Night fell.
In the Obelisk Blue dormitory area, a dark shadow appeared within the dense thickets of the woods. Beneath a mask, two eyes emitted a blood-red glow in the dark.
"Jaden..."
To the Shadow Riders, Jaden was undoubtedly the most difficult enemy to deal with in the entire Duel Academy. Conversely, if Jaden could be eliminated, the rest of the academy's students were nothing more than wet-behind-the-ears children to them.
"Hmm?"
At that moment, the sound of footsteps echoed from the corridor outside the forest. The figure in the shadows narrowed his eyes and immediately ducked behind a nearby tree.
On the path leading to the Obelisk Blue dorm, a tall, blonde girl was walking toward the building with a serious expression.
Alexis Rhodes.
Seeing the girl, the name flashed through the shadow's mind.
"Ugh..."
The man groaned, clutching his forehead. But then, the black mask emitted a dark radiance, and his emotions were instantly stabilized.
"Can I still not completely control this body?"
He looked at his open palm. The man gritted his teeth, a trace of coldness leaking from his pupils.
Darkness felt the soul deep within this body resisting him.
"It seems I must make this quick... Let this battle serve as a test for Jaden before our final confrontation."
Alexis walked along the road toward the Obelisk Blue dorm. Since hearing Chancellor Sheppard's words in the principal's office earlier that day, she had felt a lingering sense of unease.
While Bastion, Chazz, and Zane might not fully understand the gravity of a Shadow Duel, Alexis had experienced the feeling deep within her soul. That heart-wrenching sensation was something she still feared.
When it came to Shadow Duels, Jaden was undoubtedly the one most familiar with them.
"If the enemy attacks, they might start with the strongest among us. And Jaden will definitely be their target..."
If Jaden loses, will we be able to face those seven people on our own?
The thought made Alexis's heart race with tension. Their strength was far from the level required to survive a Shadow Duel.
"Jaden..."
However, when she arrived at Jaden's room, she was taken aback to see the lights were out.
"He isn't in?"
Or could it be...
A premonition of disaster rose in her heart. Alexis turned to leave, only to suddenly feel a biting chill behind her. She turned around.
At the end of the Obelisk Blue corridor, a black figure was slowly walking toward her. The red light flashing on his Duel Disk caused Alexis's pupils to shrink.
"You... You are..."
"Come. Let us duel. A Shadow Duel where we stake our lives."
Meanwhile, in the forest of the Duel Academy island.
Jaden wore his Duel Disk, searching the woods for the aura of darkness.
"Jaden, if the enemy takes the initiative, their first goal will likely be to find you, right?" Yubel's figure floated beside Jaden. She watched him search and couldn't help but speak up.
"Yeah, I know," Jaden replied. His eyes flickered with a dim golden light as he observed the various energies flowing through the air. "But my purpose for coming to Duel Academy wasn't just the Shadow Riders and the Sacred Beasts. My primary goal is Darkness."
"The one you mentioned... the 'future where humanity is destroyed'?" Yubel asked.
"Yes." Jaden nodded slightly.
The commission Pegasus had given him was to investigate the truth behind these events. As someone who knew the original story, Jaden was well aware that the source of all destruction was the final boss of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: Darkness.
Currently, the first of the Shadow Riders, Atticus Rhodes, was inextricably linked to Darkness. To be more precise, the soul currently within Atticus was an avatar of Darkness.
Now that Darkness had revealed himself, defeating the Shadow Riders was secondary. The important thing was to find clues regarding Darkness immediately. Otherwise, the next time a lead surfaced might not be for another two years.
"You truly have the ability to see the future... Is that the Supreme King's power?" Yubel shook her head and teased. She had felt for a long time that Jaden possessed a strange kind of foresight. However, because the Supreme King's power was so domineering and mighty, she hadn't paid it much mind.
"With the Supreme King's power, let alone foresight, even manipulating the human heart at will would be a simple matter," Ash Blossom added, floating beside Jaden with her arms crossed. Her face was tilted up with pride, looking every bit like a loyal follower. Her tail wagged so hard it was difficult not to see the little thing as a total sycophant.
