Meeting Jaden's resolute gaze, the others exchanged glances and fell silent.
They knew that with Jaden's strength, he was more than capable of handling the seventh Shadow Rider on his own. Although they did not know why he was so insistent, they chose to trust him.
"Speaking of which, no one knows where Professor Banner went either," Chazz muttered, his brow deeply furrowed.
Even if he was not particularly fond of the teacher, Banner was still holding one of the keys to the Spirit Gates. Given his pitiful dueling skills, if he ran into a Shadow Duelist, he would probably lose his life.
"Only three of the Spirit Gates have opened so far, and the remaining four show no signs of change," Bastion analyzed thoughtfully, stroking his chin. "Which means the key in Professor Banner's possession hasn't been taken."
"Then where is Professor Banner right now? And why did he bring my brother to that kind of Shadow Duel in the first place..." Alexis glanced worriedly at Atticus, who gave a slow, bewildered shake of his head.
The room lapsed into silence.
Seeing this, Jaden did not linger any longer. He turned around and headed toward the dormitories.
"Jaden..."
Watching him walk away, Alexis parted her lips slightly, but did not call after him. She suddenly remembered the look in Jaden's eyes earlier when he watched Professor Banner leave. Furthermore, he was being unusually stubborn about facing the final Shadow Rider alone.
Could it be...
Was the seventh Shadow Rider actually Professor Banner?
Leaving the dueling hall, Yubel materialized beside Jaden.
She did not pry into how Jaden had answered Alexis's confession earlier. Yubel knew that his mind was entirely occupied elsewhere.
"Now, we just wait for the last Shadow Rider to take the bait."
"Yeah..." Jaden nodded slowly. He looked down at the three keys in his hand, his thoughts drifting.
A few days flew by in the blink of an eye.
Just as everyone had begun to let their guard down regarding the Shadow Riders incident, Jaden, who was leisurely fishing by the lakeside, suddenly opened his eyes.
"Meow."
Pharaoh let out a low cry beside him, eyes squinting. The lazy cat seemed to have caught someone's scent, growing visibly agitated.
"Did you feel that, Jaden?" Yubel warned.
"Yeah. That presence..."
Jaden stood up, shifting his gaze toward the distant Abandoned Dorm.
"Meow!"
Pharaoh sprinted forward on all fours toward the Abandoned Dorm, and Jaden hurriedly gave chase.
Reaching the building, Jaden spotted fresh, clear footprints pressed into the dusty floor.
"Are they here?"
Jaden immediately equipped his Duel Disk and slotted his deck into the tray.
[Presence of a Shadow Duel detected. Host, please exercise caution.]
[Link Summon loading...]
"Supreme King, please be careful. Ash Blossom senses a terrifying aura ahead," Ash Blossom's voice sounded beside his ear. She swallowed nervously, staring into the palpable darkness pooling deep within the Abandoned Dorm.
"This power... it's magic."
The phantom image of Dark Magician Girl also phased into view beside Jaden. Resting her chin on her hand, a look of profound solemnity settled across her cute face.
"Alchemy magic? Hmm... such ancient sorcery. It might even surpass my master's Dark Magic."
"Supreme King, you must stay on your guard. The power of alchemy isn't something ordinary spirits can contend with."
Jaden gave a quiet nod at Dark Magician Girl's warning. Deploying his Duel Disk, he strode step by step into the darkness.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the decrepit walls. Following the wall forward, Jaden found a jagged opening leading into a cavern.
He exchanged a look with the spirits beside him. A dull golden glint flickered in Jaden's eyes as he stepped inside.
Beyond the breach stretched an immense corridor. The passage spiraled deep underground, coiling downward so far that even after walking for a long time, the end remained nowhere in sight.
"What a deep path. It feels like it never ends," Ash Blossom muttered, glancing down at the spiraling descent and clicking her tongue. "How long would it take just to walk all the way down..."
"No wonder Professor Banner's new hideout was so hard to find if he relocated it this deep," Jaden sighed. He reached into his Extra Deck and drew a card.
"Dragonmaid Ernus!"
The moment the words left his mouth, a massive pink dragon materialized beside him. Spreading its wings, it soared into the air and settled before Jaden.
"I'll be troubling you."
Jaden leapt onto Ernus's back.
"Gladly, Master."
Ernus offered a gentle smile before plunging headfirst into the bottomless abyss.
At Ernus's speed, it took merely a few minutes to reach the lowest landing.
Recalling the card into his deck, Jaden found himself standing before a tightly sealed door.
Carved across the surface were alchemical symbols. Although Jaden did not know much about alchemy, under Professor Banner's near-compulsory tutoring, he still understood what the glyphs meant.
"...Looks like I found the right place."
Placing a hand against the massive door, Jaden shoved it forward with all his strength.
The heavy door groaned loudly as it swung open.
Stepping inside revealed a cavernous, empty hall. Alchemical transmutation circles covered the entire floor, and laboratory equipment used by alchemists, such as alembics and retorts, were arranged neatly along the perimeter.
Three massive stone tablets stood erect in the very center.
Carved upon them were three lifelike fiends: the Sacred Beasts.
Uria, Lord of Searing Flames. Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder. Raviel, Lord of Phantasms.
"Meow!"
Pharaoh leapt out of the backpack on Jaden's back, glaring sharply into the depths of the hall.
At that moment, footsteps echoed across the hollow chamber.
Jaden slowly looked up.
A tall man draped in a cloak and wearing an ornate mask emerged from behind the alchemical apparatus.
"Jaden, you've arrived."
"Yeah. Long time no see, Professor Banner," Jaden replied calmly.
"Heh..."
Hearing Jaden see through his identity without the slightest hesitation, Banner was not surprised. Or rather, ever since he had seen the look in Jaden's eyes that day, he had anticipated this outcome.
None of that mattered now.
"Jaden, let us begin."
"Complete my final lesson."
"Let me see whether you truly possess the talent to become the Ultimate Alchemist."
Banner swept his cloak aside, revealing the Duel Disk strapped to his arm.
From within his coat, a deep blue book began to radiate a pitch-black light.
A suffocating aura of darkness flooded the surrounding chamber.
The Emerald Tablet... one of the Shadow Charms?
Jaden's eyes narrowed. Raising the Duel Disk on his forearm, he readied himself for battle.
[DUEL!]
[Jaden Yuki: LP 4000]
[Banner: LP 4000]
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