After the final exams wrapped up and the last Third Year tossed their graduation cap into the air, the Academy shifted into its next cycle. Dorm shuffling, new class schedules, fresh drama, everything rolled forward as usual.
Yumi and his allies officially stepped into their Second Year, upgraded uniforms and all. Despite the new titles, nothing really changed for them. Same friends, same chaos, same daily nonsense. The only difference was that now they were expected to act "more mature," which everyone immediately ignored.
And right on cue, the new rising star arrived.
Aster Phoenix, international prodigy, professional duelist, and the kind of guy smooth white hair had more special effects than many other duelists, stepped onto Duel Academy's island with one purpose:
To investigate the anomaly called Yumi Uzushi.
The boy who is the enemy of both goods and evils. The duelist Fate itself apparently refused to shut up about.
But for reasons no one would ever understand, Aster took one look around, spotted a Slifer Red that matched the depiction, and confidently concluded:
"Yes, that must be him."
Second year. Slifer Red. Uses HEROes. Enjoys dueling too much.
Yup. Check, check, check, and check.
The description fit perfectly… except for the small detail that Aster had grabbed the wrong HERO user.
So he challenged Jaden Yuki to a duel.
And of course, Jaden said yes. Jaden would duel a tree stump if it suddenly got up, pull out a Duel Disk, and challenge him to a duel.
Only when the duel actually began did Aster realize this kid with a jellyfish head was not his target.
But they were already mid-duel, Aster already committed, the crowd already cheering, and Jaden was already having fun.
Calling it off now would've been pointless… and embarrassing.
So Aster grit his teeth, accepted his fate, and dueled the wrong chosen one.
...
Yawning lazily, Yumi lay on the cool October grass field, his head resting comfortably on Rio's lap. Celina sat against the tree behind them, her back straight, her legs stretched out and resting lightly across Yumi's stomach. The three of them remained beneath the shade, enjoying the quiet breeze that carried the scent.
"Are you really not gonna go check out the new students?" Celina asked, eyeing him from above.
"No. There's really no point." Yumi replied without hesitation.
He had already sorted through his memories the moment the semester began. The current First Year roster was nothing special. Aster Phoenix, the Destiny HERO duelist, was technically the strongest among them, but being a Pro Duelist before ever arriving at Duel Academy meant he barely spent time here. He only appeared during major events relating to Destiny, then disappeared again.
Tyranno Hassleberry was strong for a First Year Ra Yellow and would eventually throw himself into Jaden's shadow as his self-proclaimed "little brother," but outside of that, there wasn't much to analyze.
Overall, nothing worth walking across campus for.
"Maybe there will be someone that catches your interest," Rio said, her tone hopeful.
Yumi considered the possibility for a second, then shook his head.
The only new student who could pique his interest just by the name is Kazuko Kawakami. He and Momoyo's younger sister, another adopted sibling of the Kawakami family.
But due to the difference in ages, she would most likely be enrolled in the school during their Third Year.
So the current First Years were irrelevant. He closed his eyes again, letting the breeze pass over him.
Just as he expected, the first day ended up being uneventful. Several new students came looking for Slifer, only to mistake Jaden for Yumi. The moment Jaden realized they wanted a duel, he immediately went along with it.
Even after they figured out Jaden wasn't Yumi, none of them complained. Testing their strength on the "second strongest Slifer Red" wasn't a bad benchmark for them. If they couldn't defeat Jaden, then the thought of facing the real Yumi was out of the question.
By evening, Jaden had already gone through fourteen duels. On the ship dock. In the classroom. In the duel arena. Cafeteria. Hallway. And eventually the open field.
...
A week slipped by before anyone noticed, and during that time Crowler had spiraled into his own personal crisis. He sat cross-legged on the office floor, plucking petals off a rose one by one. An oversized poster of Aster Phoenix hung on the wall behind him like a shrine.
