RRIIIINNNNGGGGGG!!
The sharp metallic cry of the academy bell tore through the classroom, echoing across the halls of Duel Academy as the clock struck exactly 16:00. Chairs creaked and students straightened in their seats as the end of the school day was officially announced.
At the front of the room, Professor Banner calmly rose from his desk.
The friendly instructor alongside homeroom teacher began carefully cleaning up the clutter of glassware and strange materials that covered his workspace. One by one, he packed away his chemical vials, powders, and half-finished concoctions from the day's lesson, sealing them inside a metal case with the slow precision of someone handling potentially dangerous substances.
Mash, watching from the back of the room, couldn't help staring.
[What the fuck even is Duel Alchemy…?]
Banner adjusted his glasses and looked across the classroom.
"Well then," he said mildly while brushing a trace of chalk dust from his sleeves, "that concludes today's lesson."
He paused as he slowly glanced around the class.
"Also, a reminder to everyone, next Monday will be the promotion exam. If any of you wish to move up to Ra Yellow or Obelisk Blue, I suggest you begin studying."
He gave a polite nod.
"Good day."
With that, the professor quietly exited the room.
The moment the door shut behind him, the class erupted into noise.
"I can't believe the promotion exam is already next week!"
"I'm totally making it into Obelisk Blue! Wait, hold on, if I moved up there, than Mash will...! Actually never mind!"
"Please just let me reach Ra Yellow… I'll take anything but staying in Slifer!"
Mash leaned back in his chair, letting the storm of student panic wash over him while his gaze drifted across the classroom. A few desks away, Shmaden Shumki was still asleep with his face planted squarely on the desk, breathing slowly like someone who had slept through the entire class like it was nothing to his grades.
Next to him sat the exact opposite.
Syrus Truesdale was hunched forward with both hands gripping his head, anxiety practically radiating from him like heat from a furnace.
"Ugh… what if I flunk the written exam…?" Syrus groaned miserably. "Will I get expelled?!"
"Don't worry, Sy."
The voice came from right beside him.
Mash had already gotten up and wandered over, casually resting a hand on Syrus's shoulder with the relaxed confidence of someone who clearly had zero concern about academic disasters. He flashed the smaller boy an easy grin.
"Be confident about it. The written test's gonna be a breeze." Mash said, giving his shoulder a light pat. "The only part you actually need to stress about is the practical exam."
Syrus slowly lifted his head, looking up at him with watery eyes and a pitiful pout. "B-but Mash… I'm not as smart as you…"
"Oh, don't sell yourself short, Sy-boy," Mash replied instantly, flashing him a thumbs-up. "The written test will be easy mode."
"But… the questions this time are supposed to be really tough…"
"Hey Sy, quick question." Mash suddenly leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice like he was about to reveal something. "How long have you been playing this little card game?"
Syrus blinked in confusion, clearly not expecting the sudden change of topic. "I-I don't know… over a decade, I guess?"
"Perfect!"
Mash's grin widened immediately as he slapped Syrus on the back.
"OW!" Syrus yelled.
"You've been playing this children's card game for ten years, right?" Mash said proudly, folding his arms with exaggerated confidence. "That means you've built up around ten years' worth of knowledge and wisdom. Right?"
Syrus rubbed his shoulder, still looking uncertain. "Right...?"
"That's right!" Mash declared triumphantly. "Which means you should be able to pass the written exam without even opening a book! Because you're experience of around 10 years worth of playing this stupid card game will surely carry you to a passing grade!"
[Maybe, But Idk tho. Don't try this at home kids!]
Syrus stared at him for a moment as if mentally processing the argument. Then slowly... his expression brightened.
"…Huh."
His eyes lit up with a spark of hope.
"Yeah...! You're right!" he said suddenly, sitting up straighter. "Maybe I don't have to study that hard! I should just focus on the practical exam instead!"
He gave Mash a grateful smile. "Thanks, Mash! You're a genius!"
"Gya ho ho!" Mash laughed proudly, throwing his head back and dramatically tossing his hair for absolutely no reason. "Of course I am."
Syrus chuckled at the ridiculous display, though after a moment he tilted his head slightly as he studied Mash's expression.
"You seem to be in a really good mood today."
"Well, duh!" Mash replied immediately, striking a ridiculous heroic pose right there beside the desk. "I just broke my daily Obelisk hunting record after all. Went from twelve to twenty!"
Syrus nearly choked.
"Twenty!?"
Mash puffed out his chest proudly. "Yup. After I let my Lovely hang out with Alexis and her circle, word spread across campus in seconds that my 'ace' monster was gone. Suddenly Obelisk students started crawling out of the walls, literally, thinking I was vulnerable."
He raised one finger with a smug grin.
"Unfortunately for them… I still had one more ace up my sleeve."
