The duel ended.
The holograms slowly faded.
"He won!!"
"Yeah!"
Students who had supported Lancelot cheered excitedly, while those who had wanted to support Hikaru but chose to back Artorigus, the "hero," in this game, sighed with regret.
As the duel concluded, two cards floated up from beside Hikaru and Jesse.
Noble Knight Artorigus and Ignoble Knight of Black Laundsallyn.
The two cards collided in midair, then, like crossed swords, clashed twice more.
"Whoa!"
The spectating students stared at the scene in amazement.
After two resonant metallic impacts, Laundsallyn's card soared higher while Artorigus's card drifted downward in defeat.
"Winner: Lancelot's side!"
Laundsallyn's card spun twice in the air like a boxer in the ring. Then a massive cursed sword traced its name across the sky.
As the duel ended, Hikaru felt a surge of something like valor rising unbidden within him.
He clenched and unclenched his fist. The tingling numbness from his earlier enthusiastic clapping gradually faded.
It wasn't just him. Among the students who had supported him, the more sensitive ones vaguely felt as though they had received some kind of inspiration, an indistinct impulse that left them unusually energized.
Professor Paladin clapped his hands, applauding, and students and teachers quickly followed suit.
"Thank you very much, both of you. You've given everyone an outstanding duel. Students, please, give our knights a round of applause!"
The applause grew louder. Hikaru and Jesse, with the professor's help, turned to acknowledge the audience below.
Since they were still wearing "armor," they couldn't bow easily, so they simply nodded.
Then the two headed to the side to quickly strip off the gauntlets, helmets, and other armor pieces layered over their uniforms.
Despite the air conditioning, wearing heavy metal costumes over their clothes in this season was stifling.
Meanwhile, Professor Paladin continued his lecture.
"Those of you who are more attuned to or sensitive about spirit power should be feeling something right about now." He addressed the class. "A rush of excitement, an impulse, a desire to put on armor right now and charge into battle against your enemies..."
The students exchanged glances, but couldn't help nodding in agreement with what the professor described.
Indeed, even those who hadn't felt it at first could sense it now that Professor Paladin had pointed it out.
After all, Duel Academy students had been studying spirit power since their first year. Only someone like Lulu, who was naturally gifted with high spirit power but a complete beginner in applying it, would have no idea what was happening.
"If you felt that rush, that wistfulness, that regret, that frustration, then I can tell you definitively: yes, this is exactly the method I described. Through roleplay dueling, you discover what you love and enjoy, and improve your compatibility with it."
"Professor, it's really that simple?!" One student raised their hand excitedly.
If all it took was a bit of roleplaying and supporting Lancelot or Artorigus, wasn't that more convenient, simpler, and more fun than either of yesterday's professors' courses?
"I appreciate your enthusiasm, but unfortunately, it doesn't work that way."
Professor Paladin waved his hand gently and smiled. "How could anything be that easy?"
Ugh.
Students who had been hoping for a quick shortcut to becoming powerful duelists wilted like frost-bitten eggplants.
Professor Paladin casually picked up the two cards and showed them to the class. "These two cards, Laundsallyn and Artorigus, I discovered by chance during a journey. Afterward, through years of research and study, I finally managed to realize my understanding and vision of roleplay dueling."
Paladin looked at the cards in his hands with a warm smile.
"Within the range of these two cards, by roleplaying the related characters, participants can experience sensations akin to being on a real battlefield. It can even influence the strength of both duelists."
That powerful?
Many looked at the cards in his hands.
"Of course, the prerequisite is that both the participants and the audience accept and buy into this form of entertainment. Without that acceptance, the cards have no effect." He lightly waved the cards and added, "In return, everyone should have been able to feel this power.
These cards maximize everyone's receptiveness to roleplay dueling, generating excitement and impulse alongside the adrenaline.
This impulse isn't a direct increase in power. It's a force that urges people to study and improve.
Everyone should take advantage of this feeling. Whether studying or trying things you enjoy, everything will come more easily."
He put the cards away and continued. "Of course, if everyone treats this three-minute burst of enthusiasm as a joke and moves on, then it serves no further purpose."
"But if you'd like to use this roleplay method to heighten your perception, to understand what kind of dueling path you want to follow, or simply to learn while having fun, then next I'll explain how to use spirit power and cards to create simple roleplay equipment and environments."
He put on his glasses and began earnestly explaining the details and methods of roleplay dueling.
Honestly, Hikaru listened with exceptional focus.
Not just because he had personally dueled on stage, but because...
He could replicate this dueling method!
Hikaru listened while thinking, splitting his attention.
He had actually been considering what the Fusion Division's future direction should be.
Although the Fusion Division had Professor Crowler's backing, so new members received Ancient Gear starter Decks, those starters obviously wouldn't suit every student. And while outstanding students could apply to use other Decks through Hikaru, those still weren't Decks they owned.
Many students had no choice but to duel this way due to their family circumstances.
And the "Dimension Gate" system Hikaru could leave for future Fusion Division members required extensive alchemy knowledge. Even if it lasted a few years, Hikaru couldn't realistically come back to maintain it forever. When that time came, the Fusion Division students would be left with nothing.
After all, compared to dueling, "alchemy" was extremely complex and tedious. Not everyone had the aptitude for it.
But now, Professor Paladin had given Hikaru an entirely new line of thinking.
The Fusion Division had money, members, a dueling arena, and an oversized projection screen.
If every week, the Fusion Division let everyone choose a theme, then make their own costumes and weapons for dueling...
That seemed like a genuinely effective approach!
As long as this method was passed down as tradition, it could sustain itself indefinitely.
Hikaru could even find cooperative spirits willing to provide venues, creating matches like the Holy Knight duel Professor Paladin had just demonstrated.
