Looking down at the unconscious Jaden lying on the ground, Yumi finally gained a clearer understanding of the power gap in this world. Since Jaden was the protagonist of this reality, his strength served as a fairly reliable baseline for what the duelists here were capable of.
And the difference was obvious. This version of Jaden was far weaker than the one from his own world.
Honestly, that was a relief. That meant his effort wasn't all for nothing.
At least his Aibo could enter a Domain clash with him, keep up during a Chain clash, and actually stand his ground when they fought seriously.
The photon particles still clinging to his body slowly began to fade, scattering into the air like tiny pieces of stardust. As the transformation wore off, his clothes gradually returned to their original colors, leaving him standing there in his normal Slifer Red uniform once again.
Yumi glanced down at Jaden for another moment before casually looking around the cafeteria.
Everyone was staring at him.
The cafeteria, which had been filled with noise and excitement only moments ago, had fallen completely silent. Even the students who had been cheering for Jaden were now watching Yumi with a mixture of curiosity, confusion, and more than a little caution.
Yumi could practically hear the questions running through their heads.
Who was he?
Where had he been all this time?
If he was really this strong, why hadn't he shown up when the Beast Waves first attacked?
And why had nobody at Duel Academy even heard of him before?
Why is his hair pink?
Hoshino-sensei's student is just like her!
Yumi simply ignored them. With just one glance, he could already tell they had many questions, but he wasn't particularly interested in answering any questions.
"You really are something else, you know that?" Hoshino sighed.
She finally started walking toward him, looking completely exhausted as she rubbed the side of her forehead.
Yumi glanced at her.
"What gave it away?"
"Do you really need to ask?"
Hoshino stared at him for several seconds.
Her new student had just dealt with a huge Beast Wave, cleared the wandering spirits that had been terrorizing the island, and then proceeded to defeat Jaden Yuki, one of Duel Academy's strongest young duelists, without even looking particularly strained.
She wasn't sure whether she wanted to laugh or cry.
She should probably laugh.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Duel Academy finally had something that resembled hope. The Beast Waves had already exhausted most of their professional duelists, leaving the academy's defenses severely weakened. Teachers and students had been forced to fight simply to keep the school standing, and every new wave had taken another piece of their confidence.
Even her connection to Chaldea was cut, leaving her weakened.
Then Yumi had appeared out of nowhere and casually changed the situation.
But at the same time...
"Do you realize how ridiculous this looks from my perspective?" Hoshino asked, her brow furrowed in exasperation.
Yumi tilted his head, looking genuinely unbothered. "Not particularly. It's quite a spectacle."
"Of course you don't think so."
She gestured toward Jaden, who was currently being supported toward the infirmary by a group of concerned friends.
"That's Jaden Yuki; you probably know him from your world. He's one of the top duelists we have in this academy, and you just dismantled him like it was nothing."
"He wasn't that bad," Yumi countered, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "At least he lasted until the second turn. Most people don't even make it past the first draw."
Hoshino's eyelid twitched. She looked genuinely annoyed by his nonchalance.
"Don't tell me you were planning to FTK him? Is an OTK not enough for you?"
A small, melodic chuckle escaped Yumi.
Behind them, Jaden's friends continued to lead him away, occasionally glancing back at Yumi with expressions ranging from confusion to pure suspicion. None of them seemed entirely sure what to make of the newcomer.
Noticing the growing crowd of students whispering and watching, Hoshino lowered her voice, her tone turning sharp.
"And now everyone is going to start asking me questions... about you."
"Then tell them I'm the strongest," Yumi suggested easily.
"I already have enough problems to deal with as it is."
"Then tell them to come and duel me for the answer."
Yumi placed a hand over his chest with exaggerated, dramatic seriousness. Hoshino didn't hesitate; her hand shot out and smacked him firmly on the arm.
"Sensei, that actually hurt," he complained, though his eyes remained playful.
"Good. Maybe it'll knock some sense into you."
"You really are a cruel teacher."