Syrus adjusted his glasses slowly. "You mean {Lady Labrynth of the Silver Castle}? The card with the same attack as {Blue-Eyes White Dragon} and an extremely easy way to be Special Summoned with basically no downsides?"
"Hey now, she does has a downside." Mash protested, lifting a finger defensively. "Technically she's summoned in Defense Position which can make her not attack on my turn..."
Syrus narrowed his eyes. "Mash, I don't think summoning a 2900 DEF wall from your hand because a 'Labrynth' or Trap Card activated that turn is not a downside."
"And it's a Quick Effect too! If you want to, you can just summon her during your opponent's turn."
Mash blinked slowly, then gave a low whistle. "Whoa, Syrus. Didn't realize you were paying that much attention to my deck."
"Well… after we dueled yesterday when you summoned both Lady Labrynth alongside Lovely Labrynth on MY TURN...! I kind of had to." Syrus muttered awkwardly before adding, "Honestly, your deck is just really strong, Mash. You could probably even go toe-to-toe with my brother's Cyber Dragon deck."
Mash only shrugged with a small grin.
"Yeah, well… let's just say these cards are literally from another world."
He punctuated the statement with a casual wink.
Syrus tilted his head in confusion. "I… don't get it—"
"Good," Mash cut him off immediately, patting him on the shoulder again. "Anyway, Syrus, what did you mean earlier when you said I seem to be in a good mood today? What's my usual mood?"
Syrus hesitated before glancing off to the side.
"Well… unless you're dueling, talking to us, or flirting with Miss Labrynth…" he said carefully, "…you usually seem kinda… bored."
"…Bored?"
Mash blinked, genuinely surprised hearing that.
[Damn, Syrus has you been stalking me!?]
He opened his mouth to respond, brows lifting in confusion. "Hey, what do you mean by bored—"
"DAAAAARRRRRLIIIIIIING~!!"
The sentence never finished.
A familiar voice exploded across the classroom like a siren, and before Mash could even turn around, two arms wrapped tightly around him from behind. He was yanked backward with all the grace and subtlety of a freight train collision—straight into something soft.
Very soft.
In an instant, Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle appeared beside him in full dramatic glory, clutching him to her chest like a long-lost lover finally reunited after a decade apart. Mash's face disappeared completely into her cleavage.
Which raised a very important question.
[Weren't they supposed to be made of silver metal!!?? How the fuck-]
"Ahh~! I missed you soooo much, Darling~!" Lovely cooed happily, squeezing him even tighter as if she had no intention of letting go anytime soon.
Mash's voice came out muffled from somewhere inside the suspiciously soft silver fortress. "Ehehehe… me too, Lovely…"
[Nah, I don't give a shit anymore.]
"Tch. Look at this disgusting behavior."
The sharp voice sliced cleanly through the moment.
Jasmine strode across the classroom toward them with her usual rigid posture and disapproving glare, arms folded tightly across her chest. Behind her walked Alexis and Mindy, both of whom had clearly witnessed the entire spectacle.
"As expected of someone who earned the title of Trap Monkey," Jasmine continued sharply, glaring at Mash like he had personally offended the concept of decency. "You really do act like one, huh?"
Alexis rubbed her temple with a long, tired sigh. "I know you two love each other so much it borders on obsession… but this is a little excessive."
"Yeah, Labby-chan!" Mindy added, cheeks faintly red while gesturing toward the rest of the classroom. "I know you really love him, but don't you feel even a little embarrassed as a woman!? Everyone's staring!"
Lovely finally glanced around.
A small crowd of male students had gathered nearby, glaring daggers at Mash with expressions that radiated pure envy. The jealousy was so thick it could probably be bottled and sold as cologne.
Lovely only flipped her silver hair dramatically.
"Hmph~! What do I care about them, Min Min~?" she declared proudly. "The entire world could burn for all the fuck I care, and I'd still cling to my Darling~!"
She tightened her embrace and shoved Mash's face even deeper into her chest.
"Right, Darling~?"
Mash let out a blissful chuckle. "Hehehehe…"
Jasmine recoiled as if she had just smelled rotten tuna.
"Disgusting!"
Lovely's grin turned devilish. "Ho ho~? Is little Jassy jealous because she doesn't and can't have anyone to flirt with?" She tapped her chin thoughtfully before smirking. "Maybe if you changed that yee yee ass hairstyle so it didn't resemble a Pac-Man ghost, boys might start lining up for you~"
Then Lovely smirks.
"Or not~? Who knows~?" Lovely shrugs. "Not that I care cause you're boyfriend will probably be even worse than my Darling~!"
She then struck a smug pose towards Jasmine, displaying her superiority before laughing all smugly.
"HO HO HO HO HO HO~!!!"
Jasmine gritted her teeth, her fury now at max.
