By the time they left the abandoned dorm of Duel Academy, Aiko was still completely dumbfounded.
She had absolutely no idea how things had ended up like this.
Weren't they originally here to snoop around about the Duel King's secret?
That rumored secret facility hidden on the island by the Duel King, the forbidden research into Darkness and all that. And that Professor Kobra who'd come to Duel Academy this time also seemed to be up to no good, plotting something dangerous.
Those two were supposed to be the primary targets for them to investigate at Duel Academy. That Professor Kobra and Fujiki Yugen were both supposed to be enemies.
So what was this now?
Young Master Ammon and this Yugen left the dorm together, and their relationship looked very harmonious… no, not just harmonious. She could even see that Young Master Ammon actually held quite a bit of respect for this guy.
Aiko had grown up together with Ammon since childhood and was probably the person who knew him the best in the world. Precisely because of that, she understood how unbelievable this was—she couldn't recall Ammon ever having this kind of attitude toward anyone before.
"...The ones who came to Duel Academy this time aren't just us few representative students from different Academies."
Ammon said as he walked alongside Yugen.
"Leading our group is a professor from the Western Branch of Duel Academy. His name is Kobra. He's a man who once served in the military, then transferred to work at the Western Branch of Duel Academy as a professor.
His strength is extraordinary, and there are rumors that he has some very dangerous power at his disposal."
Ammon paused, then lowered his voice.
"Some unconfirmed intel suggests that might be some kind of Elf, a very powerful Dark Elf."
Yugen raised an eyebrow.
The Galem Financial Group's intel network was impressive if they'd even caught wind of Yubel's existence.
"All right, got it." Yugen nodded.
This time it was Ammon who was a bit surprised. He couldn't help but give Yugen another couple of looks.
"You... already knew?"
He smiled slightly and said,
"Makes sense. This island is the 'King's Domain'; nothing that happens here could possibly escape the King's sight. Seems I was meddling needlessly..."
Aiko: "..."
Was this really the Ammon she knew?
She even couldn't help suspecting for a moment that maybe during that brief few minutes when communications were cut, Ammon had already been brainwashed by this guy with some kind of unspeakable evil power?
They walked out of the little grove, and Yugen took his leave from the group and headed back to his own dorm.
Only after watching Yugen's figure disappear did Aiko finally lose her composure and ask Ammon, "You and him... what exactly happened between you in there?"
Ammon gave her a faint glance, then smiled and pushed his glasses up.
"Nothing happened between us."
"Impossible." Aiko said firmly. "I know you, Ammon, you're not like this... Why would you cooperate with a guy like that?"
Ammon stopped walking and looked at Aiko solemnly.
"Because he helped me remember who I am and what I want to do. And he's the only person in this world who has the ability to help me accomplish it."
Aiko froze.
What Ammon... wants to do?
Ammon gave a mysterious smile and said nothing more, simply walking away.
...
...
The next day, in the Academy auditorium.
"Welcome, all new students." Principal Jiaodao stood on the podium and spoke. "Every one of you is an outstanding talent among the younger generation..."
The same old speech, not much different from the last two years.
But then the principal said, "Next, let us invite the most outstanding representative of this year's new students to come up and speak."
A pretty girl walked onto the stage and took the microphone.
Judai, up in the stands, immediately raised an eyebrow. "Ah, it's her!"
Bladehill, the underling beside him, tilted his head. "Boss, you know her?"
"Oh yeah, something from back when I was in my first year..." Judai scratched his head. "Her name's Asakura Rie. Back then she was a super fan of Kaiza Ryo and hid her age to secretly slip into Duel Academy just to meet her idol.
After we had a Duel, she went back to her own school..."
Judai said in puzzlement,
"Wait, she should still be in junior high right now, shouldn't she? How'd she end up in Duel Academy..."
"Boss, you still don't know?" Marufuji Shou cut in. "Because she got such outstanding grades, she successfully applied to skip a grade and got early admission into Duel Academy."
"Eh?"
Perpetually hovering around the passing line on exams, the academic slacker known as Judai showed genuine admiration.
"That amazing?"
"And she was also the runner-up of the GX Tournament." Marufuji Shou added.
From behind them, Chazz snorted to remind everyone, "The champion is yours truly."
Marufuji Shou curled his lip dismissively. "If Yugen and Boss hadn't basically skipped out on the tournament, how would the champion spot ever have landed on you?"
Chazz's face darkened and he gave a heavy snort, but didn't argue.
So aggravating. He, the great Chazz Princeton, was actually being looked down on like this.
What was worse was that what the other guy said... kind of sounded true...
At that moment Asakura Rie was on stage, raising her hand to take the oath.
"Teachers, we new students will respect the rules of Duel Academy. We will always maintain our pride as Duelists, show respect to our opponents, strive to improve every day, and face every Duel with a positive and earnest heart..."
The new student oath was a fixed script, but quite a few people looked a little odd as they listened this year.
Everything else was still fine, but this bit about "showing respect to our opponents" felt like it was about to be cut from the oath in the current Duel Academy.
If you asked why, of course it was because of the bad habits brought about over the past two years by a certain unspeakable Master of the Yellow Robe...
"There's one more announcement."
After the new student representative stepped down, Principal Jiaodao continued.
"Among the branches of Duel Academy across the world, which are all top Academies aiming to cultivate Duelists at the pinnacle of the world, I asked the principals of each Academy to arrange for last year's champion student from each Academy to come to the main campus for an exchange..."
As soon as he said that, the auditorium immediately buzzed with excitement.
"Ooh, champions from all the Academies!" Judai was already getting pumped. "So there are such amazing people coming!"
"Then, next, let us welcome the representative of the Eastern Duel Academy, Ammon Galem!"
Ammon, wearing glasses, slowly walked onto the stage amidst applause and waved to the crowd.
At the same time, he shot a subtle glance toward Yugen's direction and smiled faintly.
"Representative of the Western Duel Academy, Ossin O'Brien!"
The dark-skinned, big-nosed mercenary walked onto the podium with a grave expression, his face emotionless but his eyes sharp like a hawk's.
"Representative of the Southern Duel Academy, Jim Crocodile Cook!"
Jim, dressed like a Western cowboy, raised a crocodile in his hands and let out a "Yay!" as he stepped onto the field.
That, of course, sparked another commotion.
"Nani, is that a real crocodile?"
"It's alive! I saw it, it's really alive!"
Principal Jiaodao: "And next, the representative of the Northern Duel Academy, John Anderson!"
The audience broke into another round of applause.
But no one came onto the stage.
Principal Jiaodao froze awkwardly for a moment, his face stuck in a stiff smile.
Where was the person?