Gradually, a crowd gathered on the open ground in front of the activity room.
Some were ordinary passing students, some were members of the Fusion Department who had heard about the event. They formed into different factions and stood on two sides.
"Kambayashi Kaname and Hikari are dueling?" Marufuji Ryo crossed his arms, standing alongside Judai to join the spectacle.
They had just returned from the colloseum.
Even though the duel with that bizarrely intimidating female spirit was intense, for Judai, such physical combat was child's play, so they quickly secured victory.
Meanwhile, Mitsuzawa had slowly come to his senses after seeing his 'love interest' morph into his 'love tiger'.
"Spirits are truly fascinating..." Mitsuzawa Daichi marveled.
Even now, he couldn't forget the muscular female spirit, but after losing the Darkness Duel, she reverted to her original form, which made it hard for him to accept right away.
He shook his head: "The third-year senior is dueling Hikari? Why did he accept?"
"Eh? Is there a problem?" Judai scratched the back of his head, "I duel Cesar frequently too."
"That's different." Mitsuzawa shook his head.
In Duel Academy, students are permitted to duel and even gamble in duels, but certain acts are expressly forbidden by the academy's rules.
First, gambling card duels.
Second, duels between higher grades and lower grades.
The first is to prevent bullying, and the second requires strict application for friendly dueling.
Although higher grades aren't necessarily better than lower grades, the school generally prefers first-year against first-year, second-year against second-year duels, and not only Duel Academy, but also other academies, branches, and even the Other Dimension's Heartland Academy and Spade Academy adhere to this.
Receiving a brutal duel during one's growth path can easily lead to a breakdown of mentality.
In principle, duels between such activity clubs should also be between students of the same grade.
But, the Fusion Army exploited a loophole.
Dueling between "ministers," who symbolize club status, is difficult for even the principal to obstruct.
Besides, seeing Tenjo Hikari's resolute demeanor, Professor Cronos was also uneasy about declining.
"Well then, under these conditions, I will act as the referee for this duel, witnessed by all the students. The winner will claim the name of [Fusion Department], while the loser must change their club name."
"Now, let the duel begin—"
"Duel!" ×2.
Kambayashi Kaname LP: 4000.
Tenjo Hikari LP: 4000.
"I'll start!" Kambayashi Kaname, having practiced hand speed for three years and experienced washing in Other Dimensions, surpassed the newly practicing Tenjo Hikari in seizing the initiative.
"How shameless..."
"A senior in third-year forcibly taking the first move..."
A bunch of Fusion Department members, eager to switch to Tenjo Hikari's side, blatantly began to point fingers.
"Ridiculous, unleashing full power in a duel is the right way!" Kambayashi Kaname directly countered these words, drawing his cards and starting his moves!
"I recall Kambayashi Kaname's deck, before joining the Fusion Department, was a Ritual Deck," Marufuji Ryo recollected briefly before speaking, "But, since he's become the minister of the Fusion Department, he must've changed his deck."
Could it be Ancient Gear?
"My turn, draw." Kambayashi Kaname drew a card and immediately revealed it, "Heh, I activate the Spell Card, Pot of Greed, to draw two cards from my deck."
Ugh...
Tenjo Hikari felt somewhat helpless seeing the opponent blatantly use a Super Forbidden Card.
He'd long had the money to buy a Pot of Greed but hasn't used it to date.
For one, Pot of Greed can be fused anytime, and for another, he hasn't drawn it.
"Next, I Normal Summon, Ancient Gear Hunting Hound."
Ancient Gear Hunting Hound, LV 3, Earth Attribute, Machine-Type, ATK 1000.
?
"Eh, what is that?"
Cronos instinctively questioned.
A card from the Ancient Gear series that he didn't recognize?
How is that possible?
He's an expert in the Ancient Gear series!
"What? A card from the Ancient Gear series that even Professor Cronos doesn't recognize? Isn't it better to stay in the Fusion Department then?"