"URGHHH!!!! THAT'S IT!!!!" Jasmine snapped, pointing angrily. "LEXY, take her card out of your Duel Disk. NOW!!!"
"W-Wait! Jassy!" Lovely's voice cracked.
"Ah-!" Alexis gasped, but the moment had already passed.
With one swift motion, Jasmine yanked the card out of Alexis's Duel Disk and Lovely immediately exploded into a burst of holographic particles.
And with a soft plop, two tied water balloons dropped onto the floor beside Mash.
He collapsed forward, directly onto one of them.
POP.
Water splashed across his face and the classroom floor.
"NOOOOOOOO!!!" Mash screamed in agony, clutching the ground. "I WAS JUST IN HEAVEN!!"
"Whatever. Here's your girlfriend card," Jasmine huffed, tossing the card straight at his face.
Whap.
The card hit Mash face and staying there for a moment before slowly sliding down to reveal the face of a heartbroken boy.
Seeing this Jasmine can't help but laugh while pointing at him "HA HA HA! You look pathetic, you imp!"
"Urgh...! Mash glared upward. "Why you—!"
"Hey, hey, enough!" Alexis interrupted firmly, raising a hand before the situation escalated further. "Jasmine, we're just here to return Mash's card, not start a riot with him. And Mash…" She sighed again. "You have so many red flags it would take an hour just to list them."
She turned to the others. "Anyway, girls, we should head back to the dorm—"
"Wait! Alexis, one question!" Mash called out quickly.
Alexis paused.
"How was Lovely when she hung out with you guys?"
"Miss Lab?" Alexis tilted her head thoughtfully. "Hmm… actually, it was kinda fun, right guys?"
Mindy nodded enthusiastically while Jasmine crossed her arms and gave a reluctant shrug.
"She's surprisingly friendly and easy to talk to… if she likes you." Alexis admitted. "Also, she's surprisingly amazing at makeup. Just look at Mindy."
She pointed at Mindy, Mindy puffed up proudly. Her face looked noticeably more polished than it had earlier.
"She's like a professional makeup artist," Mindy said, practically glowing. "And contrary to how she treats everyone else as if they were insect, Labby-chan is actually a cute girl deep down!"
"Yeah, and also-" Alexis stopped mid-sentence, suddenly squinting at Mash. "Why is your face like that?"
Mash was grinning from ear to ear. "There is no shame for a husband to be proud of his own wife."
Alexis sighed again.
"Ugh, I hate this guy," Jasmine muttered, clearly flustered. "And his girlfriend too. She never stops teasing me."
"Well, you are fun to tease," Mindy said with a mischievous grin.
"Mindy!"
Alexis chuckled softly. "Alright, that was fun, but we really should go. Later, Mash."
Mash gave a lazy wave as the girls left the classroom, chatting and laughing among themselves.
Nearby, Syrus leaned closer to him. "You seem kinda close to them, Mash."
Mash slowly turned toward him with a completely flat expression. "Calling it close is a stretch, Sy. We're just friends."
He paused.
"And the only reason we're even friends at all is because of that time you got catfished."
"HEY!" Syrus exploded instantly, his face turning bright red. "We agreed never to talk about that again!"
Mash chuckled quietly. "Come on. That arc was hilarious."
"Mash!"
"Alright, alright." Mash raised his hands in surrender.
Mash slid the Duel Disk onto his left arm and tightened the strap with practiced ease. The device hummed softly as it powered on, its interface lighting up along the rim. With a tap of a button he switched it to Projection Mode, then carefully drew a single card from his deck.
The moment the card slid into the slot, light spilled outward.
Lovely Labrynth appeared crouched low to the ground, shoulders slumped and head hanging low as though she had just lost the will to live. The proud demon lady who normally carried herself like royalty now looked more like a kicked puppy.
Mash leaned closer, concern softening his voice. "Lovely…? Are you okay?"
She sniffled.
"Huuu… I'm sorry, Darling...!" she whimpered, slowly lifting her head. Her eyes glistened pitifully. "I… I used two heated-up water balloons to create the illusion that I had a physical soft boobs…"
Mash stared at her for a second.
Then he burst out laughing. "Oh come on, Lovely! That's fine- actually, it was great!"
Her head snapped up immediately, hope flooding her expression. "R-Really…?"
"Of course!" Mash stepped closer with an easy grin, as if the whole thing had never been an issue to begin with. "Because in the end, it's the experience and the effort you put into it that matters. And you, my dear, did both of them spectacularly!"
He placed a hand over his chest with theatrical sincerity. "Thank you."
Lovely gasped, placing her own hand over her heart as if struck by Cupid himself.
"Darling~!"
"Lovely…"
What followed could only be described as an aggressively sweet exchange of affectionate nonsense, dramatic declarations, flirtatious whispers, and enough sugary romance to give the entire classroom cavities. (IG notes: TLDR; Too lazy and too cringe, USE YOUR IMAGINATIONS!)
