The crescent-shaped wave shattered the poisonous Snake God and continued to strike Professor Cobra, the duelist.
The professor, with his rock-solid physique, firmly absorbed the impact of the holographic image, yet as his Life Points dropped to zero, he still knelt on the ground with sweat seeping from his forehead.
The spectators nearby might not have felt it, but since "Vennominaga the Deity of Poisonous Snakes" appeared, this duel was not just an ordinary match.
Although neither side had initiated a Darkness Game or any similar duel format that would give tangible damage, "Vennominaga the Deity of Poisonous Snakes" was too powerful, and her appearance meant even a regular duel would impose a dual mental and physical load on the duelist.
Just like the Three Egyptian God would still offer some impact even in a normal duel, when spirits become powerful to a certain degree, their might can be demonstrated solely through holographic imagery.
This made Youyu curious about where Professor Cobra acquired such a mighty God-level spirit.
Moreover, typically spirits of this level tend to be choosy with their masters, but maybe the Snake God also felt compatible with the professor, hence willingly accompanied him?
Amidst the thunderous applause surrounding them, Youyu walked through the field and approached Professor Cobra, extending a hand.
Professor Cobra hesitated before smiling and grasping Youyu's hand to stand up.
This professor indeed lived up to being from a military background; Youyu could feel his arm was very strong and powerful.
"Thank you for your guidance, principal." Professor Cobra lowered his head and spoke sincerely, "This duel was very enlightening for me too. You showed me the truth that there will always be someone better than oneself. All this while, I've been deeply immersed in my duels, overly relying on the power of the Snake God, neglecting the possibility of a counterattack.
Although being here as a lecturer, I'm the one who first learned a valuable lesson."
He was taller and more robust than Youyu, yet at this moment he looked almost like an awkward schoolboy.
"There's no need." Youyu smiled, "'Vennominaga the Deity of Poisonous Snakes,' right? Your Monster is indeed very powerful. Being able to witness such an extraordinary Monster at the opening ceremony, it's us who should be grateful."
Through the recent duel, Youyu was also convinced that despite this Professor Cobra having a shady past in the original work, even if he looked suspicious and his deck exuded a sinister, villainous vibe, his dueling was upright and there was no shadowy elements lurking within him.
"As long as I can help the students, this duel was not in vain." Professor Cobra stated earnestly, "As you know, I come from a military background and have been in positions related to duels.
After leaving the military, I became a teacher without hesitation. The experiences from the army showed me the direction the future of our world is heading, highlighting the pivotal role of Duel Monsters.
In the end, the younger generation is the foundation of humanity's future. Only by nurturing stronger and quality young duelists can we ensure our future security.
This is my wish, and I am committed to this cause for the rest of my life."
His tone was sincere, and to Youyu, it indeed seemed heartfelt.
In the original work, Professor Cobra, in desperation to resurrect his deceased son, birthed deep darkness within, exploited by Yubel into becoming a villain.
But this doesn't mean anything.
Plenty of people bear darkness within, anyone's inner darkness being exploited can easily become a pawn for villains. This doesn't imply he was born a villain.
At least for now, he is genuinely dedicated to education, hoping to provide the best for his students.
Youyu patted his shoulder.
"That's our shared responsibility. Now, let's give way for the next match." He said, "Isn't it the students' representative duel next?"
As they stepped down, the atmosphere was already heating up. The crowd eagerly anticipated the ensuing duel with high expectations.
Up next was a battle designated by Professor Cobra, featuring the superstar of the main academy Yuki Judai, and the champion representative from Northern Academy, John Anderson.
No need to elaborate on Judai; recently, he's been a star duelist worldwide, the miraculous youngster who saved this world.
And John Anderson opposite him isn't insignificant. After all, he's wielding the legendary "Crystal Beast" Deck.
The affluent Manjome Consortium once sought to purchase the Crystal Beast Deck from the International Fantasy Society using substantial finances but only received an 'Not for Sale' response from Pegasus.
Ancient texts discovered through the International Fantasy Society recorded that Julius Caesar once gathered seven precious gemstones from around the world to create stone tablets with extraordinary powers, proving Rome's dominion.
However, the ship carrying the gemstones vanished into the depths of the sea after encountering a storm en route to Rome. President Pegasus discovered these gemstones, leading to the creation of the globally unique "Crystal Beast" Deck.
Despite countless consortiums, including the Manjome Consortium, desiring to purchase the "Crystal Beast" with exorbitant prices, President Pegasus remained unmoved, refusing to exchange money for the deck.
During an open tournament, President Pegasus encountered a youth who won the competition, and his Crystal Beast Deck reacted, releasing incredible energy.
Hence, President Pegasus gave the deck away freely to that young man.
That young man is none other than John Anderson on stage right now.
In other words, John was the chosen master by the Crystal Beasts. The bond between them is unmatched by typical duelists; they are more akin to family than companions.
This became evident from the GX Animation's debut of the Crystal Beast.
John's Deck contains forty cards, only seven of which are Crystal Beasts—each card is unique worldwide, without a replica, and yet in his initial hand of six cards, he drew four.
Claiming this kind of hit rate doesn't involve a bond, even ghosts wouldn't believe it.
Of course, for the audience, while the extremely rare "Crystal Beast" Deck with a legendary background is fascinating, the Deck held by Judai is equally remarkable.
It's no joke; Judai plays with Cosmic Entity Decks!
Legit Cosmic Entities!
Since Judai rose to fame after the Light of Destruction battle, his Deck has enjoyed increased recognition.
Now, it's widely accepted that the longstanding debate among experts regarding extraterrestrial beings has officially ended—
——Cosmic Entities do indeed exist, and they duel.
The M78 civil servants' battle against Crystal Beasts, just thinking about it is thrilling!