"Shadow Game? You mean that terrifying 'Shadow Game' where the loser's soul gets destroyed!?"
Akasha's voice trembled as she arrived on the scene, stunned at the mention of "Shadow Game." The other Obelisk Blue elites quickly followed behind her.
"It's Kaiser! Kaiser is here too!"
It was as if a ray of hope had appeared. The students immediately felt safer upon seeing Zane Truesdale—the undefeated king of the Academy.
Zane turned toward Professor Crowler, whose clothes had been torn to shreds by the vampire bats. "Are you alright, Professor? If she's challenging someone to a Duel, please allow me to face her."
"I–I'm fine, good student Zane! As a teacher, how could I possibly hide behind my students in a moment of crisis like this, non non non!"
Crowler struck what he believed to be a dashing pose—but with that Pot of Greed-like face, the result was… less than heroic.
"Oh? Kaiser?" Camula licked her lips as her crimson eyes gleamed with hunger. "My, what a handsome man. I wouldn't mind switching opponents—you'd make such a lovely plaything for me~ Of course, through a Shadow Game."
Crowler snapped back, activating his Duel Disk. "I told you already, I won't let my students fight in my place! And these so-called Shadow Games—there's no such thing, non non non!"
"No, Professor Crowler…" Akasha interjected softly. Unlike the others, she had once witnessed real Shadow Games as a child. "They're real. And they're terrifying."
"Then allow me, one of the Shadow Riders—the Vampire Lady Camula—to show you true despair!"
A swarm of bats poured into the skies above Duel Academy, blotting out the sun. Even in broad daylight, the air turned cold and unnaturally dark.
Crowler shuddered. "A–A vampire… Mamma mia! Don't tell me such terrifying creatures actually exist in this world!?"
Camula licked her finger, smiling wickedly. "Then let's begin the Shadow Game! — Duel!!"
At that moment, a dark aura burst forth from the golden amulet around her neck, spreading to engulf the entire field in a suffocating black barrier—the unmistakable domain of a Shadow Game.
Camula pulled out a faceless, eerie doll from her chest and taunted, "Before we begin—just a warning. The loser of this Duel will have their soul sealed inside this doll."
"I-It's just a parlor trick! You won't scare me, non!"
"I'll take the first turn." Taking advantage of Crowler's trembling, Camula swiftly drew her opening hand from her crimson Duel Disk.
"I summon Vampire Sorcerer in Defense Position!"
[Vampire Sorcerer ★★★★ (Level 4)][DARK][Zombie/Effect][ATK 1500 / DEF 1500]
Zane frowned. "Vampire monsters…? I've never heard of such cards before."
Minazuki elbowed him playfully. "Eh? Even the top student doesn't know? And here I thought you studied every card there is~"
"So you know how Vampire monsters work?" Syrus asked, impressed. "If even my brother hasn't heard of them, they must be super rare!"
Minazuki crossed his arms, expression dead serious. "Know their effects? Don't be ridiculous. A real Duelist doesn't need to know the opponent's effects—just attack head-on!"
Akasha sighed. "…And that's why you're in Slifer Red."
Meanwhile, Camula placed another card into her Duel Disk.
"I activate the Continuous Spell Vampire Domain! Then I set one card face-down and end my turn."
Crowler smirked, regaining his confidence. "All that theatrics, and yet your field looks so pitiful! Very well, allow me to demonstrate the power of the Academy's top professor!"
He slid a card into his custom hanging Duel Disk, and the ground beneath them transformed into a familiar city of gears and metal.
"I activate the Field Spell Geartown!"
Akasha raised an eyebrow. "Again with that Field Spell… Professor, do you ever shuffle your Deck?"
"This is called bonding, non! A true connection between a Duelist and his Deck! But now—it's time for the real show! I activate the Spell Card Ancient Gear Catapult!"
[Ancient Gear Catapult Effect — While you control no monsters: Target 1 face-up card you control; destroy it, and if you do, Special Summon 1 "Ancient Gear" monster from your Deck, ignoring its Summoning conditions.]
"By destroying my own Geartown with the effect of Ancient Gear Catapult, I Special Summon Ancient Gear Golem, ignoring its Summoning conditions!"
[Ancient Gear Golem | ATK 3000]
Jaden's eyes lit up. "It's here! Professor Crowler's ace monster!"
"But that's not all, non! When Geartown is destroyed, I can also Special Summon one additional 'Ancient Gear' monster from my Deck! Come forth—Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon!"
[Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)][EARTH][Machine/Effect][ATK 3000 / DEF 2000]
The mighty Ancient Gear Golem and Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon stood side by side—a perfect setup completed in a single turn.
"Professor is incredible! So he was hiding his true power all this time!"
"To summon two monsters with 3000 ATK in just one turn—he's on par with Seto Kaiba himself!"
"Go, Professor!"
Encouraged by the cheers, Crowler puffed out his chest. "Hmph! Camula! In this academy—built upon the light of progress and hope—there's no place for your darkness!"
Knowing her strategy involved baiting traps, Crowler confidently began his Battle Phase.
"Your pitiful monsters are useless against my Ancient Gears! Their shared effect—"
[When this card attacks, your opponent cannot activate Spell or Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step!]
"Ancient Gear Golem, attack the face-down Vampire Sorcerer! When this card attacks a Defense Position monster, it inflicts piercing battle damage, non!"
A massive mechanical fist blasted through Vampire Sorcerer—and struck Camula's alluring body as well.
[Vampire Sorcerer – Destroyed]
[Camula LP 4000 → 2500]
Crowler smirked proudly. "Now this Duel is as good as over! Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon, direct attack! Thermo Jet Blast—!"
