Duel Academy Island.
The surging waves battered the island, with thin moonlight barely illuminating the moss and ferns on the ground through the dense canopy, as if it were the only faint sign of life in this silent place.
Professor Kobra from the Western Academy walked through these woods, dry branches crackling under his feet. The air was filled with an indescribable heaviness and oppression, as if even breathing became laborious.
Professor Kobra held the device in his hand. He walked and stopped intermittently, seemingly using it to find his way.
This was his first time on this island. So far, the Duel Academy Island gave him a feeling of indescribability, especially in the middle of the night in these dense woods. The towering ancient trees around cast huge shadows, intertwining like an invisible net, tightly enclosing all outsiders.
It didn't feel like a school, but rather like the forbidden domain of some Demon King.
But eventually, the professor found what he was looking for.
A hidden, abandoned laboratory buried deep within the island.
The rust-covered metal door was half ajar, like a gateway to another world. Broken glass windows faintly let in the dim moonlight, and a cool breeze passed through the cracks, emitting a lamenting low hum.
You could never imagine how many inexplicable things are hidden on an island that appears to house only a school.
This place was originally an animal-focused laboratory, exploring the possibility of teaching animals to play cards. At first glance, it sounded absurd, but in fact, their research had already proven feasible.
Back when Judai and the others were in their first year, a card-playing monkey escaped from this laboratory and even dueled Judai.
Some scholars believe that compared to humans, animals and elves have a naturally higher affinity, so they wanted animals to play cards to explore the connection to the Elf World. However, this project was later deemed as having tendencies of animal abuse and was ordered to stop.
The lights quickly turned on, and the computer screen in the control room lit up, illuminating Professor Kobra's stern and ghastly face.
"Old equipment." Kobra snorted disdainfully, "Well, at least it still works."
Saying this, he typed on the console, bringing up the surveillance footage. Each screen projected scenes inside the Duel Academy.
These were surveillance devices he had secretly set up all over the Duel Academy, along with some mobile probes. Tiny mobile cameras, almost invisible to the naked eye, roamed throughout the Academy, helping him to quickly grasp the first-hand situation of the school.
This way, he virtually had complete control over every move within the school.
Thinking this, Professor Kobra's lips curled into a smile as dangerous as a cobra's.
Although the situation had changed a bit from what he had expected, overall it was still under control.
Duel King Yugen… couldn't believe that even his apparent influence in this school was so great. Judging by the looks of it, if that fellow raised the flag and declared to overthrow the principal's rule, the entire school would support him… no, maybe even Jiaodao himself would back him.
And he's specifically requesting a duel with me, could it be that he's already suspicious of me?
Kobra pondered, chin in hand.
Well, it doesn't matter.
After all, his goal was merely to absorb enough Duel Energy to revive that lord. The original plan was always to personally take action if the energy proved insufficient. The professor was actually quite confident in his dueling skills.
Duel King, it would be good to have a match with him. A duel with this guy could probably generate quite a bit of quality energy.
Everything is under control.
But Professor Kobra, thinking this way, had clearly never heard of an old saying.
As the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
Professor Kobra, monitoring every move of the entire school, was completely unaware that the footage of him smirking sinisterly at the surveillance screen was also being monitored by others.
Yugen looked at the hovering projection screen in his hand displaying Kobra and murmured to himself, "All these years have passed, lucky I haven't forgotten the plot, that old fox really hid in this dilapidated laboratory..."
Thousand Gold, sporting a parasol, peeked around beside him.
"This guy doesn't seem like a good person, Master should I..."
She paused here and revealed a little fanged smile, gesturing a slicing motion across her white throat.
Yugen looked at her helplessly, "Can you not be so bloody, it'll be rated R."
Thousand Gold made a feeble gesture, "But I'm part of the Blood Race..."
"But what she says makes sense though."
Black Scorpion Mina, donning a lab coat and posing as the school doctor, also said beside him.
"This man looks like he's up to no good, should we just take him out?"
"No problem." Yugen smiled, "I know what he wants to do, I've got a handle on it."
Hearing this, the elves didn't say anything more.
Rising from his laboratory, Yugen had barely taken a few steps down the corridor when he ran into Senior Sister Hinoaka Seika.
In reality, Senior Sister had graduated from the Academy long ago. However, Yugen's laboratory soon formed close ties with the Student Union, and Seika helped manage many matters.
Later, Yugen felt that she had already mastered most of the work, and it would be quite troublesome to find someone new to take over after she left. So, he directly hired her at a high salary to stay on and continue working.
Now, Senior Sister Seika felt quite fortunate. Her research ability was average, and while her dueling skills were outstanding among ordinary people, they seemed a bit mediocre among the Academy elites.
Now Yugen's laboratory was a top-tier work unit in the entire Dueling Realm, with talents from all over vying to get in every quarter. She had joined early at the lab's inception and could even secure a management position now, which was quite an achievement.
"President Senior Sister." Yugen greeted with a smile.
Little Hinoaka Seika seemed embarrassed, "You're joking; I haven't been the President for a long time, now you're the boss... Since you're here, it just so happens the school has something seeking your opinion.
I wonder if now is a good time..."
"Go ahead,"
"It's like this. You also know, many of the new students enrolled at the Academy are here because of you, and the junior students are eager for a chance to interact.
So, the new students collectively requested from the Academy, hoping to send a student representative to apply for an exchange duel with you. I wonder if..."
"Oh, just that. It can be done, but the student representative..."
Yugen contemplated.
"This year's first-years? Then I think it should be..."
Little Hinoaka Seika handed over a student file.
"Asakura Rie, a new student from Ra's Dorm."
Yugen's expression turned a bit odd.
Huh? Yellow Dormitory?
Weren't they Osiris Red?