"And you're a nightmare student. I'm starting to pity your other teachers,"
He knew he wasn't the easiest student to manage. He thought about the chaos he had already caused: Crowler's constant irritation because of him and Jaden slacking off in classes, the way he nearly sent Lyman into a toilet, the multiple heart attacks he'd given Midori. He didn't even know the names of most of his instructors yet, but he had already left a mark.
He wasn't exactly a model student; he was the kind of troublemaker who left an indelible impression on their instructors. Long after graduation, there will be a time when those teachers would look back at a chaotic classroom and think, "I survived Yumi Uzushi; these kids are nothing."
"See? We're already building a bond," Yumi said with a charming smile, clearly unaffected by her sharp tongue.
Hoshino stared at him for a long moment, letting out a long, weary sigh that seemed to carry the weight of the entire school.
"...You're going to make me regret taking you in as my student, aren't you?"
"Glad to see we're on the same page," he replied, giving her a cheerful thumbs-up.
Her eyelid twitched violently as she clenched her fist, looking like she was seconds away from a physical outburst. Finally, she let out a breath.
"I knew it."
Yumi turned on his heel and began walking toward the exit. Hoshino quickly fell into step behind him; she knew better than to let this troublemaker out of her sight. If he was left to his own devices, he'd likely cause more chaos for Duel Academy than the Beast Waves ever did.
"And where do you think you're going now?" she demanded.
"To the rooftop to check on my two new servants."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out two blank cards, the ones he had confiscated from her earlier. He held them up between his fingers, admiring them with a satisfied grin.
Hoshino's face flushed with annoyance. "Those are mine!"
"They were," he corrected smoothly.
"They are still my servants, just like Nobu!"
"Not according to the terms of our agreement."
"We never agreed to those terms!" she yelled.
"You didn't object at the time."
"I was too busy trying to figure out why the entire island turned into a kaiju battlefield!"
"Then I suppose I got lucky," Yumi teased.
Hoshino stopped in her tracks, staring at him in sheer disbelief. "You are utterly impossible."
"Thank you, I take it as a compliment."
"That was definitely not a compliment!"
Before she could launch into another rebuttal, a familiar, lazy voice drifted from Yumi's side.
"You really do have a natural talent for pissing people off, don't you?"
Oda Nobunaga appeared suddenly, walking alongside them as if she had been there all along. She looked uncharacteristically casual, wearing nothing but an oversized, simple T-shirt with the word "Burst" printed across the front.
She gestured lazily toward Hoshino.
"Look at her. She's about three seconds away from strangling you."
Hoshino rubbed her temple, trying to soothe a mounting headache. "It's fine. You'll just have to be my human shield."
Oda sneered, crossing her arms over her chest as she eyed Yumi. "You really are a black-hearted master."
"I prefer the term 'honest,'" Yumi lied as casually as breathing. He knew he wasn't his sister; being honest isn't exactly his thing.
"To me, you're just a perverted master," Oda countered, rolling her eyes. "You stare directly at my naked body without so much as a blush."
Yumi looked down at her, his hand darting out to tug at the hem of her shirt, peering toward her chest. "Yeah, your legs are still better than your chest."
"Do you have a death wish?!" Oda snapped. She lunged forward, headbutting him squarely in the chin.
"Agh!"
The impact sent them stumbling back lightly. In the scuffle, her legs wrapped around his waist, locking behind his back, while her hands reached up to grab his face.
"You little!" Yumi sputtered, grabbing her cheeks to keep her at bay.
The two of them ended up in a ridiculous struggle, stretching each other's faces as they tumbled toward the exit.
"You twisted, perverted Master!" Oda yelled.
"I'll send you to the basement once this is over!" Yumi barked back.
"You aren't even human!"
"Lancer is death!"
"Lancer isn't here!"
Hoshino's expression soured instantly. Seeing her student and her former servant getting along so well, it was almost uncanny, as if they were two peas in a pod.
"You two are a perfect match," Hoshino muttered, her voice dripping with irritation.
Both Yumi and Oda paused, momentarily caught off guard. Oda Nobunaga, however, showed no signs of apology, continuing to cling to Yumi as he began to walk backward casually.
