Kira yawned, chin in hand, an elbow propped on his desk, gazing out the window as sunlight filtered through the trees, lost in thought.
This was unusual for him—he rarely daydreamed in class. But staying up late with Jaden last night and logging out at dawn had thrown off his usual routine, so today he felt a bit off.
Also, he was bored.
The professor had assigned some in-class exercises. Unlike the other students who groaned, Kira finished within three minutes and had nothing else to do.
At this point, he did all his work through self-discipline. Even if he wanted to ask questions, most teachers didn't feel confident teaching him.
Nine times out of ten, his answers were taken as the new standard. If they conflicted with the textbook, the books were changed to match him.
The professors had a simple explanation—
—The people who wrote the textbooks never won the Duel King title.
Exactly. Duel King. That changed everything.
He was no longer just an ordinary student.
Walking around campus, even swiping his ID at the cafeteria drew attention. Teachers and staff greeted him, students watched nervously, pretty senior girls seemed magnetically attracted to sit near him at the library—sometimes even the cafeteria aunties treated him with respect.
Every detail reminded him he could no longer be just a regular student.
He couldn't say he didn't enjoy it—but he still wanted a normal learning experience.
His first term at Duel Academy had been rewarding; holding the Duel King title didn't mean he couldn't improve. His studies and research were still intense, and he hoped teachers wouldn't hold back just because of his reputation.
Still, there were perks. All teachers assumed he didn't need to attend class, do homework, or complete coursework. Whether or not he showed up, as long as he took the final, he'd get a perfect score.
If he negotiated, he could probably skip the exam too.
But it didn't set a bad example. First, he had a reputation as a studious maniac, not like Jaden who never attended class but dueled like a genius.
And everyone else agreed—of course the Duel King was above the rules.
In fact, many were amazed he still attended class at all.
Now, Kira could freely pick any courses he liked, with more time for himself.
Notably, he still maintained perfect attendance in Alchemy class—long after everyone else had stopped going.
Having finished his work, Kira glanced out the window.
For just an instant, he caught a shadow out of the corner of his eye.
A bat?
But when he looked again, there was nothing.
Kira frowned slightly.
Camula the Vampire?
Among the Shadow Riders, Camula was known for using bats as her agents, her eyes and ears for intelligence gathering.
In the anime, she spied on all seven keyholders' decks with bats to prepare for her duels.
Honestly, Kira didn't mind such tactics. In his dueling experience, intelligence was always part of the game—a huge factor in victory.
Of course, there shouldn't be bats flying around in broad daylight—so it was likely a Shadow Rider.
According to the original story, Camula was the second to appear. But since Atticus had already been taken out by Kira, Camula replacing him as the first wasn't impossible.
Also, in the original, the Chancellor gave the seven keys sealing the Sacred Beasts to seven trusted people, and the Shadow Riders came to take them. But this time, the Chancellor hadn't done that yet.
So were they going straight for the Chancellor?
Maybe not. At the end of this arc, the real boss Kagemaru revealed that the keys were a ruse—the real purpose was to collect the energy from Shadow Duels, not the keys themselves.
Kira turned his head, pretending not to notice the bat, but was already thinking.
With a thought, he whispered, "Silent."
Silent Magician appeared at his side, staff in hand, waiting for orders.
Kira beckoned her close, and she bent down, her silvery hair falling through the desk as a spirit.
He leaned in and whispered a few instructions.
Most classmates were busy with their work; even if they looked over, they couldn't see the spirit—just Kira talking to himself.
Silent Magician listened intently, nodding seriously.
When he finished, she phased through the wall and left the classroom.
Kira propped his chin in his hand, mouth twitching in a slight smile.
Camula, the intelligence gatherer. But if you know your opponent's style in advance, you can use it against them.
And Kira already knew her—and all the Shadow Riders'—decks well enough.
He smiled.
A little preparation, then wait for the vampire to take the bait.