# Chapter 7: The Crisis of Spade Academy
By the campfire, Yūga Hōzumi spent his first night in this World. The next morning, Shinjō Katsu gathered all the Survivors in this camp.
"Yūga Hōzumi," Shinjō Katsu reported to Yūga Hōzumi after counting the numbers, "everyone is here. There are a total of 3732 people, among whom 1009 are capable of Battle. The rest are either wounded or refugees."
"Are we really left with so few people?" Yūga Hōzumi frowned. "Let's get ready to depart. If we leave now, with some luck, we can reach the Spade Academy's Base by evening."
"Where are we going?" Just then, the gathered crowd began to whisper amongst themselves.
"It seems we're heading to the Spade Academy's Base on the East Side?"
"Why go there?"
"The Chief must have a Plan. By gathering, our Power can be more concentrated."
"But if we gather, wouldn't it be easier for the Fusion Dogs to wipe us all out?"
Seeing the growing chaos, Yūga Hōzumi had no choice but to find a high vantage point. Looking at the noisy crowd below, he spoke:
"Everyone, please quiet down and listen to me!" Yūga Hōzumi's voice silenced the tumultuous crowd below.
Looking at the now quiet crowd, Yūga Hōzumi slowly began, "Most of you probably know my identity. After the Principal and the graduating Senior Students fell in Battle, I took on their responsibility, leading the remaining Duelists of Heart Academy in resistance."
"However, the Fusion Dimension's Army has now occupied more than half of Heartland City, and their Troops are still continuously receiving Reinforcements. But what about us? Can we truly only struggle to survive under their onslaught?"
"Everyone, I thought about this for a long time yesterday. For the future of Heartland City, we can no longer fight individually like this. We should integrate all our Active Forces and advance or retreat together."
"I know this is a path full of hardship and sacrifice. One misstep could lead to irreversible doom. Maintaining the status quo might allow us to cling to life for a while longer, and some of you here might not want to follow me."
"However, everyone, the Fusion Dimension's Fusion Dogs are here to exterminate us all! They've shown no mercy, even to the elderly and children who can't even pick up a Duel Disk!"
"This War was forced upon us by them! If not for this War, I should have already graduated by now, and as a Professional Duelist, I would be bringing joy to all of you with my Duels!"
"If not for this War, all of you would still be living your lives, complaining about your bosses at work, returning home to your wives and children by a warm hearth, and occasionally watching two exciting Duels. Heartland City would still be that Utopia! But all of this has been Destroyed by the Fusion Dimension's Fusion Dogs!"
"Therefore, everyone, rather than being defeated one by one like stray dogs by the Fusion Dogs, it's better to unite and let those Invaders know that we are not to be trifled with. Only then will we have a glimmer of Hope for survival!"
"Yes, that's right! Let those Fusion Dogs know our strength! Drive them out of Heartland City!" Under Yūga Hōzumi's Speech, several vigorous Duelists below couldn't help but shout.
"No, what we need to do is more than just driving them out of Heartland City!" Yūga Hōzumi shook his head, looking at the crowd below. "One day, after our XYZ Dimension recovers its vitality, all the suffering they inflicted upon us, we will pay back twofold!"
"Now, we are about to embark on this path, even if it's filled with endless thorns. Are you willing to follow me?" Yūga Hōzumi raised his right arm, clenching his fist tightly.
"It's just a worthless life, isn't it? My heart died long ago after those Fusion Dogs Turned my sister into Cards. I'm with the Chief!" A young man below the stage gritted his teeth and said.
The young man's words were like a spark, igniting the originally listless crowd. The atmosphere immediately became impassioned.
After the crowd quieted down a bit, Yūga Hōzumi waved his hand: "Move out!"
After Yūga Hōzumi led the people from the Heart Academy camp away, from the shadows of the Ruins, a blond-haired man with a red ribbon tied around his wrist walked out.
"Make them pay back double for our suffering? Quite interesting." The man muttered, stepping in the direction Yūga Hōzumi and the others had departed.
...
That evening, Yūga Hōzumi led the group to the vicinity of the Spade Academy camp. Their luck had been fairly good on the way; they hadn't encountered the Fusion Dimension's Army.
However, when they arrived near the Spade Academy camp, they finally understood why their journey had been so peaceful – tens of thousands of Obelisk Force had completely besieged the entire Spade Academy camp.
"Because Yuto and Shun aren't here, they intend to wipe them out in one fell swoop?" Yūga Hōzumi said, frowning as he watched the Army continuously marching past not far from their hiding spot.
"What should we do?" Shinjō Katsu asked. "The number of people we have capable of combat is even fewer than Spade Academy. Charging head-on certainly won't work."
After some thought, Yūga Hōzumi looked at Shinjō Katsu: "Therefore, we can only try to contact the people inside the encirclement at Spade Academy, to see if we can coordinate an inside-outside Operation to help them break through."
"Shinjō Katsu," Yūga Hōzumi said, "I'll try to sneak in later. You wait here with them for my Signal."
"But, Yūga Hōzumi, that's too dangerous..."
"Listen, make sure everyone gets enough rest tonight. If I don't manage to send out a Signal before tomorrow morning, then from now on, you will be the Chief of Heart Academy. Take everyone and find a place to hide. Afterwards, if a group of people calling themselves the Lancers come to Heartland City, help them well," Yūga Hōzumi said.
Yūga Hōzumi's words, akin to entrusting a legacy, startled Shinjō Katsu, who quickly said, "Yūga Hōzumi, do you really have to take such a risk?"
"The Survivors and active combatants of Spade Academy were originally the best preserved among the Four Major Academies. If they all die here, then Heartland City will truly be left without a shred of Hope," Yūga Hōzumi said.
"This..." Shinjō Katsu hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I understand, Yūga Hōzumi. You must come back alive!"
...
That night, inside the Spade Academy camp.
"Damn it! Of the four people who went out to seek Support, is there no news from a single one?" A young man, around the same age as Shinjō Katsu, frustratingly pounded the table.
"The outside is already surrounded, and the Comms System was Destroyed long ago. It's unlikely there will be any Support," a little girl in the camp said with a darkened expression. "We can only make a desperate stand now."
"Of course I know that, but we can deal with ordinary Minions. However, with Yuto and Shun gone, who can stop those twin sisters? Today alone, over 40 of our people have been Turned into Cards by them," the young man said, gritting his teeth.
"This is bad, Cheng! Those twins are out to Challenge us again!" A chubby kid rushed frantically into the tent, saying.
At this moment, inside the Spade Academy camp, two women moved as if unchallenged.
"Sister, is this the strongest Spade Academy in this Dimension? How come there isn't a single Duelist who can fight?" The white-haired woman among the two said indifferently after shrugging, looking at the Duelists around them who were retreating.
"I heard their Leaders, Yuto and Shun Kurosaki, who are known as the Twin Stars, ran away? How laughable, Leaders who desert in Battle?" The blond-haired woman likewise said with a beaming smile.
(end of chapter)