Night had fallen, the deep blue-black sky spreading overhead, a few stars twinkling at its edge.
A beam of dazzling light suddenly streaked through the darkness.
The jet, like a silver dragon ready to spring, broke free of gravity, streaking across the sky like a meteor. Against the night and starlight, it seemed to merge into the vast universe, its long tail flame forming a bridge between heaven and earth.
"Check the Duel Academy's alarm system," Kira said.
His jet, a KaibaCorp product, was equipped with their latest AI. The academy's system was also made by Kaiba, capable of remote access.
["No anomalies,"] said the AI's emotionless female voice.
["No security alarms triggered at Duel Academy. No unusual reports received."]
"Keep monitoring. Full speed ahead," Kira ordered.
Suddenly, Chick popped up in the back of the cabin, asking curiously, "Why are we suddenly heading back? Weren't the clues pointing to Industrial Illusions?"
"Just a hunch," Kira shook his head. "Don't you think things are fishy?"
Dark Scorpion and the others appeared, exchanging glances.
"Prison No. 7 attacked, a hitman hired via the dark web, hacker programs with Zigfried Lloyd's personal traits. Plus, as soon as I mentioned returning to the academy, someone redirected the clues to Industrial Illusions.."
Dark Scorpion and the rest still looked confused.
"Honestly, there's not much evidence," Kira shook his head. "It's just my intuition.
But I feel like someone doesn't want me going back to Duel Academy."
"I see,"
Jinzo floated in the air, nodding.
"Feels like a diversion, drawing the tiger from the mountain?"
As if someone wanted to do something at Duel Academy, but feared Kira's return, so they created trouble to keep him busy.
At this time, Kaiba was conveniently overseas. If someone could stir up duel-related trouble for Kaiba Corp., Kira—being their ally—wouldn't just stand by.
If that's the case, then attacking Kaiba Corp. is just a cover. Using the dead Zigfried Lloyd's spirit as a thug, using dark powers to control the Pegasus Foundation's card professors, harassing Kaiba Corp.—all just to draw attention.
Maybe that person is also interested in Kaiba Corp.
But it's all speculation, as Kira said—just his intuition.
Soon enough, he would find evidence for that intuition.
["Warning: unidentified aircraft approaching."]
The plane's AI gave a cold alert.
Kira frowned.
"Approaching us? Mark it on radar."
A blip appeared on the radar, rapidly closing in from behind.
Next moment, the plane shook.
As if hit from outside—a meteor hammer slamming the fuselage. The jet rocked violently.
"Was that an attack?"
["Unable to determine..."]
Kaiba's jet had top-tier systems, but no weapons—after all, flying around in an armed fighter jet would be excessive.
Not that Kira needed weapons—he couldn't operate them anyway.
Before Kira could respond, the Silent Magician, surrounded by a milky-white aura, flew out of the cabin.
She saw the enemy at once.
The pursuing aircraft was keeping its distance, but sent a vanguard.
A white monster, breaking through the clouds. It had a white shell, a conical head, and a second face on its chest.
A terrifying face, like a skull, with hollow eyes and sharp fangs, grinning coldly on its chest.
Silent Magician didn't recognize this monster, but if Kira could see it, he'd instantly know its identity.
Greed Quasar.
[Greed Quasar]
Level 7.
ATK: ? DEF: ?
Effect: This card's original ATK/DEF become its Level x 300. As long as this card is on the field, its Level increases by the original Level of any monster destroyed by battle with it.
(This is the regulated OCG effect; the manga version was even more unique.)
In the manga, with the dedicated Quasar Field Spell, every duel monster had "Life Stars." Each monster's initial Life Stars equaled its Level, but every turn, each monster would lose one Life Star.
When Life Stars hit zero, the monster died of old age.
Greed Quasar was the ace card, able to devour other monsters' Life Stars to endlessly extend its life and power—a brutal predator.
Now, this giant beast was charging at Kira's jet.
Silent Magician fearlessly met it, firing a white magic blast.
Greed Quasar didn't dodge. The mouth on its chest opened wide, swallowing the magic blast whole—Silent's full-powered attack disappeared without a trace.
Greed Quasar roared, accelerated, and slashed at Silent. She dodged, flipping over its head and firing another blast.
Quasar leaned back, chest mouth opening to swallow the blast again. Then, with a flash of white light, it reflected the magic blast back.
Silent Magician was startled, quickly blocking with her staff. The blast rippled against a transparent barrier, forcing her to retreat.
["At the same time, the opponent is sending a communication request,"] the jet's AI reported.
"Interesting, patch it through," Kira said.
The screen connected. A confident, cocky-looking man appeared.
"Duel King Fujiki Kira! Think you can just return to Duel Academy? Not so easy. You'll have to get through me first."
He pointed to his duel disk.
"Well? Dare to try me?"
"Aerial duel."