"He loves Duel Academy… He hates Duel Academy… He loves Duel Academy…"
Jean-Louis Bonaparte, short, round, and wearing the permanent look of a man suffering, had been watching him do this for fifteen minutes straight. Crowler didn't even glance at him, too absorbed in the dramatic fate of the rose.
With Chancellor Sheppard away on a business trip, Crowler was acting Chancellor for the moment. As for how Bonaparte became Vice-Chancellor? Nobody knew. Nobody questioned it either; it simply happened, like an unfortunate accident everyone was forced to accept.
Finally, Bonaparte's patience snapped.
"Okay, what are you doing?" he demanded.
Crowler paused only long enough to glare before returning to his rose. "I need to know whether Aster hates or loves Duel Academy."
"You know one flower would have been enough."
"I wanted to be sure, alright!?" Crowler shouted, springing to his feet.
Bonaparte groaned. "Looks more like you're torturing flowers, you imbecile."
He rubbed his face. How did this fool become Chancellor again? Sometimes he missed his bowling team back in France… at least their incompetence was predictable.
As for why Crowler had descended into this melodrama, the reason was simple. Aster Phoenix, who had challenged Jaden during the first day of his arrival, was officially enrolled as a freshman, yet he never showed up afterward. They waited until sundown, standing on the docks like abandoned puppies. Then Aster simply walked past them, boarded his yacht, and sailed back to Domino City without a word.
He had other matters to deal with… and apparently Duel Academy wasn't worthy of his schedule.
Bonaparte tried to spin it into opportunity: "If the pro duelists won't carry our fame, then we'll build our own stars!"
But their biggest problem immediately followed:
Yumi Uzushi had vanished for the entire week.
Important business off-campus, accompanied by Professor Midori. Without Yumi, the most talked-about Slifer, they couldn't use him for publicity. Bastion was an acceptable backup candidate. Alexis was an obvious choice. Rio refused, leaving them with limited options.
Crowler plucked another petal. "He loves Duel Academy…"
"No, no… he hates us!" Crowler suddenly screamed, dropping the rose as if it had betrayed him. "IT'S BECAUSE OF MEEEE! I DROVE HIM AWAY!"
He collapsed to his knees, weeping loudly. "I'm sorry! Please forgive us!"
Tears poured down like a monsoon until they abruptly stopped. Crowler stood up calmly, wiping his face as if nothing had happened.
"Well! No use dwelling on the past." He walked to his desk, voice steady. Bonaparte stared at him, horrified by how quickly the emotional switch flipped.
"Do you remember our plan for Duel Academy's new stars?" Crowler asked, pulling out a rolled poster.
"Of course I remember, you andouille! I made that plan!" Bonaparte snapped, thankfully using French; Crowler only understood English and Italian.
Crowler slammed the poster down proudly. "Feast your eyes! Our new four stars of Duel Academy!"
Bonaparte took one look and nearly fainted.
Celina stood confidently on the right. Chazz posed with an arrogant, smug grin. Jaden was eating a cheeseburger. And Syrus… was crying on the ground. It was the only decent photo Crowler had managed to take.
"ARE YOU MAD, YOU NINCOMPOOP?!" Bonaparte shrieked, clutching his head. "They're SLIFER REDS! The worst of the worst!"
Crowler smirked. "Not for long. All four, yes, even Truesdale, have the potential to reach Ra Yellow, perhaps even Obelisk Blue. All we need to do is force duels against the Blue students and the new transfers. If they win, their fame elevates Duel Academy's reputation. If they lose, well, the public doesn't have to know."
Bonaparte blinked. "…That could work. That could actually work. And once they move up, Slifer Red will be finished!"
"Exactly!" Crowler declared.
The two men burst into maniacal laughter, feeding off each other's schemes.
Until Bonaparte abruptly stopped.
"…There is one glaring issue," he said, pulling out two photos: Yumi Uzushi and Midori Hibiki.