Across the room, Syrus and Chumley stood in front of Jaden's desk, who was unsurprisingly still asleep. Both of them watched the scene with the exact same expression: the face of someone who had just bitten into a lemon.
"Aw man..." Chumley sighed deeply. "Here they go again…"
Syrus folded his arms, his face twisted in mild digustt. "You know… I always thought romance was supposed to be romantic. But this is just…" He gestured vaguely toward Mash and Lovely. "Animalistic."
Right on cue, Jaden suddenly sat upright with a huge yawn, stretching his arms like a man waking from the most satisfying nap of his life.
"Oh hey, Sy. Chum," he mumbled sleepily. "What's up? Why do you guys look like—"
Jaden looked to his side and stared for a moment.
"Oh."
A brief silence followed before he nodded slowly.
"Yup," Jaden said flatly. "Totally normal behavior. Just flirting with a hologram of a Duel Monster in public. Nothing weird about that at all. Awesome."
Lovely and I turned to face the them, both of us wearing smug grins.
"Aw~ Darling~" Lovely cooed sweetly, leaning in to nuzzle Mash's cheek. "Look at those poor single men glaring at us with such pitiful expressions~"
Mash nodded gravely, as if analyzing an important scientific phenomenon. "There's only one logical explanation to this, Lovely."
Both Mash and Lovely shot an annoying smirk at the three.
"They're jealous~" Both of them said.
"WE ARE NOT!" Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley shouted in perfect unison.
Jaden immediately rubbed his temples. "Nope. I'm not dealing with this." He hopped over his desk in one smooth motion and landed beside the other two. "Let's bounce, guys."
"Agreed," Syrus and Chumley replied without hesitation, already backing toward the door.
The trio started heading for the exit.
"Hey!" Mash called after them, raising a brow. "Where are you guys going?"
Jaden glanced back over his shoulder. "Away from you two."
"Yeah, I got that part," Mash said while casually following them. "But for real, Jay. Where exactly are you going?"
"I think we're heading back to the dorms," Jaden replied, glancing toward the others. "Right guys?"
Syrus and Chumley nodded in unison like they'd rehearsed it.
Mash pouted dramatically. "Aww… really? You guys are leaving already? Don't you want to accompany me to the card shop?"
"Can't, dude," Jaden said with a shrug. "I'm broke. I've only got fifty DP left. I can't even buy a single pack."
Chumley sighed miserably. "I can't even afford one Drawbread…"
"And besides," Syrus added, gesturing toward Lovely's hologram, "you still have Miss Labrynth to keep you company."
"Yup, pretty sure she can keep you company in the most 'romantic' way as possible." Jaden said, clapping his hands once. "Let's go, guys. Maybe we'll duel or play some games back at the dorm."
"Wait, hold on," Mash said quickly, catching up beside them with a sly grin. "How about you guys just hear me out for a second…"
---
Later, at the Duel Academy card shop…
Three extremely enthusiastic boys stood in line at the counter like it was the opening morning of a massive sale.
Behind the counter stood Ms. Dorothy, a warm, round-faced woman with tiny glasses resting on the bridge of her nose. As both the shop's owner and the one responsible for managing the academy's booster packs alongside this card shop, she had long grown used to excited students flooding her counter.
"Oh! Welcome!" she greeted them cheerfully. "You boys here to buy some cards?"
"Yeah!" Jaden announced proudly, slapping down 10 stack of booster packs with dramatic flair. "I'll be taking all of these!"
Ten packs landed on the counter.
"Me too!" Syrus said excitedly, quickly adding another stack of ten beside Jaden's.
"Me three!" Chumley chimed in, placing ten more packs down alongside ten Drawbreads next to them.
Mash's eye twitched.
"CHUMLEY!" he barked, stepping forward. "I said I'd buy you guys ten packs, not ten packs plus ten random shits! Put those back or pay for them yourself!"
"Aww…" Chumley groaned, reluctantly sliding the Drawbreads aside.
Ms. Dorothy chuckled softly at the scene. "Oh my. Mash! I didn't expect you to be the type to spoil your friends with free cards."
"Ho ho ho~! That's right~!" Lovely declared proudly beside Mash. "My Darling is a very generous man, after all~!"
"Fu fu fu... I see, I see..." Ms. Dorothy nodded at Lovely remarks. "You certainly gotten lucky to have a boyfriend this generous and considerate, huh?"
Mash scratched the back of his head, grinning modestly. "Well… today I broke my hunting record," he admitted. "So I figured I might as well celebrate it with everyone."
Jaden grinned and gave him an enthusiastic double thumbs-up. "Thanks, man! You're the best!"
Syrus and Chumley immediately copied the gesture, both smiling widely as they raised their own thumbs in appreciation.
