'This creepy place has Shadow Duelists?'
Morgan glanced in surprise at the glowing Dragon Mark, but quickly realized the light was faint and the feeling vague. If it was a Shadow Duelist, it had to be a particularly weak one.
Losing interest, Morgan figured such a weak opponent probably couldn't even beat a student—no need for her to get involved.
The student bus rolled slowly into the overgrown parking lot. Jade stepped off nervously, eyeing the gloomy sky, the dark forest, and the pitch-black domed building in the distance.
She shivered and hid behind Morgan.
"Morgan, if a ghost comes out, you have to protect me!"
"I'll run first thing."
"How could you…"
Jade shrank like a rabbit, trailing behind Morgan.
…
After the chaperone teacher announced some rules, they led the group into the domed building. Despite its rundown appearance, the school always had it cleaned before training camp. Other than that, there was nothing worth noting.
"So it's a big shared sleeping room…"
Morgan looked helplessly at the empty hall lined with identical bedding. With so many second-years, giving each student a separate bed was impossible.
Morgan didn't mind, but Jade and the others immediately claimed spots around her, surrounding her completely.
Today was just for settling in; the actual training would start tomorrow.
After unpacking, night had fallen. Dinner was simple, and the mountains were quiet except for faint insect calls. No one fell asleep right away.
"Morgan, tell us a story," Jade said.
The others chimed in, and Morgan sighed, closing her eyes. What were they, kids who needed a bedtime story?
Still, she thought for a moment.
She'd already told the story of Jaden Yuki from Yu-Gi-Oh! GX through to near the end, so this time she'd continue into the next Yu-Gi-Oh! series.
"Then I'll tell you about a duelist named Yusei Fudo, who loved fixing motorbikes and dueling. His ace monster was a white dragon called Stardust Dragon…"
Morgan's calm narration soon gave way to the sound of light snoring.
Half-asleep, she felt movement in her blanket. Jade sheepishly emerged.
"Morgan, I need to go to the bathroom. Can you come with me?"
Morgan stared at her.
"It's left out the door. My soul will go with you, but my body's staying here. If you're scared, bring the card you feel safest with—it'll protect you."
That last part was made-up nonsense, but Jade believed it, taking out a Harpie Lady card and shuffling off.
Later, she returned pale-faced and without the card.
…
The next day, training began. Outside the dome, duels were everywhere, monsters being destroyed in a constant chorus. Teachers moved between matches, giving chain-combo advice.
Suddenly, a shout drew everyone's attention.
"Jade! What are you doing? Why aren't you Link Summoning Harpie Conductor?!"
Her teacher frowned—she had two monsters on the field, perfect for Link Summoning the Link-2 Harpie Conductor, whose effect could bounce an opponent's monster. Instead, she attacked and got wiped by Mirror Force.
Such basic misplays couldn't be fixed by tutoring alone. If she didn't adjust fast, she might be kicked from training.
Morgan frowned… this wasn't just Jade. Several strong students had also lost because they didn't summon their ace monsters.
That evening, back at the dome, Morgan asked:
"Why didn't you Link Summon? Your opponent shouldn't have been a problem."
After repeated prodding, Jade teared up.
"Actually… I don't have Harpie Conductor anymore…"
"What?!"
Morgan and Isla exchanged looks. They hadn't expected that.
"Last night, going to the bathroom, I heard a strange sound. When I checked, I saw… Linkuriboh."
'Linkuriboh?'
Morgan froze. She knew what that monster was, but how did Jade see it? She didn't have Spirit Sight.
"I've always loved Linkuriboh, but it's so rare I could never get one. I tried to catch it, but it ran. I chased it into the forest and met a strange girl, who challenged me to a duel… if I won, I'd get Linkuriboh. If I lost, I'd give her a rare card."
Jade admitted she'd been impulsive and lost.
Morgan understood—no wonder she hadn't summoned her ace.
The school strictly banned wagering cards in duels. Who was behind this?
Jade nodded, regretting it… She'd lost a precious card and nearly got sent home.
Morgan sighed. They had to get it back; otherwise, more students would lose their rare cards.
And Morgan was intrigued by the idea of seeing a duel spirit.
"Can you find her again? I'll get your card back. Who hasn't done a wager duel before?"
Morgan grinned—wins were always satisfying.
That evening, Morgan walked the halls alone, bait for the culprit. Jade and the others followed in secret.
Cool night air drifted in. A round little figure appeared on the stairs—Linkuriboh.
'Am I really seeing a spirit?'
Morgan gave chase. Linkuriboh saw her but, spooked by the figures behind her, bolted.
They followed it into the forest, where they found a campfire in a small clearing. Five people sat around it. A petite girl at the center was clearly the leader, dressed in a red tube top showing her navel, with a short white jacket. Her skin was lightly tanned from outdoor life.
"Heh, boss, you're amazing. These green students are easy marks. We've already scored so many rare cards on day one!"
"All thanks to the boss's ability to control spirits. But why did the Shadow Duelists specifically tell us to hunt a student named Morgan?"
"You don't know? She's the Junior League champion. She's bound to have valuable cards the Shadow Duelists will pay big for!"
"Just a junior champion—no match for boss."
The leader, holding Linkuriboh, suddenly frowned.
"What? You saw something terrifying?"
A shadow fell over her… Morgan, arms crossed.
"So that's why students are doing wager duels—you're rare card hunters."
The girl's head snapped up, eyes wide in fear. Reflected in her pupils were not just Morgan, but strange shapes—spirits she'd never seen before. One massive mech darkened the sky, triggering her megalophobia.
"W-who are you? Why do you have so many spirits…"
Before Morgan could answer, one of the hunters pointed.
"Boss, that's the target—Morgan!"
Morgan smiled at the petite girl.
"You're after me? Good. I'm here to take back my friend's card."
The girl, regaining her composure, forced a grin and readied her Duel Disk.
"Then let's wager duel… loser gives the winner a rare card."
"No."
The girl froze. Wasn't this Morgan's idea?
Morgan smiled. "One card at a time is too slow. Let's wager our entire Decks."
The girl was stunned. Rare card hunters usually stole one at a time… Morgan went straight for the whole Deck.
...
If you want to support, please consider Patreon, and read advanced chapters! Your support keeps this series going!
[Patreon.com/RedZTL]