoulder.

"I have magical powers too."

Delilah studied the mark with curiosity.

"I enrolled here because my magic showed me a vision," Topenga continued. "Someone at Duel University is going to try to conquer the Seven Realms."

Delilah's expression turned serious.

"Professor Fenny?"

Topenga slowly shook her head.

"No."

"Then who?"

"I don't know," Topenga admitted, her voice filled with concern. "The vision never revealed their face."

Silence filled the room.

Outside the dorm window, the evening breeze rustled the trees across the campus.

Somewhere within Duel University, someone was already making plans to plunge the Seven Realms into darkness.