"Now that you mention it, Sensei," Yumi teased, his eyes gleaming with mischief, "You really shouldn't frown so much. You'll get wrinkles."
Hoshino's eye twitched.
"Exactly!" Oda added, nodding enthusiastically. "Stress is bad for the skin. It raises your blood pressure and makes you look ancient."
Oda leapt from Yumi, landing gracefully on the ground, and began walking forward as Yumi turned around and continued walking.
A brief, heavy silence fell over the group. Hoshino came to a sudden halt.
Yumi and Oda took one more step before realizing the tension had shifted.
"Hey, do you feel a chill?"
"Put on more clothes than just a T-shirt."
Hoshino stood perfectly still behind them, a visible vein throbbing in her forehead. Her hands were already drawn back. Two simultaneous strikes landed squarely on Yumi and Oda's heads.
"Ow!"
"Agh! That stung!"
Hoshino shook her hands out, wincing slightly from the impact, though her glare remained fixed on the two troublemakers.
...
After that, the three finally reached the school rooftop.
The wide, empty space gave Yumi plenty of room to test his luck and see what kind of Spirit was within the second blank card. He placed the first card onto his Duel Disk, and white light immediately flared to life in front of him, bursting upward before slowly settling down.
At the same time, the blank card on his Duel Disk began to change as an image and text gradually appeared across its surface.
Standing within the fading light was a young woman with cherry-blossom-colored hair. She wore a light pink kimono with a pinkish-purple pleated hakama, along with traditional footwear, while a black katana hung from her side.
The moment Oda Nobunaga recognized her, her jaw dropped.
"That man-slayer again!?"
Hoshino, however, looked more amused than surprised as she glanced between the two women.
"Huh. It seems you two really can't stay away from each other."
The name on the card finally became clear.
[HERO Spirit Okita Souji]
Okita slowly opened her golden eyes.
The moment she saw Yumi standing in front of her, her expression changed. Her eyes met his golden gaze for only a fraction of a second before she suddenly vanished.
A sharp sound of steel cutting through the air followed.
Okita reappeared directly in front of Yumi, Kojiki Kiyomitsu already drawn as she swung the blade straight toward his neck.
Yumi barely moved. A massive humanoid figure made entirely of white stone-like material suddenly appeared between them, its glowing yellow eyes staring down at Okita as one enormous hand caught the blade before it could reach its target.
Okita's eyes widened, seeing her attacked was blocked.
"The Earth."
Yumi murmured as his eyes flashed crimson.
The moment she felt the overwhelming malice leaking from his body, Okita immediately tried to retreat, but a dark shadow had already spread across the ground beneath her feet.
"Dark Law."
The shadow reached hers, and a massive hand emerged from the darkness, grabbing her legs and stopping her movement.
Yumi casually walked toward her, the white giant having already disappeared back into his body.
"Not bad. You nearly got me there."
Okita didn't answer.
Her grip remained tight around her sword as she stared at him, clearly unsettled by the darkness surrounding him. It wasn't simply threatening; there was something unnaturally calm about the way Yumi carried it, as though he had already accepted that part of himself rather than trying to hide it.
Yumi stopped in front of her.
"Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you. Not yet, at least."
Okita's expression remained on guard.
Before Yumi could say anything else, something struck the back of Okita's legs. Her knees buckled, forcing her to fall forward and catch herself with both hands before she could hit the ground. Her katana slipped from her grip and clattered against the rooftop.
"Y-Y-You..."
Her composure finally cracked as she looked up, only to discover Yumi sitting on her back as though he had found a convenient chair.
Oda immediately burst out laughing.
"I never thought I'd see the famous man-slayer reduced to this."
Okita's face flushed with embarrassment.
"Nobu! You're here too?!"
"Of course I am."
Oda walked over and, apparently deciding that Yumi's terrible idea was worth making worse, sat down on his lap while casually resting against him; her feet shifted to place her bare feet on Okita's head.
"Much better."
"Get off me, Nobu!"
"You're surprisingly comfortable."
"Both of you, stop bullying her!"
Hoshino's voice immediately cut through the scene.
