Time that flew by in the observer's eyes passed far less quickly for humans.
After Darkness departed, Hikaru immediately began searching for a "cure" formula at full speed. Meanwhile, Jaden had already found Professor Viper.
Hikaru wasn't particularly worried about this duel.
In the original story, Jaden had dueled Viper and won. Despite Viper possessing "Vennominaga the Deity of Poisonous Snakes," a card that could win the duel outright, Jaden had ultimately prevailed.
Even if Viper had gained additional card support in this world, Jaden's growth compared to the original was immense.
Still, this duel was deeply important to Jaden. Important enough that he stopped several times mid-duel to ask Viper why.
After months of acquaintance, Jaden knew Viper wasn't without talent. On the contrary, his teaching ability was widely recognized and beloved by many students, especially Dimitri, who deeply respected him.
But why do this?
Hearing the question, Viper gazed at the coast. Something seemed to stir in his memory. Finally, he stopped holding back. "I was once a mercenary. I lived a life of blood on the battlefield."
Until one day, he adopted a son. That child was like hope to him. Because of that pure child, he felt his life hadn't been wasted. He wanted to raise that child into someone worthwhile.
Then one day, his son died in an accident.
Unable to accept reality, he petitioned Vennominaga, offering his own life in exchange for his son's resurrection. But the Snake Deity told him this:
"Viper, all humans die."
Birth, aging, illness, death. These were the world's rules. Unless someone died in a duel, no being could alter this world's history.
Perhaps other dimensions had methods. Perhaps resurrection existed elsewhere. But in this world, life and death were absolutely inviolable.
Every universe, every dimension, had its underlying logic. In this universe, even the greatest being couldn't defy "death."
Hearing this answer, Viper was utterly devastated. After that, he lost interest in everything, mechanically teaching classes, ignoring Z-ARC's overtures, punching in and out like a teaching machine at the western branch.
Until the day Yubel appeared before him. She actually showed him his son and promised to help resurrect him. Only then did he truly "live" again.
Jaden listened in stunned silence.
Walking this path to resurrect his son?
At first glance, it was quite tragic. But Jaden had been through enough to understand the logic behind it. He quickly raised another point: "Professor, that's absolutely impossible!
You must know that yourself! It can't be done!
If she could really resurrect your son, why not just present him to you directly!"
Jaden knew all too well. He had seen this pattern countless times: "When it comes down to it, that wasn't your son at all, was it? It was an illusion created through mental manipulation, memory modification, simulation!
Professor, there are so many comatose people in the academy. You must see that!"
Viper said nothing.
He truly had nothing to criticize or lecture Jaden about anymore. Jaden had grown past those "flaws" and "imperfections." Because of that, Jaden immediately recognized that what Viper experienced was absolutely, without question, an illusion manufactured by Yubel.
He had watched his beloved Professor Banner, bound by this world's rules, unable to even remain human, forced to reincarnate as a spirit. He knew Yubel was powerful, but he didn't believe Yubel could challenge this world's rules or resurrect a child who had accomplished nothing and died years ago.
No chance.
But for Viper, this was his only hope.
So after hearing Jaden's words, Viper's expression turned cold. "Impossible. I saw it with my own eyes. That was him... without question."
"Clinging to dreams leads nowhere good, Professor! Accept reality!"
"What's wrong with a world of illusions?!" Viper shouted back in fury.
So that was it.
Jaden slowly fell silent.
It wasn't that Viper hadn't realized. He simply had nothing else to place his hopes on.
"But what about the students who admire and respect you? Do you truly feel nothing for them?"
Those children?
Viper recalled the students he had interacted with recently. Many were clever and endearing. And that Dimitri boy genuinely respected him, studying earnestly every day.
Perhaps because of that, Viper had added extra supplementary notes to Dimitri's study plan.
In his heart, he thought that if Dimitri hadn't gone to extremes and borrowed Yubel's power, he might have become an excellent duelist.
Honestly, Viper truly saw the shadow of his adopted son in Dimitri. Although the two shared no resemblance, Dimitri had given him a final trace of warmth.
That heartfelt respect, that genuine protectiveness, the effort to help him stand out in the "professor qualification review." None of it was fake.
But it was all too late.
"Those influenced by Darkness's power, those who fell into slumber, can never awaken!"
Jaden frowned, wanting to give one last persuasion.
But at that moment...
"That's not necessarily true, Professor!"
A voice both of them knew well rang out.
Hikaru!
Both turned in surprise toward the path. Hikaru was supporting a student, walking straight toward their dueling site.
Both stared wide-eyed. Jaden broke into an excited smile first. "Dimitri! You're awake?!"
For the first time, Viper's cold face showed genuine shock.
"This kid insisted on coming the moment he woke up. I couldn't stop him." Hikaru said with a smile.
After defeating Yusuke Fujiwara, Hikaru had immediately begun researching and crafting an awakening elixir at breakneck speed. Just recently, he had successfully awakened Dimitri, the very first person to fall unconscious.
Perhaps because Dimitri himself wanted to wake up, or perhaps because he was the first to fall and therefore easier to awaken. Regardless, Hikaru had successfully revived the first person.
And the first thing Dimitri asked about was the current situation and his professor.
So Hikaru casually told him what had happened.
But Dimitri didn't resent Viper at all. Instead, he regretted not listening to the professor, jumping ahead to "advanced lessons," which had led to everything.
"Dimitri..." Viper was momentarily speechless.
And at that moment, Dimitri, who had enjoyed Hikaru personally supporting him the entire way, finally spoke the words he had been building up.
"I'm sorry, Professor. I let you down. You told me in the study plan not to reach beyond my grasp, but I impulsively called upon Yubel. If I had just followed your guidance, you would never be here right now!"
Dimitri spoke with complete sincerity.
