Rumble.
Thunder roared across the sky.
Chancellor Sheppard stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, hands clasped behind his back, staring solemnly at the rain-drenched world outside. When he spotted a silhouette soaring through the clouds on a hang glider, a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
"Those fellows... they really did come, just as the reports predicted," he murmured, watching the figure vanish into the distance.
He closed his eyes and let out a low sigh. "From the moment Jaden Yuki enrolled, I sensed that this academy was destined to face an unknown crisis. Whether it was President Kaiba or Mr. Pegasus, both placed a unique level of trust in that boy. Bringing him here must have been their way of helping the academy weather the coming storm."
Sheppard walked back to his desk, hands still behind his back. He pulled open a drawer and stared at an ancient box tucked inside, his gaze clouded with worry. "But... is that boy truly willing to protect this school as they hope he will?"
The following day, the bell rang to signal the end of class.
Professor Lyman Banner closed his textbook and squinted at the rows of students before him. "Mmm, it seems Jaden didn't show up for class again today."
He paused, his gaze shifting. "Alexis, Chazz, Bastion."
The three of them stood up, looking at Professor Banner with confusion.
"Please come with me to the Chancellor's office. I have a small favor to ask of you."
"A favor?"
The three traded glances. Though puzzled, they followed Professor Banner toward the administrative wing. Along the way, they ran into Dr. Vellian Crowler at the office door, who was accompanied by Zane Truesdale.
"It seems the elites of every year have been summoned," Dr. Crowler noted, glancing at the three students behind Banner. "Oh? Is Jaden Yuki not here?"
"Well, Jaden's movements are always a mystery. No one knows where he is at the moment," Professor Banner said helplessly.
"Figures..." Crowler sighed. Teachers were truly at their wits' end when it came to a student like Jaden someone who rarely attended class yet maintained absurdly good grades.
The two professors pushed open the heavy doors, and the group filed into the Chancellor's office. To their surprise, they found Jaden already sitting on the sofa, while Chancellor Sheppard stood by the window, watching the rain with his hands behind his back.
Jaden? He beat us here?
"You've arrived. Good, now everyone is present," Sheppard said, turning to the group with a faint smile.
"Chancellor, why have you gathered the academy's elites like this? Has something happened?" Bastion asked, surveying the room.
Alexis Rhodes, Chazz Princeton, Zane Truesdale, and Jaden Yuki... these were the premier Spirit Duelists of Duel Academy. Their skills were undeniable. For all of them to be gathered in one place suggested a major incident was brewing.
"I have already briefed Jaden on the specifics before you arrived," Sheppard said, glancing at the boy on the sofa. "Jaden, I trust you don't mind hearing it again?"
"No need," Jaden replied, standing up. "I'm going back to get ready. If they've already landed on the island, they'll probably make their move soon."
He walked past the group toward the door.
"That arrogant jerk..." Chazz's mouth twitched in annoyance as he watched Jaden leave. "He's still our classmate, isn't he? He can't even say hello?"
"Oh, just let it go, Chazz. That's just how Jaden is," Alexis said with a wry smile, trying to soothe him.
"Forget Jaden for now, Chancellor," Bastion urged. "What is this really about?"
Sheppard took a breath. "Very well... I shall tell you."
"It concerns... the Sacred Beasts."
While Chancellor Sheppard was introducing the legend of the Sacred Beasts to the others, Jaden had already left the main building and was heading toward the cafeteria.
"It seems the presence I felt last night belongs to the enemies who arrived on the island," Yubel's spectral form floated beside him, her heterochromatic eyes scanning the passing students.
"Yeah. Judging by that aura, it's a dark power and a very deep one at that," Jaden thought.
The name of the final boss of the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX anime, Nightshroud, flashed through his mind. During the Shadow Riders arc, that title was temporarily used by Alexis's brother, Atticus Rhodes. If Jaden remembered correctly, Atticus had only recently been consumed by Nightshroud's influence. The person who landed on the island last night was almost certainly him.
"Atticus Rhodes... that's the missing brother of the blonde girl who's always hanging around you, right?"
The spirit of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring drifted out from Jaden's other side. She was holding an ice cream cone, licking it contentedly.
Where does she even get this stuff? Jaden wondered, resisting the urge to complain.
"Ahem. Yes, that's him. If I'm not mistaken, his first target will likely be me." Jaden opened his hand, looking at the key to the Spirit Gates resting in his palm.
"With the Supreme King's strength, taking on these so-called Shadow Riders alone is a piece of cake!" Ash Blossom waved a small fist in the air. "In fact, you should just take all seven keys and flatten them all yourself!"
"No. Even I can't guarantee a hundred percent victory in every duel," Jaden said, shaking his head. "A Duelist can't afford to be overconfident. A bit of caution is necessary."
The ceiling for his HERO Deck had not yet been reached. As it stood, his deck was far from perfect. He didn't have access to Xtra HERO monsters, the Neo-Spacians, or the newest "EN" Support Cards. Without a perfected HERO Deck, he couldn't guarantee absolute victory.
This wasn't a lack of confidence. It was the caution required of the Supreme King the ruler of the Spirit World.
"So, are we going back to rebuild the deck?" Yubel asked.
"Let's eat first," Jaden grumbled, squinting his eyes. "Chancellor Sheppard is something else. He knew I hadn't eaten breakfast, yet he dragged me in there for hours to talk about nothing, then gave me a history lesson on the Sacred Beasts."
"Three whole hours. It was ridiculous. And then he wanted me to listen to it a second time!"
"Pfft!" Seeing Jaden's sour expression, Ash Blossom burst into laughter.
"Hmm?" Jaden turned a cold gaze toward the spirit, who was now clutching her mouth while breaking into a cold sweat.
"Uh... I... I just remembered something funny..."
"Do you want to eat some chocolate instead?"
"No! Anything but that! Please, Lord Supreme King, have mercy!"
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