The school store, night.
"Draw!"
Jaden drew a card from the two remaining cards in Syrus Truesdale's hand.
Ace of Hearts.
Syrus Truesdale was left with one Joker.
"I won again." Jaden lay back in his seat, a satisfied expression on his face.
Syrus Truesdale sighed, "Ah, as expected of Big Bro. No matter what cards he draws, he's invincible. Big Bro is cheating-level strong at Old Maid."
Jaden turned to Yugen, who was engrossed in writing a report in front of the computer behind him. "Hey, Yugen, don't you want to play a round? It's super fun."
"I'll pass." Yugen smiled. "I'm still a bit short on my theoretical report."
The Slifer Red trio immediately deflated like punctured balloons.
"Damn it, reports again," Jaden scratched his head.
Syrus Truesdale: "Big Bro, why don't we go back and finish our reports?"
"No way." Jaden shook his head repeatedly. "How can we let the despicable bread thief go unchecked?"
"No, it's just some bread, I think the report is more important..."
Jaden's attitude was firm: "Anyway, it's not due until the day after tomorrow. We still have a whole day tomorrow. It's not too late to start writing then."
Syrus Truesdale sighed: "Big Bro, you always say that..."
Jaden then looked strangely at Alexis Rhodes, who was also sitting behind them reading a book. "Speaking of which, why are you here? Are you also going after that bread thief?"
"Don't be silly, I just happened to be free," Alexis Rhodes said.
Yugen glanced at her but said nothing.
Ms. Dorothy appeared with a plate of rice balls. "You've all worked hard, come eat dinner."
"Oh oh, Ms. Dorothy's rice balls!" Jaden exclaimed excitedly.
Ms. Dorothy chuckled: "There are plum, bean, and salmon fillings. But they all look the same from the outside..."
"I get it, drawing rice balls, huh. Alright, watch me draw a salmon!"
Jaden rubbed his hands together.
"My turn, draw a rice ball!"
He unhesitatingly picked one, took a bite, and then, satisfied, revealed the filling: "Salmon Summon successful."
Syrus Truesdale exclaimed: "As powerful as ever, the Hand of God, Big Bro..."
Jaden was very pleased with his state, smiling as he looked at Yugen: "How about it? Do you want me to help you draw a salmon too?"
"Thank you, but no need."
Yugen smiled and casually picked one up.
It was also a salmon filling.
"Ha, you're not bad either," Jaden patted his back. "Indeed, powerful duelists have something in common."
Yugen smiled, not answering.
"..."
Late night.
The school store was already closed and dark, and the surroundings fell into silence, with only the occasional insect chirps and the sound of a gentle breeze. The school store's rolling shutter was tightly closed, like a sleeping fortress.
Until a faint rustling broke the silence.
The heavy rolling shutter, illuminated by the moonlight, first trembled slightly, emitting a "creaking" friction sound.
Then, little by little, it was forcibly lifted by a strange force.
A black figure, half-crouched outside the door, used sheer arm strength to forcefully lift the heavy rolling shutter, creating a gap wide enough for one person to pass through.
The crowd hiding in the shadows, waiting, were all startled by this scene.
What kind of monstrous strength was this?
Lifting a locked rolling shutter with arm strength, was this really human?
Yugen couldn't help but fall into thought.
The anime said that dueling strengthens the body, and it truly didn't deceive me. Practicing dueling really can turn one into a Superman. No wonder Kaiba's President always free-fell from helicopters, playing superhero landings without a scratch; it was all from dueling.
"This is as far as you go!"
The lights flashed on, and Jaden led the charge, leaping out.
Indeed, standing in the center of the school store was a muscular savage, with a mane of messy long hair, bare and toned dark skin, looking exactly like Tarzan.
The savage was startled and quickly turned to run, dashing out the way he came. The people hiding in the dark also immediately revealed themselves and rushed out in pursuit.
However, the scene that followed left everyone even more dumbfounded.
The savage rushed out the door, leapt into a tree, and swung into the forest, grabbing a vine. Just as he reached the peak of his swing, he suddenly let go, leaped, gripped a thick branch with both arms, executed a nimble aerial somersault, and then launched himself forward again, grabbing another vine with both hands, swinging further and further away.
Syrus Truesdale was utterly stunned.
"What is this? Tarzan?"
This physique, these exaggerated movements, was it really possible for a human to do?
"Kurikuri!"
Winged Kuriboh floated out.
"Yes, I know, partner." Jaden nodded. "Come on, let's take a shortcut."
Once the person had shown their face, it would naturally be difficult to escape pursuit once targeted by spirits. No matter how strong this savage was, he couldn't run forever.
So, after a series of swings through the forest, the savage jumped down from a tree to catch his breath. After only a short rest, he heard human voices from the nearby bushes.
Jaden and the others quickly emerged.
The savage was startled and was about to run again when Ms. Dorothy called out to him: "Dashan? Is that you?"
The savage stopped.
"It really is you." Ms. Dorothy was surprised.
Jaden asked, confused: "You know him?"
"Damon was an Obelisk Blue student before," Ms. Dorothy said. "He suddenly disappeared a year ago. I didn't expect to find him here..."
Alexis Rhodes immediately paid attention.
Sure enough, she had a feeling this incident might be related to the academy's missing students.
So, could this person be connected to her missing brother...?
"It wasn't a disappearance, but training," Dashan said in a deep voice. "The me now has transformed compared to a year ago.
In the past, although I was always first in Obelisk Blue's written exams, whenever it came to practical duels, I could never draw the cards I wanted. No, it was even worse than that!
The more crucial the duel, the stronger the opponent, the more I would draw cards completely opposite to the current situation!"
He seemed to sink into an unbearable memory.
"The turning point was a year ago, in that vital practical assessment. My opponent Summoned Jinzo on the first turn, and what happened? I drew five Trap Cards in my starting hand!"
Everyone: "..."
That was truly unlucky enough.
Yugen seemed to somewhat understand.
Indeed, always having a bricked hand could drive someone insane.
And in this world, bricked hands weren't just a matter of probability; they were also a matter of metaphysics. In the words of the academy curriculum, Dashan's "momentum" was too weak.
Whenever he encountered a somewhat capable opponent, his momentum would be suppressed by the opponent, and naturally, he would often have bricked hands.
"Then one day I realized that the true meaning of drawing cards is hidden in nature! So, for the past year, I've been cultivating in seclusion in the deep mountains, becoming one with nature, and now I've finally perfected it!"
"Is that really true?" Yugen smiled.
"What?" Dashan frowned.
"Although you've drawn Golden Egg Sandwich for a week straight, you always snatch them before the event even starts. What does that prove? You don't have any competitors, do you?"
Yugen smiled.
"If you draw them before others can even make a move, isn't that just a single-player game? A duel isn't a one-person game. How can that prove you're stronger than others?"
"What?"
Dashan said in a deep voice.
"Are you questioning the results of my training?"
"I wouldn't dare. I'm just saying your method of verification might not be very scientific."
"Then according to you, what should I do?"
"According to me? Only practice can verify truth, and only duels can verify training."
Yugen picked up his Duel Disk and smiled.
"How about it? Want to give it a try?"
"Oh? Interesting." Dashan scoffed. "What you say makes sense. Indeed, everything is for winning duels. If I can't improve in actual combat, then this year of training is meaningless.
Alright, then I accept."
"Duel!" x2
Jaden, standing nearby, opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but then realized with a start that he had already missed the best moment.
Ah, what Yugen said was exactly what he wanted to say.
Why did it feel like another duel had been stolen from him again...?
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