"First, Slifer himself," Bonaparte continued. "Yumi Uzushi. His reputation isn't any weaker than his sister, the She-Devil. He represents Slifer Red, destroying the dorm won't be easy if he returns."
Crowler's expression tightened, but he nodded.
"And Midori Hibiki," Bonaparte said, tapping her photo. "The instructor of Slifer Red. She approves all administrative decisions concerning the dorm. If she learns what we're planning, her disapproval alone could stop everything."
Crowler was silent for a moment… then a slow, sinister smile spread across his face.
"Then the solution is simple," he said quietly. "We act before either of them returns. How can they stop us if the Slifer dorm is already gone?"
Bonaparte's grin matched his.
The two burst into laughter again, echoing through the office like a pair of villains who had finally convinced themselves their plan wasn't completely idiotic.
...
Meanwhile, outside of Duel Academy and deep in Domino City.
Both Yumi and Midori stood before the massive Kaiba Corp headquarters, its glass surface reflecting the skyline and the enormous Blue-Eyes White Dragon statues guarding the entrance.
"…Huh. Didn't think you'd drag me here of all places," Yumi murmured, eyes lingering on the polished KC logo.
"Your duel during Zane and Momoyo's graduation match was seen by the Founder of Duel Academy," Midori replied calmly. "President Kaiba took interest. That's why we're here."
Yumi raised a brow at her, walking beside her up the wide marble steps. "And here I thought we were supposed to be searching for your brother."
"I explained the situation to President Kaiba. He agreed to help, on one condition." Her voice became quieter. "That you entertain him."
Yumi paused at that, understanding immediately. Entertain Kaiba meant duel Kaiba.After the Nameless Pharaoh departed this world, Kaiba had been left without the one duelist he truly acknowledged. And with Yugi Muto retired and mostly avoiding the public eye, Kaiba's already small circle of worthy opponents had shrunk to almost nothing.
The elevator doors slid open as a suited bodyguard bowed them in without a word, pressing the floor number for them. Midori stayed composed. Yumi let out a slow breath, knowing exactly what he was walking into.
When the doors opened again, they were greeted immediately.
"Good afternoon, Miss Midori."
A slightly older, sharply dressed Mokuba Kaiba approached with a professional smile. He had long outgrown the mischievous boy Yumi remembered from the stories, now carrying himself like someone who spent more time reviewing contracts than running around with Duel Disks.
"And you must be Yumi Uzushi," Mokuba added. "The President is already waiting for you in Duel Arena #1. It's best not to keep him waiting."
Even now, Mokuba referred to his older brother as the President in front of outsiders. Always formal. Always respectful.
Yumi simply nodded and followed the assigned bodyguard through the long corridor.
They stopped at a heavy metal door. The guard entered a code, stepped aside, and the doors slid open with a mechanical hiss.
Yumi walked in.
His footsteps echoed across the vast arena floor, far different from the sleek, high-tech halls outside. This chamber resembled a stadium more than a room, lights focused on the dueling platform at the center.
A familiar voice carried from ahead.
"So you finally came."
Yumi looked up.
Seto Kaiba stood on the opposite platform, tall, sharp-eyed, arms folded across his chest. The iconic white coat draped behind him like a banner. His gaze was intense, but not hostile.
"I've heard plenty about you," Kaiba said, raising his head slightly. "And I admit… I'm impressed."
With a smooth motion, he lifted his left arm. His Duel Disk snapped open, humming to life.
"So you'd better not disappoint me."
Yumi blinked slowly.
"…No introduction? Just straight to the duel, huh."
Kaiba didn't answer. He didn't need to. The Duel King's retirement had left him starved for a real opponent, and the moment Kaiba realized this first-year student used a mixed deck, one that faintly resembled Atem's style, his expectations had shifted instantly.
Yumi exhaled, letting the tension settle. Then he smiled faintly and activated his own Duel Disk.
"I'll try."
Both took their positions.
