[Fujiwara, LP 7000 → 0]
A deathly silence instantly shrouded the entire arena. Even the wind brushing past the stands seemed to freeze in place, losing all sense of flow.
The students from Lion King Dojo were rooted where they stood, eyes glazed over, their expressions filled with utter disbelief.
The one they had pinned all their hopes on, their supposed guaranteed champion, Fujiwara… had actually fallen at the very last moment.
"We… really won? This isn't a dream, right…?"
The disciples of Takeuchi Dojo, who had long since returned to the spectator seats, stared blankly at the sight before them, just as unable to recover their wits.
Several seconds passed before scattered applause finally began to rise. Clearly, they still had not fully come back to their senses from the duel they had just witnessed.
But in the very next moment, as if someone had taken the lead, the applause exploded, layer upon layer merging into a tidal wave of cheers.
"Just a card game, and he got blasted unconscious like that?"
Looking at Fujiwara lying flat on the ground on the opposite platform, Yusaku raised a hand to rub his chin and muttered to himself.
He did not forget the wager they had made before the duel began. Stepping up onto Fujiwara's platform, he reached down and took Fujiwara's Deck.
"Thanks for the meal."
After pocketing the Deck, Yusaku turned and walked off the stage. The students from Lion King Dojo could only stare as their senpai's Deck was taken away in front of their eyes, burning with resentment yet not daring to make a sound.
When Yusaku had been dueling, they had been as arrogant and overbearing as could be. Now, they were as pathetic and timid as beaten dogs.
Once Yusaku left the platform, the head of Lion King Dojo finally forced down the murderous gloom on his face and motioned for his disciples to carry the unconscious Fujiwara away.
The students of Takeuchi Dojo watched the group from Lion King Dojo trudging off the square, forced to carry their own man and slink away in disgrace. Their hearts had never felt so refreshed.
Being champions meant Takeuchi Dojo would sit solidly at first place in this ranking tournament. The resources distributed from the Upper City in future would see Takeuchi Dojo get the largest slice of the pie.
Was Fujiwara strong? Of course he was. Otherwise, he never could have suppressed all the other dojos besides Lion King Dojo for three straight years, keeping those dojos struggling to breathe.
Yet this very same top-class duelist had still lost to their own senpai in the end. Just the thought that such a powerful duelist was "one of theirs" made the students of Takeuchi Dojo unconsciously straighten their backs.
As soon as Yusaku stepped off the platform, the disciples of Takeuchi Dojo, who had been waiting for him, immediately swarmed over and surrounded him with barely restrained excitement.
"We're the champions! Even the 'Demon King' Fujiwara got taken down by you. Senpai, you're insane!"
"From now on, you're the new 'Demon King'!"
"'Demon King' sounds awful. If you ask me, only 'Duel King' is worthy of senpai!"
Hearing the words "eat as much as you want," the students of Takeuchi Dojo erupted into another round of cheers and whoops, lifting Yusaku up without giving him a chance to protest and carrying him off toward the cafeteria.
After the crowd dispersed, a black-robed figure slowly emerged from the shadows. From across the now-empty square, he gazed at Yusaku's departing back.
Only when that group completely vanished from sight did he pull out a handheld transceiver, flick the antenna up, and speak in a low, icy tone.
"Overall combat capability on Floor 27 has exceeded the threshold. We can signal Floor 14 to move."
With that, he stowed the transceiver away. Under the shadow of his hood, the corner of his mouth curled into a faint arc carrying a dangerous edge, and then he melted back into the darkness.
…
After leaving the square, Yusaku did not head for the cafeteria right away. Instead, he turned toward the dorms.
During the duel just now, he had clearly felt a familiar presence.
Just as he reached the door of his room, a sweet fragrance suddenly drifted over, and in the next second, a pair of soft hands gently covered his eyes from behind.
"Guess who I am?"
The corner of Yusaku's mouth hooked into a knowing, mischievous smile. "Reina, cut it out. I know it's you."
"Mmm…"
Yusaku deliberately paused, pretending to think. "Or could it be… Rui?"
"How about now? Do you know who I am now?"
Feeling the extra "softness" pressing against his back, Yusaku once again rubbed his chin and pressed down slightly with his shoulders. "Okay, okay, I know who you are now. Quit pinching, quit pinching!"
"Hmph, too late. I'm very mad right now. And what was that supposed to mean earlier? As if Diabellstar doesn't have… doesn't have anything going for her compared to me?"
Labrynth tilted her head and gave a little huff.
As she spoke, she very deliberately puffed out her chest, her eyes full of defiance.
"You were just talking about 'that feeling.' What, are you trying to say Diabellstar's are all padded… no, that's not right!"
Mid-sentence, Labrynth suddenly snapped out of it, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at Yusaku. "Why did you bring up Diabellstar out of nowhere anyway? Don't tell me… you've actually had your hands on her before?"
"I have not!"
Yusaku immediately raised both hands, face the picture of sincerity. "I swear, I really haven't!"
"Che, not fun at all."
Hearing his answer, Labrynth dropped the pitiful act in an instant and plopped down to sit on the edge of his bed.
Yusaku's gaze, however, unconsciously drifted toward Labrynth's chest again, his eyes full of confusion.
"Heehee~"
Catching his line of sight, Labrynth's lips curled into a wicked little smile. She tugged her clothes down slightly, revealing a deep shadow between her curves.
"Curious how I manage to hide such a huge 'Puzzle piece' in there? Want to find out?"
"Are you really going to let me take a look?" Yusaku asked, playing along.
"Heehee~"
Labrynth immediately pulled her clothes back up and grinned impishly. "You made me mad earlier. So, no."
As she spoke, Yusaku reached into his pocket, took out the fragment Master Takeuchi had given him before, and held it out to her.
"Here. Put it in."
The moment the fragment was pressed into the missing slot of the Puzzle, it clicked into place, fitting as snugly as if it had never been removed in the first place.
Labrynth heard Yusaku's words, but found her head pinned by his hand, so she could only mumble in a muffled tone, "It should be, yeah. We're just missing those pieces between the eyes. Once we get those, we'll be able to completely restore the Millennium Puzzle."
"I'm kind of curious what the Millennium Puzzle actually does."
Labrynth tilted her head slightly, asking softly.
Yusaku thought for a moment.
"According to legend, there are seven Millennium Items, and every single one has its own special power."
"The Millennium Ring can sense the location of the other Millennium Items. The Millennium Key can peer directly into a person's inner heart. If you use it during a Duel, you can read your opponent's thoughts and strategy."
Labrynth listened, completely absorbed, and chased the question further. "Then what about the Millennium Puzzle? I remember you said it was a symbol of the Pharaoh, and also the key for the first Duel King to summon the Pharaoh, right?"
Yusaku nodded. "Yeah. But even if we complete the Millennium Puzzle, we probably won't be able to do what the first Duel King did and call the Pharaoh's soul back into this world."
"Why not?" Labrynth was even more confused now.
"They say the Millennium Puzzle can grant a person's wish. The first Duel King used it to realize his wish of 'wanting a friend,' and that's how the Pharaoh was summoned." Yusaku rubbed his chin and explained.
"I see…"
Labrynth propped her chin up on one hand and muttered under her breath, "Was the original Yugi really that starved for friends? Someone that strong, you'd think making friends would be easy…"
(End of Chapter)
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