"If you still want to go back and be ridiculed, then go ahead!"
"Ancient Gear Hunting Hound," Mitsuzawa Daichi shook his head and said, "I don't know this card either. It's likely a new Ancient Gear Monster Card that higher-grade students discovered in the Other Dimension."
Marufuji Ryo nodded: "I haven't seen this card in my three years at the academy."
Compared to others, Tenjo Hikari wasn't unfamiliar with this card.
It's actually a hound.
Looks like this Fusion Army is becoming more like the "Dog Walking Group" from A5?
"Ancient Gear Hunting Hound's summon effect activates. Inflict 600 damage to the opponent!"
The hound howled, jumped towards Tenjo Hikari, and bit his hand, making Tenjo Hikari involuntarily fling his arm to shake off the hound.
Subsequently, he glanced at his hand.
Incredibly, there was a bite mark left on his right hand!
He looked up at the Ancient Gear Hunting Hound with red eyes, understanding growing within.
The Dog Walking Group is indeed the Dog Walking Group.
Tenjo Hikari LP: 4000→3400.
"Inflicting damage right off the bat?"
"But its attack power is only 1000..."
Some students were somewhat shaken but still hesitant.
"Humph, I activate Ancient Gear Hunting Hound's effect. Once per turn, it can use monsters from the hand and field as materials to Fusion Summon an Ancient Gear Monster."
"Fuse the Ancient Gear Hunting Hound on my field with the Ancient Gear Hunting Hound in my hand. Ferocious hounds, now unite as one, forming a fierce beast that guards the giants!
Fusion Summon, Ancient Gear Two-headed Hound!"
Another hound flew from his hand, and then the two hounds combined, assembling into a two-headed hound!
Ancient Gear Two-headed Hound, LV 5, Earth Attribute, Machine-Type, ATK 1400.
"Mamma mia, an unseen card again!"
"It can fuse on its own!"
"But no matter what, its attack power is too low."
Beside them, some students began to call out to Tenjo Hikari, reminding him, "Great news, Brother Hikari, just summon a monster around 1500 ATK and you can defeat it!"
"This seems so weak this turn."
"Yeah, not difficult at all."
"Humph, naive." Kambayashi Kaname set a card, smirked, and ended his turn.
"My turn, draw." Tenjo Hikari drew a card, not rushing to attack but examining the Two-headed Hound, "Ancient Gear Two-headed Hound... heh, once per turn, during the opponent's monster summon, it can activate and place an acid counter on that monster. Monsters with acid counters can activate during the start of the damage step in battle to destroy that monster.
Am I correct?"
"!!!?" Kambayashi Kaname's smile instantly became rigid.
How could it be—
How could Tenjo Hikari know this effect!
"Wow, from the senior's expression, Tenjo probably guessed right?"
"No no no, this isn't guessing, clearly Brother Hikari knows this card!"
"Why doesn't Professor Cronos know then?"
"Could it be he's fooling us?"
Students debated as they turned to look at Cronos. Cronos showed an awkward and highly impolite smile, desperately maintaining his expression.
Super mamma mia, how does Tenjo know?
Why don't I know?
"Phew—what a relief! Luckily Tenjo-san knows this card's effect, otherwise he'd surely be at a disadvantage!"
"Tenjo-san pursues the ultimate in fusion as a duelist, surely he knows it. The senior attempting to fool him, is definitely impossible!"
Hearing these words, the academy representatives behind Kambayashi Kaname couldn't help but nod subconsciously, earning a glare from Kambayashi Kaname, causing them to hurriedly adjust their stance.
"Then... haha—Special Summon, Cyber Dragon!"
"Then... Polymerization!"
"Fuse your Ancient Gear Two-headed Hound with my Cyber Dragon!!" Tenjo Hikari laughed.
"Two-headed Hound?"
"Cyber Dragon!?" Kambayashi Kaname was slightly stunned.
"Polymerization!?" Countless students watching the spectacle exclaimed.