Mash returned their thumbs-up with an amused nod before turning back toward Ms. Dorothy behind the counter.
"Anyway," he said casually, resting his elbows on the counter, "now that it's Friday… may I ask for the usual?"
Ms. Dorothy chuckled as if she had been expecting that exact sentence. "Oh, that again?" she said, already bending down behind the counter. "Mash, you really are a peculiar kid." A moment later she lifted up a medium-sized cardboard box and set it down with a solid thud. "But lucky for you, I had it prepared ahead of time."
Mash's eyes lit up instantly. "Nice! Thanks, Miss Dorothy!"
Jaden tilted his head, eyeing the box with growing curiosity. "Geez, Mash… another one?" he said slowly. "You buy these things every single Friday. What's even inside them? I'm starting to get curious."
Before Mash could react, Jaden leaned forward and dragged the box closer to himself.
"Hey! Shmaden!" Mash snapped, reaching out to stop him.
Too late.
Jaden had already flipped the lid open, and was shocked at seeing the inside of the box. "WHAT IS THIS!???"
Syrus and Chumley rushed over, crowding around the counter to look inside.
"What's with you guys reactio—" Chumley leaned forward mid-sentence, peering into the box.
Then his voice shot up several octaves.
"HUUUUUH!?"
Jaden slowly turned toward Mash, horror dawning across his face. "Mash… don't tell me… all those boxes you've been buying every week…"
He gestured weakly toward the contents. "…they're all filled with this?"
Inside the box was filled to the brim with hundreds of identical cards of {Foolish Burial} And {Self-Destruct Button}.
Ms. Dorothy giggled softly at their stunned expressions. "Oh my, you boys look confused. Let me explain." She folded her hands comfortably on the counter. "Mash has actually been helping us with a long-running storage problem."
The three boys blinked at her.
"You see, all the single cards we sell in this shop comes from either opening old packs ourselves or students trading in cards they don't want anymore for DP," she continued. "But after years of that… certain cards start to pile up."
She gestured toward the box.
"Low-level monsters, weak spells, strange trap cards with bizarre effects… the kinds of cards nobody wants to buy. Even when we drop the price to five DP, they barely move."
Then she smiled toward Mash.
"But Mash offered to buy them in bulk. Huge bulk. For 0.5 DP each."
Syrus blinked slowly. "So… he's just been buying garbage cards every week?"
"For the past few Fridays, yes," Ms. Dorothy confirmed cheerfully. "He's been clearing out our unwanted inventory like a little recycling angel. It's actually been quite helpful."
Mash simply shrugged modestly. "Happy to help."
Syrus narrowed his eyes at him. "But… what are you actually doing with all those cards?"
"Well… It's definitely for something." Mash replied vaguely, rocking on his heels. "But I don't have a reason to tell you guys."
Syrus sighed deeply. "Of course you don't…"
"Aw, come on, Mash!" Jaden groaned, throwing his hands up. "You always pull this mysterious 'ooo, I've got secrets' nonsense!"
Mash didn't even look at them. Instead he casually pulled out his PDA and tapped the screen. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Why don't you guys mind your own business while I buy you your packs?" He glanced back at the counter. "Miss Dorothy, how much for everything?"
"Ten thousand DP," she answered brightly.
"TEN THOUSAND DP!?" the three boys shouted in perfect unison.
Syrus pointed frantically toward a nearby display rack. "That's almost as much DP as that {Gagagigo} card over there! And that one costs twelve thousand!"
Mash didn't even blink.
"Done."
He tapped the transfer button. His PDA emitted a soft confirmation beep.
Ms. Dorothy smiled warmly. "Thank you for your purchase! I hope you and your friends have a wonderful day."
Mash gave a small nod. "Alright then… time to carry the box."
"Would you like me to carry it like usual~?" Lovely asked sweetly already reaching for the box.
Mash puffed out his chest. "No need! I've got this."
He planted both hands on the box, lifted it off the counter…
Turned around.
Took exactly one step.
BRAK!
And immediately collapsed like a dying deer.
"Fuh… fuh…" Mash wheezed dramatically from the floor. "This box... is heavy!"
Lovely sighed in exasperation. "Oh Darling… this is what happens when you refuse to exercise in the mornings~" She reached toward the box again. "Let me carry it."
"I'll carry it, Miss Labrynth!" Jaden volunteered quickly, stepping forward. "Mash bought us packs, so the least we can do is-"
He grabbed the box and lifted it easily. Too easily
Jaden blinked.
"Huh… this thing isn't even that heavy."
"Really, Jay? Let me try." Syrus took the box from him, holding it for a moment before nodding thoughtfully. "Yeah… it's not bad at all. In fact, I don't think this is even heavy at all!"
