"Wait?! We're going in first...?!"
Syrus Truesdale was struck with sudden panic when he saw Jiang He turn and follow the direction Alexis Rhodes had taken. He had been hoping Jiang He would refuse to enter, prompting Jaden to agree to turn back as well.
"Big brother, what should we do now?" Syrus asked Jaden with a pitiful look.
"Since Jiang He said he'd be over in a bit, let's head in first!" Jaden Yuki watched Jiang He's retreating back for a moment before turning toward the Abandoned Dorm with an expression of intense interest.
"I really shouldn't have asked..." Syrus and Chumley Huffington sighed in unison, exchanging a weary glance. They followed him toward the dilapidated building.
Deep within the shaded woods of the mountainside.
That guy is so annoying. He completely refuses to listen to advice, Alexis thought, her brow furrowed. After walking a few more paces, her concern got the better of her, and she came to a halt.
She decided to turn back and check on them. Regardless of anything else, they were students of Duel Academy, and she couldn't simply sit by and do nothing. Besides, it was him... at the very least, he was a dueling opponent she had known for a while now.
Alexis felt a knot in her chest. Though she wasn't entirely sure why, she instinctively didn't want Jiang He to meet the same mysterious fate as her brother at that dormitory.
Whoosh!!
Just as Alexis was about to turn around, a figure suddenly materialized in front of her. It was a tall, hulking man completely enveloped in a black trench coat, wearing a black bat mask. He let out a low, chilling laugh.
"I'll use you to lure my target, that brat named Jiang He, into a... Shadow Game!"
As the words left his mouth, the man in the black coat lunged forward to seize Alexis, intending to knock her unconscious and use her as a hostage for the duel.
Alexis was no frail womanshe was the "Queen of Obelisk Blue"but even she was caught off guard by such a sudden, aggressive assault.
Whoosh!!
Right then, a heavy block of black wood whistled through the air from behind Alexis!
Thud!
The wood slammed directly into the head of the masked man, right atop his hat. The impact was so sudden it stopped him in his tracks, leaving him seeing stars.
"You bastard...!"
Alexis reacted instantly. Her expression darkened with anger as she stared at the man who had tried to ambush her. She didn't hesitate, unleashing a sharp kickthe ultimate move of Women's Self-Defense.
"Aaargh!"
The man in the black coat instantly doubled over like a cooked lobster, let out a wretched scream, and collapsed to his knees.
"Hiss...!"
Jiang He, who had just emerged from the trees, winced at the sight and sucked in a breath of cold air. Subconsciously, he felt a phantom pain between his own legs. He hesitated, wondering if he should even walk over there now...
"Ah..." Alexis noticed Jiang He's appearance and his momentary freezing. She immediately realized what she had just done and flushed red with embarrassment. After all, that wasn't exactly a "ladylike" or "elegant" way to behave!
"Cough, I didn't see anything," Jiang He said, his voice a blatant attempt at a cover-up. He quickly changed the subject, pointing at the masked man still curled into a ball on the ground. "First, let's deal with this 'unidentified assailant' while he's still down."
"This is bad!"
The masked man, Titan, was shocked behind his mask. Ignoring the excruciating pain, he scrambled to his feet and sprinted into the woods in a random direction. He was surprisingly fastJiang He noted that his speed was no slower than Professor Vellian Crowler's frantic dash through the bushes that other night.
Holy cow, is this guy from the same school of movement as Professor Crowler? Jiang He thought.
"Don't you run!" Alexis shouted, preparing to give chase. She wasn't about to let the man who tried to kidnap her get away so easily.
"Don't bother chasing him that way, Alexis," Jiang He called out, stopping her. With Sphere Kuriboh sensing the surroundings, he knew exactly where the man in the trench coat was going.
"But..." Alexis paused, her expression filled with reluctance and frustration.
"The man who just tried to attack you didn't keep running in that direction. He immediately changed course and headed straight for the Abandoned Dorm," Jiang He explained.
He wasn't trying to stop her from catching the guy; he just didn't want her to go the wrong way. According to Sphere Kuriboh, Titan hadn't fled the area. Instead, knowing that Jiang He was bound for the Abandoned Dorm eventually, he had doubled back to lie in wait there!
Jiang He couldn't help but be impressed. The guy was truly dedicated! Despite taking a devastating hit from a Women's Self-Defense kick,
he didn't retreat to nurse his wounds; instead, he pushed through the agony to finish the job for his employer. Jiang He almost felt like tearing up for the man's professionalism.
"Wait, how do you know...?" Alexis asked, curious. In the dim light of the midnight forest, it should have been impossible for him to track someone's movement.
"Don't worry about the details. Let's just say my vision is better than most," Jiang He waved a hand dismissively. Being able to see Duel Monster Spirits wasn't exactly a state secret. He wasn't worried about people finding out. After all, rumors of such things had persisted in the dueling world ever since the legendary exploits of the King of Games, Yugi Muto.
While people with that ability were rare, they definitely existed. As time went on, more people would learn that Duel Monster Spirits were real, even if only a few could ever truly awaken the power to see them.
"I see..." Alexis nodded, though a hint of doubt remained. She didn't press him further, however. Instead, she took the initiative to suggest: "Then let's go to the Abandoned Dorm as well! With that attacker involved, something unexpected might happen!"
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