The Yumi inside the room suddenly disappeared quietly, which was only noticed by Midori, Lyman, and Pharaoh.
The two teachers could immediately understand that this Yumi was the Spirit Clone, and since he willingly disappeared, the real Yumi must have returned.
Celina was being closely looked after by her sisters.
They rotated shifts without actually announcing it. One handled meals. One checked her bandages. One kept her company so she wouldn't get bored and try to get out of bed on her own. The dorm room, which used to feel small but manageable, now felt even smaller with four sisters inside.
Celina tried to sit up on her own at one point.
"Lie down," Lulu said immediately.
"I'm fine."
"You said that yesterday."
"And I was fine yesterday."
"You were not."
Celina exhaled and lay back down.
Because of Celina's injuries, her siblings extended their stay on the island. What was meant to be a short visit turned into something closer to a temporary relocation. The small dorm began to look like a shared apartment.
Celina did try to refuse at first. But she couldn't tell them the full truth. Not everyone could see Duel Spirits.
And not everyone would believe that the academy was being quietly influenced by a cult operating behind layers of normal school activity.
Even if she tries to explain it, it would sound like paranoia.
So she could only keep quiet and reluctantly accepted their presence.
With three additional sisters occupying her room, Yumi quietly relocated to Jaden's dorm room for a few days.
Jaden didn't mind.
"Roommates are fun," He said.
"Let's duel." He said.
As for Declan, after his "talk" with Celina, he seemed to disappear into some unknown part of the island.
The Hiiragi sisters tried calling him. But every time, the result was the same.
"I'm fine."
They all knew what that meant. Declan was doing something on his own.
Whether it was training, thinking, or stubbornly processing his bruised pride, none of them could say.
...
When Chancellor Sheppard returned to Duel Academy, a morning assembly was announced almost immediately.
Students from all three dorms gathered inside the lecture hall. Slifer Red can only be counted with one hand, while Ra Yellow and Obelisk Blue now all wear white uniforms with blue lining.
Celina attended as well, seated carefully due to her injuries, her sisters nearby but trying not to draw attention.
Well, she tries to go unnoticed, but Rio openly staring at her makes it feel a bit awkward.
Chancellor Sheppard stood at the podium, hands folded behind his back, before resting them on the surface.
"I have an important announcement," he began.
The hall quieted.
He announced the first annual Genex Tournament. A series of duels to decide the number-one duelist of "Generation Next".
In this tournament, all students of Duel Academy are worthy to enter this tournament. In addition, all of the world's dueling schools, as well as pro league duelists, will be competing.
An open tournament to pros and amateurs alike.
He announced that the duels will take place on this island, and the participants will be given qualifying medals.
And participants are required to duel once per day.
And they can not refuse the first duel to which they have been challenged.
The winner receives all of the opponent's medals, and the last two duelists with medals will fight one another in the finals.
"I have traveled the world to bring only the finest duelist here." The Chancellor said seriously. "Please do your best to ensure that this tournament's first winner comes from this school."
...
The entire morning passed with Yumi not finding anyone worth dueling.
It wasn't that there weren't any challengers.
But most of them either avoided him after making eye contact or ran the moment his gaze landed on them.
After all, he had already beaten all the stronger students at least once, and those actually important that he needs to duel are already dueling someone else and can refuse him.
Jaden stretched his arms behind his head as they walked across campus.
"Man, you're too scary," Jaden said casually. "People keep running away when they see you."
"They're free to challenge me," Yumi replied.
"They're also free to run."
Before either of them could continue, the school speaker suddenly rang out.
"Jaden Yuki. Yumi Uzushi. The Chancellor would like to see you both in his office."
They exchanged a glance before heading toward the Chancellor's office.
...
Inside the Chancellor's office, the two Slifer Reds immediately saw a familiar and an unfamiliar figure standing before Chancellor Sheppard.
"Chumley!" Jaden's face lit up instantly as he ran forward.
"Jaden!" Chumley responded just as warmly, stepping forward and pulling him into a large, unrestrained hug.
Yumi let them have their reunion.
His attention shifted instead to the silver-haired man in a red suit standing calmly beside Chumley.
Elegant posture with a confident smile. And one visible eye observing everything carefully.
"Who are these boys?" the man asked, tilting his head slightly.