Ms. Dorothy adjusted her glasses. "That box probably only weighs about five kilograms."
"Seriously!?" Jaden looked down at Mash, who was still lying on the floor, gasping for breath. "Wow, Mash… you seriously need to work out, man. How about hitting the academy gym with me sometime? I could finally get a gym bro!"
Mash groaned weakly. "Ugh… shut up…"
[Why am I this weak!? I wasn't this weak before I died!]
---
Later, back in Mash's lonely little dorm room, he sat in the chair beside his desk with his arms crossed and a satisfied grin spreading across his face.
Beside him, Lovely stood calmly while holding the entire box in one hand as if it weighed nothing at all.
Mash snapped his fingers. "Alright then, Lovely. You know the drill."
"Of course, Darling~" she replied with a playful smile.
Mash flicked his wrist downward.
A square-shaped interface from the Master Duel system instantly materialized in the air before him with a soft digital hum, glowing faintly like a floating screen.
Lovely tilted the box.
Hundreds of cards poured toward the interface.
Instead of falling to the floor, they were sucked into the glowing screen in a brilliant flash of white light. The system devoured them like a digital black hole, each card vanishing one after another as they were neatly absorbed into Mash's inventory.
And Mash grinned wide. REALLY wide.
Why?
Because in Master Duel, cards like {Foolish Burial} and {Self-Destruct Button} are UR and SR rarity respectively. Which means...
I can dismantle them and use them crafting materials.
[But wait! Mash, where did this all come from!?]
Ah, well, my dear imaginary voice of exposition. Because this is one more feature that my system can do!
I am able to upload originals cards from this world into my system! It's very handy, because not only I can use it as storage, but another use for it is also for dismantling materials! And once they're in, they get automatically assigned to its Master Duel rarity counterpart.
So something like {Foolish burial} and {Self-destruct Button} which is strangely common in this world... when put into my system their rarity turns into UR and SR!
It's so fucking broken that the moment Lovely first told me about this feature, I spent the entire next day scavenging the island. Grabbing every discarded and lost card I could find. From the the top of the trees to the bottom of the trash bins, I hunted cards like a raccoon.
It's just like that one quote, another man's trash is another man's treasure!
I also go to that "Well of Rejects" where student toss away their useless cards. Though I need to ask Dr. Banner for its location and afterward he gave me a strange look. Anyway, what's inside is, you guessed it, filled with weak ahh monster cards that I quickly put to good use.
[But Mash, don't those cards have spirits in them?]
[Yeah, but for some reason, they wont appear to me in their spirit form. So I just take them and put it in my system. And then...]
[So you just committed a mass murder?]
[Oh please, this is a well filled with garbage cards, and is literally called the Well of Rejects. No one will care if these cards disappear from the well and no one will certainly ever use these cards for dueling.]
Anyway, because of this discovery, my card materials which previously looks like this:
{Materials: N: 1030, R: 1000, SR: 220, UR: 70}
Is more like this:
{Materials: N: ∞, R: ∞, SR: ∞, UR: ∞}
[This is so damn broken, oh my god... speaking of god, did GOD forgot to patch this exploit? or is it intentional...]
"Whew~ that's the last of them, Darling~," Lovely said brightly as she tipped the final handful of cards into the glowing system interface. The light faded a moment later, leaving the cardboard box completely empty. With a small, satisfied hum, she set the box down on the desk.
Mash blinked, snapping out of the idle daze he had fallen into while watching the system devour hundreds of useless cards.
"Oh, right. Thanks, Lovely," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll dismantle them later."
He stood up from the chair, grabbing his books and a bundle of pencils from the desk. "For now…" he muttered while walking toward the door, "let's head over to Jaden's room. I know they're probably gonna ask about tomorrow math homework right now, so might as well go there now."
"let's head over to Jaden's room. I'm pretty sure they're about to panic over tomorrow's math homework, so we might as well get it over with."
Lovely giggled behind him. "Ho ho ho~ I bet they're already standing outside your door right now, Darling~"
Mash rolled his eyes. "That's ridiculous. By the time I get there, I'm sure they'll all be calmly working on their homework on their-"
Mash opened the door and immediately his expression flattened into complete deadpan.
"-own…"
Standing right outside Mash door were Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley.
All three were holding their homework notebooks in front of them like children clutching trick-or-treat bags.
Jaden grinned brightly. "Oh hey, dude."
Mash stared at them in silence.
Jaden scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "So… uh… can we get the usual? You-helping-your-best-buddies-with-homework service?"
Mash blinked once.
Then he sighed the long, weary sigh of a man who had accepted his fate.
"…Let's go to your room," he muttered. "We'll finish it there, along with some snacks."
---
Inside Jaden's dorm room, chaos had already resumed its natural state.
