The duel was over.
Yako Tenma, who had been entertained by his own big monsters in turns, staggered back. With his Life Points at zero, he half-knelt on the ground, unable to get up for a long time.
He hung his head, looking as if he had shut himself off from the world.
Bastion Misawa and Alexis Rhodes also had complex expressions. They looked at Yusaku Fujiki, then at Yako Tenma, unsure what to say.
He won again.
And Yusaku Fujiki's strange new tactics seemed to have increased even more.
Looking at Yako Tenma, who hadn't gotten up for a while, they even began to worry if a legendary duelist would lose his dream today.
Could it be that no one could stop the advance of the Journalist Warrior?
Alexis Rhodes subconsciously placed a hand on her deck, thinking of the "Cyber Angel Natasha" that had just debuted under Yusaku Fujiki's guidance.
She suddenly felt a familiar taste in Yusaku Fujiki's tactics today.
She didn't believe that there wasn't a hint of Yusaku Fujiki's personal special preferences mixed in.
At this moment, another person's voice came from the direction of Industrial Illusions Tower.
"I told you already."
Everyone looked over simultaneously, only to see another "Yako Tenma" standing at the door, carved from the same mold. If they weren't standing side by side for comparison, no difference would be visible.
Needless to say, this was naturally Yako Tenma's younger brother, Night Tenma.
Yako Tenma stood up and looked at his brother: "Night."
"I said he's strong, and I'm afraid even you are no match, brother," Night said, clasping his hands behind his back and smiling. "Of course, I know that even saying that, you would still have to try."
Yako Tenma shrugged, not saying a word.
He turned to look at Yusaku Fujiki, seemingly having calmed his emotions, then chuckled softly: "It was a good duel, I've learned a lot."
What else could he say? That playing cards like this was wrong?
But he used all of their father's cards. Maximillion Pegasus himself was a deep NTR enthusiast; he couldn't possibly deny his elder's taste, could he?
"Not at all, I'm the one who learned a lot."
Yusaku Fujiki smiled and shook hands with him again.
Night also greeted him, saying, "It hasn't been long since we last met, but it seems you've become even stronger. You've mastered the power of Relinquished so quickly..."
No, he even felt that saying that was an understatement.
Because he felt that Relinquished in Maximillion Pegasus's hands didn't seem as smooth as it did today. Of course, it might also be related to Maximillion Pegasus already having retired from the scene and not playing cards much.
"I lost."
Yako Tenma said, glancing at Night.
"You were indeed right. Dueling him... Student Yusaku Fujiki, indeed gives a special feeling."
He said, looking at Yusaku Fujiki.
"Now that I think about it, you might be this type of duelist."
Yusaku Fujiki raised an eyebrow.
"Mr. Pegasus also commented on me like that many years ago... but that was a long time ago, when I was still learning to duel."
Yako Tenma showed a look of recollection.
"Both Night and I were adopted orphans by Mr. Pegasus. Mr. Pegasus adopted many children similar to us, to train as his successors.
At that time, I was one of the first children to emerge, showing extraordinary talent in dueling, far ahead of all the children of my generation.
But at that time, after Mr. Pegasus personally came to watch my duel, he gave such a comment."
He turned to Yusaku Fujiki and said seriously.
"'Your dueling is almost perfect. Every action, from the first card, is a meticulous calculation to lead to victory, like a first-class chess player.'
And it was because of this that Mr. Pegasus finally bestowed upon me the title, 'Perfect Duelist'."
Bastion Misawa and Alexis Rhodes also gathered closer, listening intently to the elder speak.
"But what Mr. Pegasus called perfection was merely the limit I had already reached personally. Compared to my younger brother Night, it is now difficult for me to make further progress."
Yako Tenma closed his eyes and chuckled softly.
"And if you ask me, the design of the deck construction, the calculation and control of the duel, these factors combined... Student Yusaku Fujiki, you are the one who should be the 'Perfect Duelist'."