Yumi and Oda both looked toward her while Okita nearly looked ready to cry with relief.
"Master!"
"No, I'm your Master now," Yumi reminded her, pointing at himself.
Okita froze before snapping at him.
"I won't accept you!"
Hoshino sighed before finally stepping in and explaining everything that had happened, including how Yumi had inherited the blank Heroic Spirit cards and how Okita's contract had now been transferred to him. At the same time, Yumi and Oda finally stood up and allowed her to get back on her feet.
The explanation did little to improve Okita's mood.
"Master... you're really leaving Okita-chan with this horrible man?"
"He's not that horrible." Hoshino paused and glanced at Yumi. "...Most of the time. Just give him some time. You'll have plenty of opportunities to figure out what kind of person he is."
"Master... can I commit seppuku?" Okita asked, looking directly at Hoshino with pitiful eyes.
"Want me to hold the knife for you?" Oda asked with a playful smirk.
"I can stab you from other directions too if you want." Yumi added, standing beside Oda.
"No! No! And NO!" Hoshino snapped at the three, feeling her blood pressure skyrocketing.
"But Master... Y-You are selling Okita-chan off to a horrible man who is eyeing Okita-chan's body!" Okita complained, acting even more pitifully while pointing an accusing finger toward Yumi.
"Damn, she figured out our plan." Yumi suddenly whispered, not quietly, to Oda Nobunaga standing beside him. "We need to move fast."
"If you can give a 'sword' like yours to join the act. I won't mind helping you subdue her." Oda whispered back to him, also not quietly and pretty obviously.
"Deal. I'll take the back; you take the front."
"Deal."
As the two suddenly became very in sync with one another, Hoshino didn't know what to say to these two troublemakers. Just an hour ago, Oda was trying to kill Yumi; now they are acting like best friends, even planning to do some... PG18+ things to Okita openly, like accomplices planning to rob a bank together.
Okita, now with a flushed face, raised her katana high with her shaking hands while standing right behind the two of them. She really wanted to slash them, but she knew that right now, her former Master actually needed them alive.
"Can you at least take this seriously!" Hoshino snapped, feeling her headache worsening by the moment. "Seriously, Yumi, couldn't you at least try to behave properly around your new servants? You don't exactly make the best first impression."
Yumi looked at her for a moment before his expression became noticeably calmer.
"Why should I?"
Hoshino sighed before speaking. "Because they're going to be working with you?"
He looked toward Oda and then Okita.
"I'd rather they know what kind of person they're actually going to be spending their time with rather than a mask I put up to please them. I already accepted myself, both the good and the bad, so there's no reason for me to put on a fake personality just because I want them to like me."
His tone remained casual, but there was genuine conviction behind his words.
"Your Heroic Spirits will stay with me for as long as I live. They have bonds that originally belonged to you, Sensei, and those bonds won't disappear just because their cards are in my possession. But that doesn't mean they know me."
Yumi glanced at Okita.
"They'll have to decide for themselves whether they can accept me."
He then looked toward Oda.
"If they hate me, that's fine. If they tolerate me, that's fine too. And if they eventually come to like me after seeing who I really am, then I'd rather have that than have them become attached to some fake version of me."
The rooftop became quiet.
Oda's usual grin faded into a more thoughtful expression as she looked at Yumi. Okita also remained silent, her earlier irritation slowly giving way to something else.
It was an unusual answer from someone as shameless as Yumi. Annoying, reckless, and sometimes completely inappropriate, yes.
But at least he wasn't trying to deceive them.
Neither Spirit knew him yet, at least not on a deeper level. Their previous connection had been with Hoshino, and whatever affection they had for her wouldn't automatically become the same kind of bond with Yumi. If anything, that made his answer more meaningful.
He wasn't asking them to immediately accept him. He was simply giving them the chance to decide for themselves. They weren't spirits he created using his own power, so their affection, trust, bond, acceptance, and understanding of him isn't max out.
Hoshino stared at him for several seconds before she muttered under her breath, suddenly realizing something.
"Damn it... I thought you were a Gudao... Turns out you're a Gudako!"