So, even though Tenjo Hikari had been prepared for a long time, Tenjo Hikari could only "prepare."
As for the fact that Darkness might act early, Tenjo Hikari was not surprised.
After all, when Tenjo Hikari first met Tenjouin Fubuki, he knew that thing was already setting things up.
Darkness is not someone who waits; adept at plotting, psychological manipulation, he will surely exploit human weaknesses and ruthlessly strike.
The current Darkness probably believes this is the perfect time to target Duel Academy as a place for training human Duelists, isn't it?
Indeed—
There's not only Darkness; lurking in the shadows is Yubel watching closely.
Tenjo Hikari shook his head and walked down the main road to the shore of Duel Academy. This was the shore on the east side of Duel Academy, and when Tenjo Hikari arrived, many students were already studying there.
It's not just that.
Tenjo Hikari even saw someone summon a physical Spirit, attacking that semi-transparent black barrier.
"Go, Firewing Pegasus!"
The LV6 Beast-Type Flame Pegasus neighed once, and then, at the Duelist's call, its forelegs stomped on the barrier, only to be pushed back a few steps due to the reaction force.
The student hurried forward to steady the Pegasus and then looked ahead blankly.
Tenjo Hikari's eyes widened slightly, observing this scene.
How... in the real world, how can physical Spirits appear!?
"Tenjo?" "Hikari?"
Several students pondering what was going on noticed Tenjo Hikari's arrival and greeted him.
After exchanging greetings with the two, Tenjo Hikari curiously asked, "Spirits... What's going on?"
More curious about this than the barrier.
"Well..." One of the students scratched the back of his head, looking puzzled, but after some thought, he said, "When this barrier appeared, we were here fishing, and suddenly my fishing rod broke, making me very angry, so I wanted to vent."
He looked slightly embarrassed.
It was instinct to raise the card and want to drag out the behind-the-scenes hand and give it a beating, especially since he had a premonition he would surely catch a fish today.
But then, with this snap, the premonition was gone, and so was the fishing rod.
It was infuriating.
And thus, this situation unfolded.
Tenjo Hikari bowed his head in thought.
In normal circumstances, Spirits shouldn't appear physically in the human world, unless they actively use their energy for materialization like Dark Magician Girl does, otherwise most Duel Monsters can't be seen by ordinary people.
But now...
"Flame Sword!"
"I'm here, master!"
The Flame Swordsman slashed through the space in front, swinging the enormous Flaming Giant Sword, standing with a loud boom beside Tenjo Hikari, causing a few students to cheer excitedly.
Ultimate Flame Swordsman!
Tenjo Hikari's true ace, his most loyal Spirit!
The Flame Swordsman has been watching the screen for a long time, knowing why Tenjo Hikari summoned it, took a deep breath, gathered strength, and then performed an "Extreme·Fighting Spirit Flame Slash Sword" before the students...
However, this attack hit the barrier without moving a bit.
"Oops—" Flame Sword got a little temperamental, gathered energy again, attacked a spot furiously, but it didn't have the slightest effect.
Tenjo Hikari was not surprised.
If such attacks could break through, then the blockade wouldn't mean anything.
What truly concerned him was...
The Flame Sword actually materialized so casually.
He didn't even use Spirit Power, just called out, and the Flame Sword appeared in the world.
This phenomenon... feels more like in the Spirit Realm.
After attacking for a while, seeing the barrier still unaffected, Flame Sword put down its sword, spreading its hands to show it was at its wits' end.
"Thank you for your hard work, Flame Sword. You can rest now."
Then, he looked to the side.
Tierra had somehow appeared there already, but she made no moves, only shaking her head.
"Impossible, I'm afraid this is something prepared by that whatness long ago, just waiting for the opportune time to descend as a blockade."
Tch.
Tenjo Hikari secretly cursed.
He chatted with a few students, advising them to return to safe, crowded places, and then pondered in place.
While Duel Academy Island was blocked, it wasn't as "terrifying" as in the original work.
He remembered that in the original work, with Darkness exerting all its power, there were hardly any conscious people left in the world, except for people like Judai and John, most were plunged into endless darkness...
Eh!
Suddenly, his eyes lit up, grasping a key point.
He understood why Darkness acted so early.
Because of the Spirits!
Due to Dimension Travel, nearly all students have learned more or less about Spirits, even a regular student could summon their friends in an agitated state.
Using "AOE," it's impossible to wipe out Duel Academy's "mob"!
So that's it.
Tenjo Hikari stroked his chin.
Although Darkness might have become stronger due to the dimension factor, even affecting the S Dimension, "clearing the mobs" is less potent than in the original, especially in a place like Duel Academy tasked with training new Duelists for adventures or jobs in various dimensions, severely impacting its "business."
If you want to destroy humans, such occurrences where humans roam freely, going to dimensions and even establishing companies, bases, mustn't be allowed.
Hence, targeting specific points earlier and more deliberate than the original makes perfect sense!
"Hey—Minister?"
As Tenjo Hikari was pondering, he noticed someone approaching from the shore, wearing a silver-white suit, with handsome and striking features.
Ed?
Ah—
Now that he mentioned it, the appointed day is indeed today, isn't it?
Tenjo Hikari was slightly helpless, "Ed—Didn't expect you to be so unlucky, coming to the academy and encountering this kind of thing."
"I didn't expect this either." Ed sighed, waving his hand, "Just landed, and my luggage was cut by those light barriers. Looks like leaving the island in a short time is impossible."
"Isn't that better? Saves you from running around the world, participating in competitions." Tenjo Hikari laughed, "You wanted to have a vacation, right? This semester, many excellent professors have joined the school, promising you lots to learn."
"Hahaha, that would be great." Ed laughed genuinely.
Tenjo Hikari invited him up, still talking, "Just right, I've seen the scene and need to find Professor Cronos now. You can discuss your accommodation this semester with him, although I've asked him, I'm not sure about the specifics."
"Alright. Thank you, Minister."
"Why being so formal?" Tenjo Hikari has always had a good impression of Ed, not just because of his portrayal in the original work, and upon meeting Ed, he really liked this warm-friend handling person who genuinely embarks on the path of "Destiny's Hero."
The two were fighting comrades, Tenjo Hikari felt it was too formal for him to keep calling him Minister, saying, "Just call me by my nickname like everyone else."
"Then... Hikari Minister."
Tenjo Hikari smiled, slowly turning, but the smile on his face gradually darkened.
This left Tierra utterly bemused.
What's going on?
"Flame Sword!"
"Present—"
"Strike!"
Under Tierra's shocked gaze, Flame Sword, who would never doubt Tenjo Hikari's orders, raised the huge Flame Greatsword and swung it at Ed Phoenix!
The sword split Ed in two, and as those two halves gradually dissipated into black mist!
!???
Tierra was shocked, eyes wide.
How could this be possible, that human just now was clearly "human"!?
"How did you see through it?" As Ed disappeared, the black mist gathered and twisted into a strange Mechanical Spirit.
It had a red head, and its body was a giant swinging blade.
Pendulum Machine...
It was a Spirit!?
Tierra was utterly shocked.
How was this possible?
Even she couldn't see through this disguise.
"Hehe..." Tenjo Hikari sneered, not answering Tierra's amazement, but calmly said to the Spirit, "You think I would tell you?"
Tenjo Hikari flicked his left hand, the Duel Disk he'd prepared long ago automatically unfolding.
Tenjo Hikari always knew one thing...
One thing that neither humans nor Spirits seemed to notice.
Their perceptions of his name differed between "Human" and "Spirit"!