"The first is Chumley's former roommate, Jaden Yuki," Chancellor Sheppard said. "And the one behind him is the current strongest Slifer Red, Yumi Uzushi."
"Oh?" The man's visible eye widened slightly in pleasant surprise before he walked toward Jaden and extended his hand. "So you're Jaden, my boy? Chumley has told me all about you."
Jaden shook his hand enthusiastically. The man then turned toward Yumi and offered the same gesture.
"And you, my boy… it seems you've made quite the impression on Kaiba boy. Not only does he hold you in very high regard, but he even granted you twenty percent shares of Kaiba Corp."
Yumi shook his hand without comment, somewhat surprised by the last part as the President hadn't told him anything about it.
Chancellor Sheppard cleared his throat.
"Allow me to formally introduce Maximillion Pegasus, founder of Industrial Illusions."
Jaden blinked. "Wait? You are that Pegasus?"
Pegasus chuckled lightly. "The one and only."
When Jaden asked why Pegasus was here in person, the atmosphere shifted slightly.
"The Winged Dragon of Ra has been stolen," Pegasus said seriously.
Even Jaden straightened at that.
"Although the original card has long since vanished from this world." Pegasus continued, "Industrial Illusions retained a research copy. It was securely stored."
Chumley's expression grew serious. "Our lead designer stole it."
"We have reason to believe he slipped into the Genex Tournament currently being held here," Chumley added.
"Even if it is only a copy," Chancellor Sheppard said, folding his hands, "the power of the God Cards is immeasurable. Already, its presence has brought misfortune to multiple duelists. We must retrieve it quickly."
"Do you have a picture of the designer?" Yumi asked.
Chumley quickly pulled out a small portrait photo and handed it over.
A man with sharp eyes, glasses, gray hair, and a punchable face stared back from the image.
"I see," Yumi said simply.
He pulled out a deck from his coat and tossed it lightly into the air.
The cards scattered, and before they could hit the floor, they transformed midair into forty different Kuriboh spirits.
The office was suddenly filled with floating, bouncing, hovering Kuriboh variants of all shapes and sizes.
Jaden's eyes sparkled. "Whoa! That's so cool! There are so many of them!"
Chumley looked genuinely impressed and shocked.
Chancellor Sheppard, who already knew Yumi could interact with Duel Monster Spirits, was still taken aback by the sheer number he could control simultaneously.
Pegasus, however, crouched down with visible fascination.
"Fascinating…" he murmured as he gently patted a Kuribangboo on the head, feeling its soft, rabbit-like ears twitch.
Many of the variants he had never even seen before.
Yumi held up the picture.
"See this punchable face?" He showed it to the Kuribohs. "Find him."
At the command, the forty Kuriboh spirits scattered instantly, phasing through walls and windows in every direction.
The office became quiet again.
Chancellor Sheppard nodded slowly to himself.
Asking Yumi for help had been the correct decision.
He immediately moved to inform tournament officials that the Genex Tournament would be temporarily suspended. An announcement followed shortly after, requesting all participants to remain indoors until further notice.
It didn't take long.
One Kuriboh phased back into the room, bouncing urgently in front of Yumi.
"Found him," Yumi said.
The Kuriboh began floating toward the window, acting as a guide.
Pegasus stood immediately. Jaden and Chumley followed without hesitation. Even Chancellor Sheppard came along.
But normal human physical ability couldn't keep up.
Especially not when Raye manifested behind Yumi, lifted him effortlessly, and took off at full speed from the window.
By the time the others were still halfway across campus, Yumi was already descending into the forest beyond the academy grounds.
He landed smoothly.
Standing several meters away was Franz, the one who stole the copy of God Card.
The man looked up just in time to see a Slifer Red descending from the sky.
"Who are you?" Franz demanded, clearly startled.
"Slifer," Yumi replied simply. "Now hand over The Winged Dragon of Ra."
Franz sneered and pulled out the golden card. Even in the forest shade, it gleamed unnaturally.
"If you want it," he said, sliding it into his deck and snapping his Duel Disk into activation, "you'll have to beat the deck it's in."
Yumi raised his own Duel Disk. It unfolded with a mechanical click.
"DUEL!"
[Yumi, LP 4000]
[Franz, LP 4000]
"I'll go first. Draw!"
