"Ah...!" Jaden was left slack-jawed, staring at the scene in absolute shock.
"Kori-kori!"
Terrified, Winged Kuriboh let out a frantic squeak and zoomed back into Jaden's deck, disappearing instantly.
"Kuri-kuri?"
Sphere Kuriboh tilted its head in confusion, its tiny hands still raised as if wondering why the other had run away.
Jiang He's mouth twitched. He was genuinely at a loss for words.
The exchange drew puzzled looks from Alexis and her friends, as well as Syrus. They couldn't understand why Jaden and Jiang He had such bizarre reactions after Jaden's simple request for a duel. It was as if the two of them had witnessed something impossible.
Alexis and the others followed their gaze toward Jiang He's shoulder, but they saw absolutely nothing.
"Ahem... Dueling is always welcome. Just let me know when you're ready, Jaden," Jiang He coughed dryly, trying to mask the awkwardness.
Since it was his Duel Spirit that had caused the mess, he supposed he had to take some of the blame. Still, he was a bit curious himself.
Was Winged Kuriboh male or female?
He decided he would ask his little spirit for the details once they got back to the dorm.
"Su-Sure..." Jaden scratched the back of his head, not knowing how else to respond.
"By the way, Alexis, when is your duel?" Jiang He asked, changing the subject.
"Not everyone gets a turn in the practice classes, especially second-year Obelisk Blue students. I might not have a match today," Alexis explained. Though she was curious about what had just happened, she didn't dwell on it.
"Besides, as the Queen of the Obelisk Blue girls' dorm, no one would dare face Alexis in a girl-versus-girl match!" Jasmine added proudly from the side.
"Jasmine...!" Alexis interjected, her face flushing slightly at the title.
Normally, being called the Queen wouldn't bother her. It was simply a factshe was the strongest female duelist in the academy. In fact, very few male students could best her either.
But being called that in front of Jiang Hethe detestable guy who had just defeated her the night beforefelt incredibly awkward.
Alexis stole a glance at Jiang He to see his reaction. He didn't look mocking or skeptical. Instead, he was nodding as if he completely agreed with the sentiment.
She blinked in surprise, a small smile forming on her face. This guy...
Jiang He truly did think that way. Alexis Rhodes' strength was undeniable. Among the female duelists he knew of, she sat comfortably at the top of the pyramid.
Furthermore, her Cyber Angel deck, once fully completed, was incredibly potent. Most importantly, that deck was filled with "Big Sister" type angel monsters.
Jiang He found that very interesting. If they all awakened as Duel Spirits, the field would be a sight to behold.
Comparing that possibility to his current situation with only Sphere Kuriboh, he felt a pang of envy. With his two "Troll Decks," he didn't even want to know what kind of spirits he might awaken if he used his points to exchange for the ability.
After all, he didn't want to spend his life "fencing" with a Celtic Guardian spirit...
Alexis, of course, had no idea what kind of rude thoughts were crossing his mind. If she did, she probably wouldn't have been able to stop herself from giving him a good punch.
After chatting for a bit longer, Jiang He turned his attention back to the duels happening on the field. A few familiar faces appeared, but most were nameless students.
He even spotted Chazz Princeton's two lackeys. They were unlucky enough to have been paired against each other.
Seeing them reminded Jiang He of Chazz himselfthe hot-headed "funny man" who had been publicly defeated by Jaden earlier. Sphere Kuriboh had mentioned that Chazz was the third person watching him, but he was nowhere to be seen now.
Jiang He scanned the stands and the arena, but Chazz's distinctive, spiked-up hair was nowhere to be found.
"Did he really drop out early because he couldn't handle the back-to-back losses...?" Jiang He muttered to himself.
In the original story, he remembered that Chazz had indeed left the school after a series of defeats, only to return later through other means. That departure had marked the beginning of his journey into becoming the academy's greatest comedic rival.
However, since he couldn't see him now, Jiang He couldn't be certain.
He hoped Chazz hadn't left yet. It would be a shame to lose him so soon. After all, he hadn't finished milking that "funny man" for all his worth yet!
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