Jaden and Lovely Labrynth were sitting cross-legged on the floor in the middle of a duel. Nearby, Syrus and Chumley watched with intense focus like spectators at a championship match.
Meanwhile, Mash was the only one seated properly at the desk.
And the only one actually doing the goddamn homework.
"Alright!" Jaden suddenly shouted, raising a card high into the air with dramatic flair. "I fuse Avian and Burstinatrix!"
He slammed the card down with theatrical enthusiasm. "Come out, {Elemental HERO Flame Wingman} in attack position!"
Lovely laughed regally, already flipping one of her set cards with elegant confidence. "Ho ho ho~ As expected, but still too predictable! I activate {Bottomless Trap Hole}! and have your poor little hero banished for all eternity~!"
Jaden sighed deeply and dragged the card into the banished pile. "Man… great."
Syrus shrugged sympathetically. "Jay, you should've known she'd be playing Mash's deck. Those are literally her own cards."
"Like wife, like husband," Chumley added with a grin.
"Man… this sucks," Jaden grumbled.
Mash's pen stopped scratching across the paper. "You know what else sucks, Shmaden?"
Three heads turned toward him.
Mash glared over his shoulder. "Doing all the homework alone while you clowns are over there playing card games!"
With a dramatic flick of his wrist, he tossed the completed notebook across the room. It slid across the floor and stopped right in front of them with a soft whap.
"There," Mash said flatly. "Finished. Copy everything. But change it a little."
"Yay~!" Jaden cheered without a hint of shame, immediately grabbing the notebook. "Welp, guess I surrender, Miss Labrynth."
Lovely folded her arms with a disappointed huff. "Tch. How boring. You're such a coward, Jaden~"
Mash leaned back in his chair with a smirk. "Yeah. You always chicken out whenever I offer a 'friendly duel.' You know I always give you a bonus card if you survive against me for three turns-"
"-Or four if I'm going first," Jaden cut in without looking up.
"Sorry. Nope. Nu-uh. Not doing it." He pulled over his notebook and pen. "I like living, thanks." then starts writing with Syrus and Chumley.
Mash sighed and rested his chin on his palm. [Well... at the very least, it wouldn't hurt to know why.. But whatever.]
His gaze drifted toward the three boys sitting on the floor, completely absorbed in copying the homework. Jaden's deck sat carelessly beside him.
Mash narrowed his eyes.
He gave Lovely a subtle nod.
[Time for our little experiment.]
Without saying a word, Lovely stood and strolled casually across the room. Then, with the smooth precision of a practiced thief, she snatched Jaden's deck off the floor in one swift motion and carried it back to Mash before anyone noticed.
Mash drew the top card.
It was {Elemental HERO Flame Wingman.}
He flicked his wrist downward, summoning the glowing Master Duel interface right beside him.
With a quick tap he crafted his own version of {Elemental HERO Flame Wingman}, and slid the freshly created copy onto the top of Jaden's deck, then fed the original card into the glowing system window without hesitation.
Almost immediately, Mash pressed the [Dismantle] button on Jaden's original flame wingman, turning it into extra CP.
Once that was done, Lovely carried the deck back across the room and returned it to the exact spot she had taken it from, placing it beside Jaden with careful precision—same position, same angle, and with Flame Wingman still resting on top just as it had been before. To anyone watching, nothing had changed.
[That makes fourteen,]Mash thought as he watched them from across the room.
[Fourteen cards in his deck have been swapped out with my system's versions over the past two weeks.]
It was an ongoing experiment.
A slow, subtle test to see if Jaden would ever notice that his cards were being quietly replaced.
Maybe they would feel different in his hands. Maybe they would duel differently. Maybe the system-crafted versions carried something the originals didn't. Or maybe there was no difference at all. So far?
Jaden hadn't noticed a single thing.
Not during draws. Not during duels. Not even during his loud, over-the-top hero speeches.
Mash snorted quietly. [Either there really is no difference... or he's just an idiot. Typical Shmaden.]
Mash turned back toward the still-glowing system interface hovering beside him.
[Well… I am a little bored. Might as well put 'that' card into my deck.]
He tapped the screen and crafted another card.
Then he dragged the new card into his own deck.
With that done, Mash leaned back in his chair, letting it creak loudly as he propped his feet up on the desk. His gaze drifted lazily upward until it settled on the ceiling.
[Man… I can't wait for the promotion exam.]
---
The next few hours slipped by in a comfortable blur.
Mash took a quick shower, then met up with Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley for dinner. Afterward they drifted back to Jaden's dorm room, where the evening devolved into exactly what it always did—casual chatting, video games, and a handful of duels.
Mash watched every single one of them.
Because, for reasons that remained both mysterious and extremely suspicious, nobody ever wanted to duel him.
By the time the dorm quieted down and Mash returned to his own room, the clock had just passed eight in the evening.