Several ideas flashed through his mind, and one stood out.
Right.
Gladiator Beasts!
Hikaru immediately thought of a spirit dimension that could create the perfect "atmosphere" for roleplay dueling.
The Gladiator Beasts!
Hikaru had already been planning to find time to visit the Gladiator Beast dimension, to meet the spirits he had always wanted to see but never had the chance.
Now with this technique, his enthusiasm surged. He decided his next destination would be there.
It wasn't just him. Others with foresight or their own understanding of future developments were also thinking while listening to Professor Paladin's lecture.
Although Paladin's course content was far less practical in terms of efficiency and growth speed compared to Spirit Power Studies or Demonology, it was a balanced, effective system that everyone could participate in.
Compared to the painstakingly obtained secrets of the spirit world or the dangerous rituals, Paladin's roleplay dueling might not yield much growth without spirits involved. But the thing was...
Everyone considering this either possessed or knew spirits.
Take Professor Crowler, for instance. The more he listened, the more he felt this was perfectly suited for future implementation at Duel Academy.
First, as a course, it wasn't complicated. While it required some supplementary roleplay props, for the multi-talented teachers at Duel Academy, that was hardly an issue.
And even if no teacher was interested in tailoring, they could simply commission KaibaCorp to produce the equipment.
As for the concern that without spirit power, pulling off this kind of "knight's duel" would be difficult, that didn't require much deliberation either.
On one hand, Duel Academy had a longstanding partnership with the Ancient Gear spirits. If Crowler personally visited and negotiated, he could likely secure some spirits' support to build this kind of platform and identify outstanding students to inherit their power.
On the other hand, the island had various natural environments perfectly suited to the purpose. They could make experiences truly immersive. If necessary, students could even duel inside the volcano, feeling the searing heat of magma for one hundred percent authenticity.
Moreover, Duel Academy had even more options. Students could sign up based on their own preferences...
The more he thought about it, the more excited he got!
Crowler couldn't help but marvel. These branch campus professors really were something else, every single one of them! Professor Paladin's course content was just too easy to replicate!
Unable to contain his excitement, he resolved to speak with the professor after class.
A course this beneficial for the school and student development was wasted as a one-off lecture. It should be promoted worldwide!
Going further, even Professor Viper couldn't stop nodding while listening to Professor Paladin's class.
Impressive...
As expected of Paladin, who had become a renowned scholar in the West through his own research. Using roleplay methods for dueling. Even I never thought of that.
Viper couldn't help but reflect.
If only... if it weren't for his own circumstances, for the desire burning in his heart, he would surely be overjoyed right now.
Every head professor from every Duel Academy worldwide had gathered in one place. Each one had their own ideas and direction for growing stronger. And as some of the world's finest dueling scholars, when they taught, they were also learning from one another.
For example, yesterday's Demonology class by Professor Seraph had been extremely beneficial to Viper. Today, Professor Paladin's class had opened his eyes again, as though he were seeing an entirely new world.
He subtly scanned the people around him with the corner of his eye.
Besides himself, there were several more professors who hadn't taken the stage yet.
What were they capable of?
Did they possess some other unique teaching methods or understanding of spirits and dueling?
Once that thought took hold, his instincts as a teacher began to awaken.
He slowly exhaled.
Just as everyone was brimming with anticipation and curiosity, Professor Paladin's class gradually came to an end.
As the bell rang, a few students still looked as though they wanted more.
Seeing this, Professor Paladin chuckled and clapped his hands. "Well then, for those of you who still feel the blood pumping, who feel like swinging a wooden stick around... feel free to come find me after lunch.
Perhaps you're the type of duelist with a deep interest in knights?
Likewise, any students interested in knight dueling can come find me, or simply roleplay as knights and stage mock battles during break time."
He rummaged through his Deck and pulled out several cards, displaying them.
Noble Arms - Caliburn. Noble Arms - Arfeudutyr. Noble Arms - Gallatin. Noble Arms - Clarent...
Professor Paladin held many Noble Arms Equip Spell Cards.
Clearly, he didn't just bear the name Paladin and possess Noble Knight monsters. He had a full set of Equip Spells too. A genuine "Sword of Britain" duelist.
"Honestly, these Noble Arms have always been looking for suitable wielders. If any student truly earns their recognition, I won't hold back." Paladin said with a warm smile.
Then he put the cards away, tucked his lesson notes under his arm, and began gathering the performance costumes to leave. Several students immediately volunteered, raising their hands and calling out as they rushed over to help carry things, clearly planning to keep asking questions. The other students gradually dispersed amid lively discussion, many with excitement and eagerness still written on their faces, obviously planning to try roleplaying something with their friends later.
In the most basic scenario, without any supplementary equipment or spirits, following the professor's method, this most primitive form of roleplay might actually be the most enjoyable form of roleplay dueling.
Hikaru put away his notes and stretched.
The first two days of the new semester, and his head already felt stuffed with knowledge. Each professor had their own unique strengths. He was genuinely looking forward to the next professor's course.
"Hmm..." On the other side, after spacing out for quite some time, Jesse finally snapped back to reality.
"I've decided!" His eyes sparkled with excitement.
He had finally found it. A method that didn't require abandoning his family and could make them all stronger together!
That's right!
Hadn't it been right in front of him this whole time?
It was...
This startled Jaden. "What's up?"
"I want... I want to learn Fusion!" Jesse laughed, looking at the friends around him. "Jaden, I'm going to need you to help me study!"
Oh?!
Everyone in the Fusion Division looked at him, then broke into identical grins.
Of course.
Spend enough time around Hikaru and this was bound to happen!
...
Support me on Patreon and read upto 15 chapters ahead @Keepsmiling818 p2reon