Hearing it, Viper felt as though a hammer had struck his heart.
Yubel had told him.
Dimitri was a special talent. He possessed a mirror-like gift that could reflect others' traits and abilities.
So Dimitri was the person most capable of feeling Viper's hopes and genuine care for him, and the one most remorseful about his own mistakes.
No amount of stubbornness could overcome genuine emotion.
Viper took a deep breath, looked at Jaden, and smiled. "...Dimitri, then let your professor teach you one more time. The mistake a man at the end of his road must never make.
I discard one card and activate the Spell Card: Snake Rain. This card sends four Reptile monsters from my Deck to the Graveyard.
Vennominaga the Deity of Poisonous Snakes on my field gains ATK equal to the number of Reptile monsters in my Graveyard times 500. Now, my Graveyard contains eight Reptiles, so its ATK rises to 4000!"
The snake-handed goddess sprouted more serpents, her ATK climbing steadily.
Vennominaga the Deity of Poisonous Snakes, ATK: 4000.
"Vennominaga is unaffected by other card effects and cannot be targeted. When this card inflicts battle damage to the opponent three times, I win the duel!"
"Jaden, this is the final attack. If it connects, I win." Viper stared at Neos on Jaden's field.
"It won't be that easy, Professor! I activate the Trap Card: Favorite Contact! I return Neos from my field and Shining Flare Wingman from my Graveyard to the Deck, then Special Summon one Fusion Monster that lists a HERO as material from my Extra Deck, ignoring its Summoning conditions!
I Special Summon: Elemental HERO Shining Neos Wingman!"
Elemental HERO Shining Neos Wingman. Level 8, LIGHT Attribute, Warrior-Type. ATK 3100.
Jaden clenched his fist. "Shining Neos Wingman gains 300 ATK for each monster in my Graveyard! I have ten monsters, so that's 6100!"
Elemental HERO Shining Neos Wingman, ATK: 3100 → 6100.
Seeing this, Viper closed his eyes.
He knew he could no longer complete this final attack.
The ATK gap between Vennominaga and Shining Neos Wingman was simply too great.
He chose to end his turn. Jaden immediately commanded Shining Neos Wingman to attack.
BOOM!!!
Professor Viper's LP hit zero!
As his LP reached zero, a yellow silhouette slowly materialized before him. The shadow of his son. He reached out, wanting to grasp it, but halfway, he lowered his hand.
Phantoms of the past were merely phantoms.
He hadn't saved his son. But he had found a new path in life.
Coming to, he was startled to find himself standing at a cliff's edge. One more step and he would have plummeted to his death.
At the same time, Dimitri, barely awake and still needing support, saw this and charged over like a madman, hugging Viper and begging him not to do anything rash.
Viper shook his head helplessly.
What a foolish kid.
Hikaru stretched long and lazily, feeling that his prolonged work had finally paid off. Jaden watched the scene and burst out laughing.
Afterward, Viper finally stopped hiding the truth. He told Jaden where Yubel was currently hiding.
Then he sincerely confessed his actions to Professor Crowler, explaining everything he had done.
Although his conduct violated professional ethics, Viper hadn't done anything too extreme. Yubel had warned him that the academy harbored too many strange things. Acting rashly would attract unwanted attention. So Viper had waited until the very end to make his move.
Honestly speaking, the main harm Viper caused students was kicking Jaden in the stomach. But Jaden was tough and didn't hold grudges, so Viper's case was essentially closed.
After all, he personally knew many of Darkness's secrets. For Hikaru and the others, this was invaluable support, helping Hikaru develop mental-control-blocking devices. Crucially, Viper's "luggage" contained large quantities of usable materials: the "Death Duel Bracers" he had originally planned to use for absorbing students' duel energy.
Of course, for the school administration, that was the extent of the assistance.
But for a certain professor, Viper's "confession" wasn't just an ordinary confession. It was heaven-sent!
Because of Viper's admission, everyone finally learned the truth: Professor Paladin's sudden attack on Professor Strongman, his attempt to kill on the spot, had actually been caused by Yubel temporarily possessing Viper and influencing Paladin.
Not just Paladin. Strongman had also been influenced. That was why during their confrontation, one only knew how to wildly slash while the other refused to speak, stubbornly refusing to communicate.
This confession truly saved Paladin's life. The professor who had been tossing and turning, unable to sleep, feeling every colleague was laughing at him ("Oh look, isn't that the professor who thought an idol was his girlfriend?") was ecstatic beyond measure. Although Viper had caused it, Paladin genuinely thanked this "good brother" from the bottom of his heart.
After all, if Viper hadn't come forward, Paladin's social life was truly dead.
With everything sorted out, Hikaru also managed to watch Tierra complete the mental-modification-immunity helmets. After confirming the iterative production cycle using Viper's materials, Hikaru breathed a sigh of relief.
And with that...
It was finally time for the end.
Deep within a mountain cave on Duel Academy island, on a solitary throne, Yubel lay on her side. This place was doubly isolated by the Light of Destruction and Darkness's power. No one could observe this location.
But at that moment, she opened her eyes and lazily rolled over.
A group of people walked in.
She slowly sat up.
"Yubel!"
"Jaden~~"
Yubel smiled, welcoming Jaden. Then she looked at the "support squad" that had followed him in, and her expression twisted into disgust, even hatred.
"Yubel, I won't allow you to hurt anyone else."
"Then, are you going to hurt me?" Yubel heard this but didn't mind at all. "If so, then let me hurt you, and let us consummate our love!"
Jaden took a deep breath. "No. That's not love."
But regardless.
The duel was about to begin.
The final duel to put a period on the past. Begin!
"DUEL!" x2.
Yubel, LP: 4000.
Jaden Yuki, LP: 4000.