Yumi drew calmly, his eyes lowering to the card in his hand. The corner of the red frame reflected briefly in the forest light.
"Quick-Play Spell, Sky Striker Mecha - Hornet Drones. Special Summon a Sky Striker Ace - Token to my field!"
A rainbow hologram formed on his field, pixels gathering into the familiar outline of Raye.
[Sky Striker Ace - Token, 0 DEF]
The token hovered slightly above the ground, translucent yet stable.
"Since a Sky Striker Ace monster was summoned, I can Special Summon Roze from my hand."
He placed another card down.
Blue data gathered in spirals, compressing into the slender form of a silver-haired girl with twin tails and a saber resting at her side.
[Sky Striker Ace - Roze, 1500 DEF]
The air around Roze shimmered.
Her body began to glow, flames wrapping around her frame.
The glow intensified before peeling away like burning paper.
"Henshin! Sky Striker Ace - Kagari!"
[Sky Striker Ace - Kagari, 1500 ATK]
Orange mechanical armor locked into place over her body. Six metallic wings unfolded from her back with a smooth mechanical sound. Heat distortion flickered faintly around her.
"Kagari's effect. When she's summoned, I can add a Sky Striker Spell from my graveyard to my hand."
A card slid out from the graveyard slot of his Duel Disk.
Yumi caught it and immediately activated it.
"Quick-Play Spell, Sky Striker Mecha - Hornet Drones. Special Summon another Sky Striker Ace - Token."
A second rainbow hologram manifested beside Kagari.
[Sky Striker Ace - Token, 0 DEF]
Yumi extended his hand forward. A faint white summoning circle began forming beneath all three monsters.
"I offer Kagari and my two Tokens as Tribute."
The three monsters glowed simultaneously.
Kagari's wings folded inward as her body dissolved into light. The two Tokens shattered into particles like glass made of rainbows.
The sky above the forest darkened.
The clouds gathered unnaturally fast. Then the air around them grew heavy, something that even Franz realized.
Wind pressure shifted.
"Show yourself," Yumi said evenly as he placed the red card onto his Duel Disk. "My true form!"
Violent red electricity flares around him, emitting a deep crimson glow as red thunder strikes down around him.
The air grew heavy, thick enough that Franz instinctively took a step back.
A massive serpentine body descended from above, scales reflecting deep red light. Two mouths opened slowly, each lined with sharp fangs. Enormous wings spread outward, casting a shadow across the trees.
The roar that followed was so loud that practically anyone on the island would notice.
Franz's face drained of color.
"I-Impossible…! How can it still exist in this world?!"
[Slifer the Sky Dragon, 3000 ATK]
He stared at the towering divine dragon hovering behind Yumi, his red jacket billowing in the strong wind.
Both Yumi's and Slifer's golden eyes match each other in intensity, as they locked down on the silver-haired man shaking in his boots in front of them.
Then he remembered.
"Slifer."
That was how this Slifer Red introduced himself.
Franz had assumed it was a joke. A dramatic nickname. Something a dorm student would use to sound cool.
He hadn't expected...
Slifer/Yumi: I summoned myself!
[Yumi = Slifer the Sky Dragon]'s proof +1
"I set one card. Turn end."
Yumi slid a card face-down onto his field without hesitation.
"And since the number of cards in my hand changed," he added calmly, "Slifer's ATK changes as well."
[Slifer the Sky Dragon, 3000 -> 2000 ATK]
Franz swallowed.
Before he could speak, footsteps approached from behind Yumi.
"This is..." Jaden's voice trailed off.
By the time Jaden, Chumley, Pegasus, and Sheppard reached the clearing, they were greeted not by The Winged Dragon of Ra, but by Slifer the Sky Dragon.
Pegasus's visible eye widened noticeably.
"Impossible… Yumi, my boy, how can you use Slifer?" he asked, genuine disbelief in his voice. "No… how do you even have Slifer?"
After all, those who use counterfeit God Cards will suffer the wrath of the god.
Yet, when Yumi summoned Slifer, the God of the Sky didn't seem offended one bit; in fact, Slifer the Sky Dragon even looked a bit happy to cooperate with him.
Yumi tilted his head slightly over his shoulder.
"I'm Slifer."
Although he has spent a lot of Spirit Energy to print out this Anime/Manga Version of Slifer the Sky Dragon, he still has enough to print another God Card with his remaining Spirit Energy.