Yako Tenma said seriously.
"You are precisely the type of duelist Mr. Pegasus described, one who relies on intellect, deck building, and an absolutely calm mindset to achieve victory, no matter the situation.
I think, perhaps because you can calculate the path to victory many steps ahead, your duels give off a calm and effortless feeling."
Yusaku Fujiki: "..."
Ah? Is that so?
"Speaking of which," Bastion Misawa suddenly thought of something, "it does seem so. Compared to Jaden Yuki, you two are completely opposite extremes of duelists."
"Oh?" Yako Tenma sounded interested, "Is he also a student at your Duel Academy?"
"Yes, he's also an incredible guy. It's just that he's completely the opposite of Yusaku Fujiki." Bastion Misawa thought for a moment, "How should I put it? If Yusaku Fujiki gives me the feeling of being calm and composed at all times, skilled in unconventional tactics, and preferring to win by using his brain, then Jaden Yuki..."
He paused there, as if unsure how to continue.
Alexis Rhodes laughed: "Are you trying to say he doesn't use his brain at all?"
"Haha, something like that." Bastion Misawa chuckled, "Jaden Yuki is the person I've met with the most exaggerated passion for dueling. He always seems to be fired up, no matter the situation. Only now do I realize he's almost Yusaku Fujiki's complete opposite.
His duels are impulsive; he rarely thinks carefully. But he possesses an incredible drawing ability; it seems he always has a way to break through, no matter what situation he faces. He's also ridiculously strong."
"I see, a duelist who relies entirely on 'heart' to duel."
Yako Tenma immediately became interested.
"You have two such rare duelists in this class at the same time? It seems the students of Duel Academy this year are truly not to be underestimated."
"Speaking of which, Jaden Yuki really does seem to have a special talent," Alexis Rhodes also said. "How should I put it, it's as if everyone around him can't help but feel motivated when they're near him."
"Indeed. Even Syrus Truesdale, who had almost given up, seems to have rekindled his interest in dueling," Bastion Misawa added.
It was only then that the two realized that, in this respect, Jaden Yuki and Yusaku Fujiki seemed to be two completely opposite ends of a spectrum.
One is able to make everyone around him addicted to card games through dueling, while the other is able to make everyone lose their dream of playing cards through dueling.
Bastion Misawa suddenly seemed to understand why these two would have such a strange chemical reaction when teaming up.
Perhaps this is what's called "complementarity."
They each possess what the other lacks, which is why they have such astonishing performances when they come together.
Meanwhile, Yusaku Fujiki was deep in thought.
"Dueling Jaden Yuki, huh..."
If this theory were true, he wondered if dueling Jaden Yuki could lead him to a deeper understanding of dueling.
The reason he hadn't dueled Jaden Yuki yet was that he wanted to save this important hurdle for later, as a periodic test of his divine draw practice.
Actually, the early Jaden Yuki wasn't very strong; in his first semester's duels, he lost to Zane Truesdale, the academy's Kaiser. And Zane Truesdale probably hadn't even given his all in that match.
It wasn't until the end of the first academic year that Jaden Yuki caught up to Zane Truesdale, barely drawing with him in the graduation duel.
So, for Yusaku Fujiki, what he truly considered a trial was not how strong the current Jaden Yuki was, but rather his extraordinary "momentum."
Being able to duel against such a level of "momentum" was the best test of his training results.
However, this opportunity should be coming soon.
Probably within the next month, Duel Academy and the Northern Branch's annual freshman challenge should be coming.
At that time, the academy would appoint first-year freshmen to compete.
In the anime's original story, Bastion Misawa, the top student of Ra Yellow Dorm, and Jaden Yuki, who was nominated, would duel to compete for the opportunity to represent the academy. So, if all went as expected, Yusaku Fujiki guessed that he would be nominated to replace Bastion Misawa in this competition.
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