# Chapter 123: For Victory, I Can Abandon Old Friends
Fusion Dimension, the Academy.
Aster Phoenix had been in a foul mood lately. Having fallen twice to the same person, his reputation as a respected Commander within the Academy had plummeted to rock bottom.
Although no one dared mock him to his face, the whispers and gossip behind his back constantly tormented the Commander.
After receiving his discharge from the doctor, Aster Phoenix eagerly went to Akaba Leo's office, wanting to return to the battlefield and wash away his shame.
However, upon meeting Akaba Leo, he received news that he was about to be relieved of his post as the Commander-in-Chief of the Obelisk Force stationed in the XYZ Dimension.
"Why?" Aster Phoenix gritted his teeth, looking at Akaba Leo seated in his chair.
"The Obelisk Force suffered severe losses this time, and many within the Academy have begun to question your capabilities. I need to give them an explanation," Akaba Leo said coldly.
"And you need to calm down for a while. Yuri's injuries are severe, and he sustained them saving you. For now, you'll take over Yuri's work," Akaba Leo arranged.
Upon hearing this, Aster Phoenix's face turned ashen. Take over Yuri's work? What did Yuri do? To put it nicely, he was a special operative; to put it bluntly, he was a secret agent. Although his status within the Academy was high, he held no real power. For Aster Phoenix, who was once second only to one and above ten thousand, this was tantamount to being utterly demoted.
"Then who's my replacement? I refuse to believe the Academy can find someone capable of becoming Commander," Aster Phoenix gritted out.
"It seems that after all this time, the Commander has forgotten about me." Just then, a voice echoed from the nearby shadows.
"Who?" Aster Phoenix looked toward the sound, only to see a man nearly two meters tall, clad in a black trench coat, stepping out from the shadows. Upon seeing the newcomer's face, Aster Phoenix's expression grew even uglier.
"Well, look who it is. The coward who vanished without a trace after losing. And now you've crawled back? What, do you think you can replace me just because I failed?" Aster Phoenix retorted impolitely.
The newcomer was none other than the man who, while still attending the Academy, was hailed alongside Aster Phoenix as one of the "Twin Stars"—Hell Kaiser, Ryo Marufuji.
Unlike Yuto and Shun of Spade Academy, the relationship between these Twin Stars had never been good; they were the kind who wished the other would drop dead on the spot.
During their school years, the two clashed well over a hundred times, with wins and losses on both sides. However, in the final battle that decided the position of Commander, Aster Phoenix was victorious. Ryo Marufuji, on the other hand, vanished without a trace after losing the duel.
And now, Ryo Marufuji had reappeared before Aster Phoenix. And according to Akaba Leo, this guy was about to replace him as the Commander of the Obelisk Force?
"So, you intend for him to replace me?" Aster Phoenix said to Akaba Leo. "Aren't you afraid he'll run away mid-mission? Like he did years ago?"
"Hahahaha!" Ryo Marufuji burst into laughter.
After he finished laughing, Ryo Marufuji threw a Duel Disk toward Aster Phoenix. "I know you're not convinced, so I'll give you this chance. It just so happens I also need to use your defeat to wash away the shame of my own."
Aster Phoenix silently raised his hand and caught the Duel Disk.
"Defeat me, and the Commander's position is still yours," Ryo Marufuji said, then looked toward Akaba Leo at the head of the room. "Professor, what do you think?"
Akaba Leo looked at the two men, who were ready to tear each other apart, remained silent for a moment, then nodded.
After fastening his Duel Disk, Aster Phoenix sneered, "Then let's see what improvements you've made after all these years."
"Duel!" x2
"My turn!" Ryo Marufuji went first.
"I summon Cyber Dragon Core in Attack Position!"
"When Cyber Dragon Core is summoned, I can add one 'Cyber' or 'Cybernetic' Spell or Trap from my Deck to my hand."
"I'll add the Trap Card, Cybernetic Overflow, to my hand!"
"Next, I activate the Spell Card, Machine Duplication!"
"I target a Machine monster on my field with 500 or less ATK. From my Deck, I can Special Summon up to two more monsters with the same name!"
"While on the field or in the Graveyard, Cyber Dragon Core's name is treated as 'Cyber Dragon'."
"Therefore, this Spell Card allows me to Special Summon two Cyber Dragons from my Deck!"
"Appear! Cyber Dragon!"
A flash of light descended upon Cyber Dragon Core, transforming into two mechanical cores that began to shift. Moments later, two silver-white mechanical dragons appeared before Ryo Marufuji.
Cyber Dragon ATK: 2100
Cyber Dragon ATK: 2100
"Still the same old routine? What's next? Your old friend?" Aster Phoenix scoffed. They had dueled countless times, and he was sick of seeing this opening.
"Is that so?" Ryo Marufuji smiled mysteriously. He extended his right hand and clenched it in the air. A dazzling Stardust Vortex formed beneath his feet, and a black card ejected from the Extra Deck on his Duel Disk.
"I overlay my two Level 5 Cyber Dragons!"
"What?!" Aster Phoenix exclaimed in shock.
"O, mechanical dragon of terror, open a new future for the Cyber Style in a new form! Xyz Summon! Rank 5! Cyber Dragon Nova!"
Within the Stardust Vortex, the roar of machinery echoed relentlessly. A moment later, a mechanical dragon with dark red patterns swirling around its body spread its wings and landed before Ryo Marufuji.
Cyber Dragon Nova ATK: 2100
"You actually… learned the enemy's summoning method?" Aster Phoenix stared in disbelief at the scene before him.
He glanced at Akaba Leo, who was sitting calmly and observing from the sidelines, only to find that the Professor remained completely unfazed by Ryo Marufuji's Xyz Summon.
"After losing to you, I realized that the Cyber Style of that time had its limits. So, I went to the Standard Dimension to begin my training. There, I encountered other summoning methods, and I found the future of the Cyber Style!" Ryo Marufuji declared.
"So, you betrayed the noble art of Fusion Summoning?" Aster Phoenix gritted his teeth.
"Hahahaha, no wonder a self-righteous fool like you lost to the same person twice in a row," Ryo Marufuji laughed wildly. "But I am different. In my eyes, victory is everything! For the sake of victory, I can abandon anything! Even if it means bowing my head to learn the enemy's summoning methods!"
As Ryo Marufuji spoke, he took another card from his Extra Deck while the Stardust Vortex swirled to life once more. "It's not over yet! This card can also be Xyz Summoned once per turn by using a 'Cyber Dragon Nova' I control as material!"
"I rebuild the Overlay Network with Cyber Dragon Nova!"
"Mechanical dragon who opens the gate to the future, in your ultimate form, bring down infinite terror upon my enemies! Descend! Rank-Up Xyz Change! Rank 6! Cyber Dragon Infinity!"
...
(end of chapter)