"DUEL!" x2
[Kaiba, 4000 LP]
[Yumi, 4000 LP]
"I'll go first. Draw."
Kaiba didn't hesitate. The moment the card left his deck, his hand moved with cold precision.
"I set three cards face-down."
Two cards slid into his back row, followed by a monster quietly settling onto his field. Not a moment wasted, every action fast and efficient.
"I discard Thunder Dragon from my hand to add two more Thunder Dragons from my deck."
Yumi watched the card shoot into Kaiba's grave, the deck responding immediately with the search. Kaiba didn't slow down.
"Next, Spell Card, Polymerization. I fuse the two Thunder Dragons in my hand."
The Duel Arena reacted instantly. Blue energy surged, the lights dimming for a moment as a vortex of crackling electricity spun open behind Kaiba. Thunder rolled through the hall, loud enough to shake the floor beneath Yumi's feet.
A towering, serpentine form emerged, massive wings snapping open as golden lightning crawled over its purple-scaled body. Its roar echoed, sharp and violent, as if it was challenging the entire arena.
[Thunder Dragon Colossus, 2600 ATK]
Yumi narrowed his eyes slightly. Kaiba wasn't easing into anything. This was him testing Yumi immediately, seeing how he handled pressure from turn one.
Kaiba crossed his arms, expression unreadable but clearly satisfied with his setup.
"Turn end."
Yumi looked up at the towering Thunder Dragon, not intimidated, just quietly impressed. For a man who had sealed his deck away for years, Kaiba still opened the duel like someone who never stopped sharpening his fangs.
"…Impressive." A small smile tugged at Yumi's lips as he placed his hand on his deck.
"Draw!"
He checked the card, then immediately slid it into his Duel Disk.
"Spell Card, Take Over 5. I send the top five cards of my deck to the graveyard."
Five cards shot into his grave in quick succession.
"Quickplay spell, Sky Striker Mecha - Widow Anchor."
The hologram of a massive mechanical claw fired out, clamping tightly onto Colossus.
"I target your Thunder Dragon Colossus to negate its effect. And since I have three or more Spells in my grave… I can take control of it."
The energy flow changed direction sharply. Colossus' lightning dimmed for a moment before recoiling, dragged to Yumi's field by sheer mechanical force.
Kaiba's eyes narrowed. Losing his pressure piece this early was unexpected, but he didn't flinch.
Yumi continued without pause.
"Ritual Spell, Sky Striker Bonded."
A ritual flame materialized behind Yumi, low at first, then rising into a dark-red bonfire.
"I tribute the Level 8 'Thunder Dragon Colossus' on my field… and Ritual Summon, Level 6, Sky Striker Ace - Doombroker!"
Colossus erupted inside the dark flame, its form breaking apart as shadow and crimson light spiraled together. The energy condensed and reshaped, stepping out of the fire as a familiar slender figure.
Raye appeared, her long pale blonde hair whipping in the digital wind. A long black trench coat draped from her shoulders, fedora tipped low, a scarlet scarf trailing behind her like a burning ribbon.
[Sky Striker Ace - Doombroker, 2500 ATK]
"Battle." Yumi raised a hand forward. "Doombroker, direct attack."
Kaiba's eyes widened slightly. That was enough to tell Yumi he had caught the President off guard.
"When Doombroker is Ritual Summoned using a monster from the field, she's allowed to attack directly."
Doombroker's right hand ignited into red-and-black flame as she dashed forward, slicing downward.
"Not happening." Kaiba cut him off, arm sweeping toward his back row.
"Continuous Trap Card, Fiendish Chain!"
Chains burst out from the arena walls, snapping around Doombroker's limbs and locking her in place before she could strike.
"I negate your monster's effect. It can't attack or change battle position."
The flames around her arm flickered out as the chains tightened, suppressing her completely.
"Figures." Yumi slid a card into his back row. "I set one card. Turn end."