"..." Jaden gave Ash Blossom a look of mock disgust, cleared his throat, and turned his gaze toward the abandoned dorm deep in the forest. "Anyway, let's go investigate. Perhaps because Darkness has appeared, some old clues might surface."
Just as he was about to head toward the abandoned dorm, a sharp voice rang in his ear.
"Kuri kuri!"
Looking at the phantom that appeared beside him, Jaden blinked. "What's wrong? Winged Kuriboh, did you find something?"
"Kuri!" Winged Kuriboh pointed toward the direction of the Obelisk Blue dorms.
Jaden turned his head and saw a dark aura shrouding the skies above the Blue Dorm.
"A Shadow Duel?" Jaden was stunned. "Someone has started a Shadow Duel? That location is the freshman area. Does that mean a first-year student is engaged in a Shadow Duel?"
Ash Blossom blinked her eyes curiously. "Zane is a third-year student, right? And I remember Chazz Princeton was demoted to Slifer Red... So who is in a Shadow Duel right now?"
"Let's head back first," Jaden said, abandoning his plan to explore further. He turned around and sprinted toward the Obelisk Blue dormitory area. The spirits behind him immediately followed his lead and flew toward the dorms.
In the corridor.
The darkness spread. A roaring black dragon exhaled pitch-black flames from its maw.
Alexis was down on one knee in the corridor. Her fair skin was now covered in burn marks. Her arm hung low as if she could no longer support the weight of her Duel Disk, and her right hand trembled as she held her cards.
[Alexis Rhodes: LP 300]
[Darkness: LP 1500]
"Ugh... This pain..."
Staggering to her feet, Alexis gritted her teeth, looking at the increasingly blurred scene before her. In the darkness, the black dragon roared, its eyes gleaming with a crimson light. Searing darkness overflowed from its mouth, its throat emitting a raspy, gurgling sound.
[Red-Eyes Black Dragon]
[Level: 7]
[ATK: 2400 / DEF: 2000]
"Give up. As a human, you cannot withstand a Shadow Duel." The man standing opposite her let out a cold sneer. He slowly flipped over a blank card, and within it, Alexis's image seemed to be surfacing. "Your soul will be sealed within this card, falling into endless darkness. This duel is over."
"Ungh..." Alexis looked at the cards in her hand, her eyes flickering with a hint of despair.
[Etoile Cyber] [Sakuretsu Armor]
"Are these the only two cards left...? Regardless, I have to bolster my defense first, and then..."
"I set one card! Then, I set a monster in face-down Defense Position!" Alexis struggled to set her two cards on the field. "Turn end."
Taking a deep breath, Alexis endured the pain and stared coldly at the man. He only had one card in his hand. If he couldn't summon a monster next turn, she could wait. When Red-Eyes Black Dragon attacked, she could use the trap card [Sakuretsu Armor] to destroy it. At that point, the situation would be completely reversed.
Etoile Cyber's attack power increases by 500 when attacking an opponent directly.
Yes, I can turn this around! Alexis felt a glimmer of hope.
However...
"Heh... based on your expression, it seems you really want my Red-Eyes Black Dragon to attack." The man sneered. "You're also thinking: 'Ah, if only my opponent doesn't draw a monster card, I can stall until next turn,' right?"
"You..." Alexis's face paled.
"But let me tell you, Red-Eyes Black Dragon can tear your soul to shreds even without attacking." The man laughed coldly and drew a card from his deck. "My turn! I activate the Spell Card in my hand: [Inferno Fire Blast]! This deals damage to the opponent equal to the original attack power of a [Red-Eyes Black Dragon] on my field!"
Alexis's face drained of all color.
The Red-Eyes Black Dragon exhaled a searing blast of black flames toward her.
"Aaaaaah!"
Under the scorching heat, the girl let out a piercing scream as she felt the searing burn of hellfire.
[Alexis Rhodes: LP 300 -> 0]
[Darkness: WIN]
"According to the contract of the Shadow Duel, your soul shall fall into the endless darkness."
The man held up the card in his hand. Alexis could feel her soul being slowly pulled into the card.
If this continued...
"Jaden..."
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