But doing so would be a bit pointless, and if he did that, he would be broke and wouldn't have enough to print any new cards.
God Cards are powerful and all, but if he couldn't use them. Then they are worthless to him.
So when he chose to print one of the three God Cards.
The Winged Dragon of Ra was the first to be crossed out. That crispy chicken is powerful and holds the highest Divine Hierarchy out of the three. But its effects don't fit Yumi's usual play style.
Obelisk the Tormentor, although it is powerful and can act as a powerful beatstick to tear down opponents using brute force. But that giant was still crossed out in the end. Brute forcing isn't his style either.
As for Slifer the Sky Dragon, it just fit Yumi too well. Slifer's ability is based on controlling the field. Yumi's main play style is control and high-pressure assault.
That's also not to mention Slifer is red with golden eyes, while Yumi wears red and has golden eyes.
So it's only normal for him to have Slifer the Sky Dragon first.
Yumi shifted his gaze back toward his opponent, seeing Franz place his fingers on his deck, his muscles tensed.
"My turn. Draw!"
Franz drew sharply.
"I activate the Spell Card, Pot of Greed. I draw two cards."
The green smiling pot materialized briefly on his field before shattering into fragments of light. Franz added two more cards to his hand.
The moment his eyes landed on the card, his lips curled upward. A low chuckle escaped him.
"It seems Lady Luck is truly on my side."
He raised his Duel Disk.
"I activate the Field Spell, Mound of the Bound Creator!"
The ground trembled.
Three massive ancient stone towers rose around the clearing, forming a triangular formation. Their surfaces were carved with unfamiliar runes. Above them, the sky darkened, black clouds slowly spiraling toward the center.
The forest now felt more like an altar.
"Now I Normal Summon, Ra's Disciple!"
An Egyptian warrior clad in gold-accented armor appeared before Franz, kneeling briefly before rising.
[Ra's Disciple, 1100 ATK]
"When this card is Summoned," Franz continued, pulling his deck forward slightly, "I can Special Summon up to two more Ra's Disciples from my hand or Deck!"
"Slifer's effect." Yumi's voice cut in calmly. "When you Summon a monster, Slifer reduces its ATK or DEF by 2000. If it reaches zero, it's destroyed."
Behind him, Slifer's second mouth opened, bright lightning gathered, and fired.
The bolt shot toward Ra's Disciple.
"Quick-Play Spell, Cascade Barrier!" Franz slapped the card down instantly. "I target my Ra's Disciple. Its ATK becomes 0, and it cannot be destroyed by card effects this turn!"
A golden barrier wrapped around the warrior just as the lightning struck. The impact crackled against the shield but failed to destroy it.
[Ra's Disciple, 1100 -> 0 ATK]
"Now my Ra's Disciple's effect resolves!"
Two more golden-armored warriors appeared beside the first.
[Ra's Disciple, 1100 ATK] x2
"Slifer's effect."
Slifer's mouth opened slightly. Two bolts of lightning descended toward the newly summoned monsters.
"Quick-Play Spell, Trap Booster!" Franz responded immediately. "I discard one card to activate a Trap Card from my hand!"
He calmly sent a card to the graveyard and placed a Trap onto his Duel Disk.
"Continuous Trap, Ultimate Offering! I pay 500 Life Points to immediately Normal Summon or Set one monster!"
[Franz, LP 4000 -> 3500]
Before lightnings struck.
"I offer my three Ra's Disciples as Tribute!"
The three warriors dissolved into golden particles and avoided Slifer's lightning. The bolts crashed into empty space.
Wind pressure shifted again. Above them, the dark clouds gathered more violently.
"It's coming! Yumi, my boy!" Pegasus called out, looking up.
Franz raised both hands toward the sky, his voice rising as he began chanting.
"Sleeping soul of the god, be reborn here and now! Show this lesser god what a fool he is for trying to stand against you!"
"Come forth, The Winged Dragon of Ra!"
The clouds parted.
A massive golden dragon that looked like a golden chicken descended slowly from above, wings spread wide, its body glowing with divine radiance. Its crimson eyes locked instantly onto Slifer, hovering across the field.
It let out a sharp, furious roar.
[The Winged Dragon of Ra, 3300 ATK]