"Cough, cough, cough..."
"Teacher Daitokuji!" The simulated planet slowly fell, and the students descended from it. The three students from Red Academy, led by Judai, hurriedly ran to Daitokuji's side, looking at him anxiously.
Although he was an enemy, Daitokuji did not torment them. In fact, over the past six months, he told them stories, played with them, cooked for them, and secretly added dishes. They often played around together, leaving the three with deep affection for him.
Especially Judai, who had seen Daitokuji as a brother over the past six months, now could only watch as Daitokuji's body slowly turned into fragments.
"Hikari, how do you feel?" Marufuji Ryo and Professor Cronos came to Tenjo Hikari's side, asking with concern.
Mitsuzawa Daichi supported Tenjo Hikari.
Although he did not participate much in the entire duel, apart from being frightened and scared at the beginning by Daitokuji, he always stood alongside Tenjo Hikari and did not retreat even a step. After the duel ended, he immediately helped Tenjo Hikari so he wouldn't faint.
"I'm fine. It should all be mental stress." Tenjo Hikari exhaled, looking towards Tierra, who casually explained his physical condition to him.
Although there was no mercy in the duel, Daitokuji did not hit him too hard 'in terms of strength.'
With Mitsuzawa Daichi's support, he slowly walked towards Daitokuji, then, the others also gathered around Daitokuji.
"Judai, don't be sad." Daitokuji looked at Judai's pained and slightly aggrieved expression and slowly smiled, "This body is merely an artificial life form I created. The real me died long ago during the exploration of the Other Dimension."
"!!"
"I returned to the Human World using this alchemical body to bring back my knowledge and achievements, and to find successors. I became your teacher." He closed his eyes with a gentle smile, his body slowly breaking apart.
The figure of a mage appeared beside him, the Spirit of Ah Lai, which reached out its hand, silently collecting the golden light points emerging from him.
"Judai." He opened his eyes again, the red eyes no longer fierce, but kind, "You are much stronger than I imagined, yet much gentler than I thought. You haven't realized the terror of the Darkness Duel. Coupled with the classmates' efforts, you let go of your ambition... To become a true [Hero], that's not enough."
Then he looked at the other students: "Manjome, your heart is full of pride, but your pride hasn't brought you any growth in strength. Yet, you never altered your pride until the end, which makes me happy; Fubuki, Asuka, both of you are too complacent.
Caesar, your insistence on duels and glory is respectable, but in duels, there has to be a winner and a loser."
"... Teacher Daitokuji..." Judai sorrowfully scrunched up his face.
He said all that, clearly leaving his last words.
"Hikari—"
"Teacher?"
"The book is left to you. My lifetime of research and summary, the marks left by my acquaintance with countless spirits, are all handed over to you." Daitokuji reached out his hand, slowly handing the book to Tenjo Hikari, "They are very powerful and have strong selfs, whether you can gain their recognition depends on you."
Tenjo Hikari took the book, gently squeezed it, and then inquired, "Teacher Daitokuji, since you can make a body yourself, why..."
"Why do I still have to die, right?" Daitokuji shook his head, "I told you, I'm... too powerful."
He seemed to amuse himself with his own words: "Although it sounds a bit boastful, I am already beyond the level of a human. This world no longer allows someone of my level to live as a human."
"I see." Next to him, Tierra listened to his explanation, indicating he understood, "He's similar to me."
Similar?
"Even the Pharaoh must return to the Netherworld to rest, how could I linger in the human realm?" Daitokuji closed his eyes.
"Professor Cronos."
"Ah?!" Cronos nervously leaned in, facing this familiar yet unfamiliar colleague, he was quite apprehensive.
"The children, I entrust them to you."
Upon hearing this, Professor Cronos countered, "What are you saying? I am a noble Duel Academy's highest official. The children were supposed to be my responsibility!"
"Then... good..."
While saying this, he closed his eyes, his body and cards slowly turned into fragments, and eventually, they were all collected by Ah Lai, turning into a massive sphere of light.
The students looked at him, he stored the sphere of light in his spellbook and looked around at everyone, making the students nervous at being stared at by this powerful Duel Monster: "Human warriors,
According to the agreement with Daitokuji, I must take Daitokuji's soul to the Mage's Domain."
He carefully stored the book and said: "Daitokuji's soul is much stronger than that of ordinary humans, and it is coveted by countless evil beings, I must personally escort him to the Mage's Domain. To prevent any evil presence from taking advantage and using his soul to disrupt the human world."
Everyone exchanged glances, not knowing what to say.
What Mage's Domain, evil presence taking advantage, disrupting the human world and such, it was incomprehensible.
Only Tenjo Hikari and Judai recalled the "Warrior's Domain" they'd visited before, realizing what he meant by that place.
After saying these things, the Spirit of Ah Lai looked at Tenjo Hikari, "New-generation alchemist, as a human warrior, your performance is satisfactory. Honestly, even if I were to stay now to help you, it wouldn't be a problem. But—Respecting agreements and fulfilling them is the spirit's code, so I must escort Daitokuji's soul. Besides, the necessary trials cannot be omitted. This, too, is the rule of the spirits.
Once you have learned the knowledge from that book and found the Mage's Domain, I will appear before you again.
Meanwhile, let's hand over this card that Daitokuji liked to use the most in advance."
As he spoke, Ah Lai lifted his magic staff, drawing an array in the air, a giant that had appeared before flew out from it, then turned into a card, flying into Tenjo Hikari's hands.
Invoked Magellanica was Daitokuji's favorite among the four elements earth, water, fire, and wind.
Tenjo Hikari took a deep breath and put away the card.
The next moment, buildings and the sky around emitted numerous green symbols, shining bright lights that enveloped everyone.
By the time Tenjo Hikari returned to his senses, he found himself in the academy's forest, surrounded by friends and teachers lying scattered in the woods, everything disappeared before his eyes, as if it was all a dream.
But the residual sound in his ears reminded him, this was not an illusion.
"In Daitokuji's book, the key to the laboratory is left. To conduct alchemical experiments, use that key to return to the Artificial Dimension again."
"So, goodbye, I look forward to our reunion."
The key to the alchemy laboratory...
He opened the book, saw the key tucked within the pages, and carefully put it away.
Teacher Daitokuji did not become a spirit guarding the students like in the original.
This made Tenjo Hikari very uncomfortable, he thought this duel would not cause Daitokuji and the students to part.
After all, in the original, Daitokuji always watched over Judai until the very end, even following him in his travels alone! He was arguably the character most concerned and protective of the protagonist in the entire story!
Indeed, the appearance of the Other Dimension brought drastic changes to the world.
Still, it wasn't a complete "disappearance," there will eventually be a day of reunion!
In this world, there is no need to be sad and anguished for this.
Before that, it's even more essential to study this book well!