Camula sneered. "You may have sealed my Spells and Traps, but monster effects are still fair game! When Vampire Sorcerer is destroyed, I can add one 'Vampire' monster from my Deck to my hand! Come forth—Vampire Fraulein!"
It was the same monster that had once turned the tables against Alexis.
Camula summoned her onto the field.
[Vampire Fraulein | DEF 2000]
[When an opponent declares an attack: You can Special Summon this card from your hand in Defense Position.]
Crowler waved dismissively. "No matter! Your monster only has 2000 DEF—attack continues! Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon!"
Camula smirked. "Then I activate Vampire Fraulein's effect! As long as she remains on the field, whenever one of my Zombie monsters battles an opponent's monster, I can pay Life Points in multiples of 100 to increase her ATK and DEF by the same amount during that battle!"
[Camula LP 2500 → 100]
[Vampire Fraulein DEF 2000 → 4400]
The pale girl, holding her elegant black parasol, gracefully deflected the strike from the massive mechanical dragon.
[Crowler LP 4000 → 2600]
"And now, the effect of my Continuous Spell, Vampire Domain! When my Vampire monster inflicts battle damage, I gain Life Points equal to the damage dealt!"
[Camula LP 100 → 1500]
Camula's lips curved into a blissful smile as she reveled in the ecstasy of blood-drinking.
Meanwhile, Crowler collapsed to one knee, writhing in pain—his body trembling from the curse of the Shadow Game.
"M-Mamma mia! This pain…! D-Don't tell me this really is a Shadow Game!?"
Camula laughed cruelly. "Only one hit, and you're already on the floor, Professor? Pathetic~"
She tilted her head mockingly. "What a weak and pitiful Duelist. Honestly, I'd rather torment that handsome boy over there instead. I'm feeling generous—I'll let you switch opponents if you like~"
Zane's fists clenched. "Enough! Let me take over, Professor!"
Crowler, still trembling, shook his head. "N-No, Kaiser… This is my battle as a teacher, non non non!"
He forced himself to stand and slammed a new Spell Card into his Duel Disk.
"My turn's not over yet! I activate the Spell Card—Ancient Gear Explosive!"
[Target 1 "Ancient Gear" monster you control; destroy it, and if you do, inflict damage to your opponent equal to half its original ATK.]
"By destroying Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon, I inflict damage equal to half its 3000 ATK—1500 points—to you, Camula!"
[Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon – Destroyed]
The dragon's built-in self-destruct system erupted, releasing a fiery explosion powerful enough to obliterate Camula's remaining Life Points—
—but Camula only smiled. "I knew you'd try that. I activate my Trap Card—Energy-Absorbing Monolith!"
[Chain this card to an opponent's card effect that would inflict damage to you. That damage is negated, and you gain Life Points equal to the amount you would have taken.]
The explosion's energy reversed midair, its heat and force absorbed into Camula's crimson aura.
[Camula LP 1500 → 3000]
Syrus groaned in dismay. "No way! She completely countered the Professor's finishing move! That's just cruel!"
Akasha frowned, sensing something off. "No… it's too precise. It's as if she already knew what card the Professor would play ahead of time."
Camula tilted her head with a grin. "Oh? Are you done already, Professor? I doubt you have any more tricks left~"
"Guh…!" Crowler froze—his strategy had been completely read. "T-Then I'll end my Battle Phase… and activate the Spell Card Ancient Gear Drill!"
[If you control an "Ancient Gear" monster: Discard 1 card; Set 1 Spell Card directly from your Deck. This turn, that Spell Card cannot be activated.]
He discarded a card and Set a Spell face-down before ending his turn.
Watching closely, Zane muttered, "At this stage, if he Set a Spell, it's likely Limiter Removal—the Quick-Play Spell that doubles all Machine-Type monsters' ATK."
Jaden nodded quietly. "Makes sense… but if we can guess it, then she probably can too."
Camula smiled darkly. "My turn, Professor!"
She raised a card from her Graveyard. "When Vampire Sorcerer is in the Graveyard, I can perform a Tribute Summon without Tributes for a Vampire monster! Come forth—Vampire Lord!"
[Vampire Lord ★★★★★ (Level 5)][DARK][Zombie/Effect][ATK 2000 / DEF 1500]
"And I'll switch Vampire Fraulein to Attack Position!"
[Vampire Fraulein ATK 600]
"Now, Battle Phase! Vampire Lord, attack! And I activate Vampire Fraulein's effect once more! When my monster battles, I can pay Life Points to increase her ATK!"
[Camula LP 3000 → 100]
[Vampire Lord ATK 2000 → 4900]
Zane and Jaden shouted in unison, "She paid everything! She's leaving herself wide open!"
Akasha suddenly realized the truth. "Wait! Those bats flying overhead—they're spying on the Professor's hand! That's how she's predicting every move!"
Camula covered her mouth and laughed wickedly. "Hehehe… so you finally noticed. But it's far too late~"
Minazuki clenched his fists. "That's cheating! You're no true Duelist if you win like that!"
Zane's eyes narrowed. "So that means the Professor's Set card isn't Limiter Removal after all…"
[Ancient Gear Golem – Destroyed]
[Crowler LP 2600 → 700]
"Next, Vampire Fraulein, direct attack! Now, suffer beautifully, Professor~"
Spinning her black parasol, the pale girl slashed through the defenseless Crowler with graceful precision.
"M-Mamma mia! I-it hurts so much…"
[Crowler LP 700 → 100]