The so-called Dark Duelist Titan, although claiming to be a Dark Duelist, was exposed by Judai during a duel as merely a fraud.
He used methods akin to hypnosis to make his opponents mistakenly believe it was a soul-staking Dark Duel and liked to forcibly take the opponent's Rare Cards after the duel.
People like him are generally not recognized as true Dark Duelists in the community but as "Rare Card Hunters," a type condemned by both the underworld and the upright.
In the plot, Titan was hired by Professor Chronos to the island specifically to deal with the delinquent Judai, which is also the biggest blemish on Professor Strong Desire's character.
However, judging from his attitude towards Dark Duels in the Seven-Star Chapter and his reaction when he encountered Titan for the second time, Professor Strong Desire back then likely didn't believe that Dark Duels existed in the world at all — his main aim was to make Judai drop out.
"Oh, oh, what a rare opportunity, Yugen, do you want to duel?" Judai, itching to play, said, "I've always wanted to find a chance to duel..."
"Eh? Here?" Hayato scratched his head, "That's not a good idea..."
Marufuji Sho: "Speaking of which, I heard if we get caught trespassing the forbidden area, we'd be expelled. Brother, maybe we should head back..."
"It's fine." Judai put his hands on his hips, inexplicably confident, "Look, even a good student like Yugen is here, isn't he?"
Yugen thought to himself, no, even if caught, I probably won't have anything happen to me. The ones getting expelled would be you guys...
In the anime, Judai and others were caught trespassing the forbidden area with Asuka, but only Judai and the others faced punishment in the end. Asuka voluntarily applied to the principal to share the punishment with them but was refused.
Duel Academy is a place where strength and results determine everything.
Besides, he actually still had Keihei's contact information, which more or less counted as having someone on the school board, so getting expelled wasn't that easy.
Once again, there was a sound of a branch snapping behind them.
"Ahhh! This time it really is a ghost!" Hayato and Sho hugged each other again.
But when they turned to look, this time it was Asuka.
"You guys?" Asuka was very surprised, "What are you doing here? And also..."
She looked strangely at Yugen.
"Aren't you from the Yellow Dormitory? Why are you with Judai and them..."
"Just a nighttime stroll, a chance meeting," Yugen said.
"This is not a place for strolling," Asuka said sternly, "Haven't you heard? Many students disappeared here!"
"We heard, which is exactly why we came to explore," the carefree Judai laughed, "Those are just rumors, right, it's fine."
"It's not just rumors," Asuka said seriously, "Many students have truly disappeared here. And this area is off-limits, if the school finds out it would cause unrest."
Judai, full of mysterious confidence: "Hah, if you're afraid of things like that you can't explore at all."
"Listen to me seriously!" Asuka was a bit angry, "This is a very serious matter, not a place to mess around."
"What, you're the one messing around, coming here so late for what?" Judai wondered.
"Never mind, do as you please then."
Asuka hmphed and, after taking a few steps away, paused to take a deep breath.
"Among those missing students... is my brother."
With that said, she walked off without looking back.
Judai put away his smile and furrowed his brows in thought.
"Brother, the thing about the old dormitory... doesn't sound made up," Marufuji Sho whispered.
"Hmm. It's alright, we'll know once we're inside." Judai, saying so, already stepped over the blockade, glancing at Yugen, "Are you coming too?"
Yugen shrugged and followed.
The Elf's reaction seemed to be inside there, no harm in going to take a look.
Of course, he hadn't forgotten a Rare Card Hunter hidden behind.
...
...
Moonlight trickled through the sparse clouds, casting haunted shadows on the dormitory's outer walls, twisting and morphing at times, extending and spreading at others.
The man pushed open the ancient wooden door and walked slowly into the dilapidated dormitory. His physique was prominently robust, clad in a wide black robe, topped with a round-topped high hat, with a metal mask covering half of his face, and the Duel Disc uniquely mounted on his chest.
The self-proclaimed Dark Duelist and Rare Card Hunter, Titan.
Today he came for this student called Yuki Judai.
The decrepit dormitory inside was particularly eerie. Broken beds, chairs and tables scattered on the floor, covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs. The air was filled with a smell of decay, gusts of sinister wind brought eerie echoes.
He too had heard of the horrific rumors about this old dorm, tales of many students gone missing and wandering resentful spirits. But naturally, he scoffed at these, a tough man like him could never be scared by some elusive ghost stories...
"Hmm?"
Titan wasn't sure if he was seeing things.
But in the corner of his eye, he seemed to catch a vague glimpse of something at the corner of the broken glass... a phantom in white flashed by?
Titan was startled and quickly turned around vigilantly. Yet looking in that direction, there was nothing but the tatters of the broken window frame, rattling from the draft wind.
"Just an illusion..."
However, as he turned around, he inadvertently caught sight of something that immediately made his hackles rise.
Just a blurry moment, but it seemed he saw a woman.
A woman as white as snow, draped in white, extraordinarily eerie amidst this dark environment. Her long white hair was disheveled, her whole being emanating a chill. The sound of passing cold wind was like the wails of souls, sending shivers down one's spine.
"Ahhh!"
The macho man screamed.
Titan cried out, stepped back two paces, fearfully looking towards that direction. But upon closer inspection, it was just empty, not a trace of a ghostly figure.
Even he, who prides himself on his strong will, felt frozen to the core, with every breath weighing heavily.
Dear me, the haunting tales were actually true!
Such a terrifying encounter, the paranormal scene shattered many years of the macho man's steadfast materialist worldview to pieces.
Right, heard that the souls haunting here were students who vanished from the old dorm...
Building up courage, Titan quivered, "I'm just passing by, not the one who wronged you. But rest assured, once I'm out, I'll find someone to investigate and... clear your names..."
Finishing that, he could no longer stand, turned around ready to flee.
No deals, no Rare Cards. This academy's too uncanny, he'd never come back in his life.
But just as Titan thought that, upon turning around.
Met with the spectral white lady, somehow behind him, almost face to face. His turn around was a surprise jump-scare, a gust of chilly air swept over, boundless fear stopping his heart...
"Ahhhhhh!!!"
"..."
The Silent Magician lifted her head of disheveled silver hair styled by her master, stealing a glance at the man.
Seems like he fainted from fear.
She tidied her hair, a bit disgruntled, pouting and removing the Duel Disc from Titan.
She wasn't really keen on doing such things.
Clearly being a noble Light Mage Elf, yet tasked by her master to play ghost and snatch Card Decks...
Feels like she got on a rogue ship with a Duelist of mismatched style...
Oh well, oh well.
Just her master's assignment.