And inside that quiet room, sprawled across the bed, Mash was currently engaged in something very important and HARD.
"Ah~ Darling~ keep going~! Harder~!"
Mash's hands were cupped tightly together, his entire body tense with effort. "Hhh… hhh… Lovely…! I think it's about to come out!"
"Yes, Darling~!" Lovely encouraged with bright, eager eyes. "Let it out~! Let it all out~!"
"ARRRGGHHH!"
"AAAHHHHH~!"
Plink.
A tiny silver sphere rolled out from Mash's trembling hands and bounced lightly onto the bed.
Lovely immediately scooped it up and with a ruler examined it with sparkling excitement. "Wow, Darling~! It's 1.2 centimeters in diameter! That's 0.1 centimeters bigger than three days ago! I'm so proud of you~!"
Mash collapsed backward onto the mattress, completely drenched in sweat.
"Two weeks of training..." he groaned, staring at the ceiling. "Two whole weeks… and the best I can do is squeeze out a silver marble. Fantastic. Truly fucking awesome progress."
"Oh please, Darling~" Lovely said sweetly as she sat beside him on the bed. "It's only been two weeks~!"
Mash rubbed his face. "Yeah, that's a fair point." He paused, then pointed at her lazily. "Counterpoint: Lovely… make me a silver bar."
"With pleasure~!"
A polished silver bar appeared instantly in her hands, perfectly formed and gleaming.
Mash flicked his wrist upward.
The bar rose smoothly into the air, hovering in front of him. With another casual motion, the metal began to ripple and twist, flowing like liquid as it reshaped itself. The bar stretched and curled, scales forming along its body until an intricate silver Chinese dragon emerged.
The tiny dragon circled lazily through the air before drifting down into Mash's palm.
He flicked his fingers one more time.
The dragon collapsed in on itself and reformed into a small, detailed figure of Lovely.
Mash handed the miniature sculpture to her.
Lovely's eyes widened in delight. "Woooow~! That's amazing, Darling~!"
"Yeah," Mash muttered, studying the tiny figure in her hands. "And the crazy part is that I learned all of that in two weeks." He gestured vaguely in the air. "Shaping, levitating, sculpting… I learned it all easily."
He raised a finger.
"But somehow I still can't produce a silver ball bigger than my own finger." He gave her a flat look. "Doesn't that seem weird to you, Lovely?"
She held the tiny statue close, admiring it before giving him a knowing smile.
"Well, Darling… when it comes to control, you're definitely a natural prodigy. Even I can't do the kind of intricate manipulation you're pulling off."
She demonstrated by casually reshaping the figurine in her hands into a simple silver sphere.
"See? I can only morph silver into basic shapes because I was too lazy on further training my precise control of my power~" She shrugged lightly. "Although I can still move and levitate silver roughly the size of a double-decker bus, so I'd say I'm doing fine~"
Mash blinked. "…Right."
Lovely lifted a finger. "Anyway, what I'm saying is, don't worry, Darling. I do know why you're struggling with creation."
Mash raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Then Enlighten me, Lovely. What should I do so I could create vast amount of silver just like you?
Her answer came immediately.
"Just work out, Darling~"
Mash stared at her.
"The FUCK?"
Lovely shrugged casually, completely unfazed by his outrage. "As much as you hate it, Darling, creating something from nothing requires physical stamina. Controlling existing material is different it mostly drains mental stamina." She tapped his forehead playfully. "And in that department, you're clearly a prodigy~"
Mash pointed accusingly at the tiny silver marble still sitting on the bed.
"But that thing took everything I had!"
"Yes, because creation consumes stamina, and for silver it takes a considerate amount of it~!" Lovely said brightly. "Alongside that energy that I forgot the name of it... Though it mostly require stamina with a little bit of 'that' energy I forgot~"
Mash stared at her like she had just grown a second head.
"Stamina? That's it? That's the secret?" He threw his hands up. "Can't I just use mana? Or energy? Or chakra? Hell, I'd even settle for Ki! Any mystical power system that doesn't involve jogging!"
Lovely covered her mouth, giggling softly. "That would certainly be convenient for you~"
Mash glared.
"But unfortunately," she continued with a playful shrug, "that's simply how creation magic works, Darling~"
Mash dropped his head back onto the pillow.
"Well if that's the rule," he muttered bitterly, "then the rule is absolute bullshit."
"Darling…" Lovely gave him a patient, almost motherly look. "Would it really kill you to exercise a little? Even a short morning run would help."
"No," Mash said instantly. "I refuse. Exercise makes my muscles sore and my life miserable."
Lovely tilted her head and gave him a teasing wink. "But if there's no pain, there's no gain~"
Mash pointed at her dramatically.
"No! I want the gain without the pain!"
Lovely sighed, shaking her head in resignation.
"You're impossible, Darling."