"I'll end this duel right here, right now, Jaden!"
Syrus stared at Jaden straight in the eye with a confident and fiery look.
"For real this time!"
Goosebumps prickled on Jaden's back as he could not help but make a crooked smirk. "Sheesh. I feel like I could hear boss music coming from you, Sy."
From on top of the ledge, Alexis observe Syrus closely with fascination from his new found confidence. "Wow... Syrus really changed a lot after Mash's speech."
"I wonder what kind of talk they did to make that kind of change." Alexis pondered.
"O HO HO HO~! Of course it must be my Darling's natural confidence radiating to those around them that Syrus changed~!" Lovely declared with a smug tilt of her head, crossing her arms proudly. "It's his charm, after all~"
Chumley paused, staring flatly at her. "Can you stop glazing your 'Darling~' 24/7?"
"Can you stop eating those glazed donuts everyday?" Lovely grinned smugly at Chumley. "You know the Obelisk Students sell them at a higher price~"
"Hey...!" Chumley wanted to argue, but he can't. "That was a cheap shot...!"
Back on the rocky terrace below...
Syrus sweat dripped from his side, as he held {Power Bond} in his finger.
Syrus hesitated to use it, thinking back on his brother words.
Then, he looked back to see Mash with a confident smile at him.
"You know what to do." Mash reassured. "It's your play."
Syrus stared for a moment before turning back to facing Jaden.
He swallowed his spit, and closing his eyes as doubts starts to slowly drained out of him.
"I..."
Syrus opened his eyes again, but this time they were ready.
"I USED THE SPELL CARD, {POWER BOND}!" Syrus shouted as he slip the card into his Duel Disk.
"POWER BOND!?" Jaden eyes widened. "That one super-powerful fusion spell for Machine monsters!?"
"Power Bond allows me to fusion summon a machine monster WITH DOUBLE THE ATTACK!" Syrus shouted. "And so I'll fuse {Steamroid} and {Gyroid} in my hand to fusion summon...!"
"{Steam Gyroid}!"
Steamroid and Gyroid appear on the field before they explode in a bright light for a train standing upright with eyes, and having a propeller blades as arms appears on the field.
{Steam Gyroid|6 Star|Earth|Machine/Fusion| ATK: 2200 -> 4400 DEF: 1600}
On top of the ledge, everyone jaw dropped.
"O-o-o-over 4000 attack!?" Chumley shouted.
"Omg~ It has more attack than Obelisk~" Lovely said dramatically shocked. "Ha! Got it before anyone say it~!"
"Anyway..." Alexis shot her a deadpan look. "This is a pretty bad situation for Jaden!"
Down below, Jaden wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of his wrist. "Great… It's gonna be a real hassle to remove that monster once I survive this turn…"
"Oh Jaden," Mash said, as he smugly tilt of his head. "Didn't Syrus tell you...?"
"You won't."
Meanwhile, Syrus ignored everything. His focus tunneled entirely on the field and hand, as his thoughts calculated rapidly and clearly.
[Know yourself, Syrus...]
[Now that power bond is active, I would take it's recoil damage based on the doubled attack. But since I have 2600 LP and the attack increase to my Steam Gyroid is 2200, I would still survive with 400 LP!]
[However...]
Syrus eyes flicked toward Jaden's facedown card.
[What could that set card be...?]
Then, Mash's advice echoed in his head.
[Know your enemy...]
Syrus replayed the duel back in his mind with focus on Jaden. His cards, his action, his words. Anything.
Then it finally clicked on Syrus, when he a certain conversation:
"I would rather do this tactic if the set card is something like {Mirror Force} or {Magic Cylinder}." Mash said.
"Yeah... I would've do that too if I have them." Jaden said.
[Jaden once said those words... meaning that {Negate Attack} is the best trap card he used to try and bait my previous attack! Meaning that Jaden...]
[Don't have any good traps like {Mirror force} or {Mirror Gate} he usually use!]
"Steam Gyroid!"
Syrus declared, as he raise his hand at Jaden. "We're going for battle!"
"Great." Jaden muttered.
"Uhh... Sy..." Mash leaned in to Syrus and whispering to him. "You have {Limiter Removal} in your hand, right? I think you should use it immediately."
"I would, however..." Syrus whispered and pointed at the set card. "Until I'm certain what that set card that is... I won't use it. And beside, {Limiter Removal} is a quick play spell, I could always use it in the middle of an attack."
"Oh." Mash's mouth dropped open. "Yeah. Yeah. That's right. Good observation."
Mash then quickly looked away at Syrus.
[HOLY SHIT!]
Mash screamed internally. [My guy just leveled up his dueling skill several levels IN A SINGLE DUEL! I knew that this guy was a diamond in the rough, but I didn't knew it would be a diamond the size of a GODDAMN HEAD!!!]
"Now it's time for Steam Gyroid to go full throttle!" Syrus shouted. "Go and attack Jaden's Avian!"
Steam Gyroid spun its propellers at max speed, generating a vortex of wind as it shot upward like a missile.
"Ugh...!" Jaden's face contorted. "Taking a hit from that would hurt REAL bad!""
"Hey, Jay!" Syrus called out. "Aren't you gonna use your set card!?"
"Uhh…!" Jaden glanced at his card, shoulders slumping.
[I don't think my set card {A Hero Emerges} will help me out of this situation since my hand is full of normal monster... So maybe like Mash said, It's best to use it later.]
"I think I'm fine even if I don't use it…"
Syrus's eyes lit up brilliantly. "Then I guess I'm safe to use the quick spell {Limiter Removal}! To double my Steam Gyroid attack points again!"
"D-D-D-DOUBLE ITS ATTACK AGAIN!!???" Jaden screamed.
{Steam Gyroid ATK: 4400 -> 8800}
"Oh my god!" Alexis slapped her hand over her mouth. "It has more than 8000 attack!?"
"Ha!" Lovely grinned wickedly at her. "YOU said the word, Lexy~"
Back on the ground.
Down below, Jaden stared up at the flying mechanical train now blotting out the sun over him.
"…Welp," he muttered. "Good game, Sy."
"Steam Gyroid!" Syrus commanded. "Attack Avian and finish this duel with Train Twister!'"
Steam Gyroid then dive bombs at Avian at full speed as its entire body wrapped with a vortex of wind.
Avian try to embraced himself however, the impact hit him like a meteor and sending him flying toward Jaden.
"Uh-oh."
The feathered HERO crashed into Jaden and sending both tumbling across the dirt.
"UWAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" Jaden went rolling until he landed flat on his back.
{Jaden LP: 4000 -> 0}
"Ow, ow..." Jaden groaned, rubbing his back as Avian's defeated form vanished from the field, alongside the other monsters."
Syrus stood frozen for a moment. His hand trembled around his cards, and his expression is of disbelief of what just happened.
"I…" His lips curled into a stunned, growing smile. "I won against Jaden?"
"SYRUS MY GUYYYYY!!!!!"
Mash excitedly wrapped his arms around Syrus's neck in a chokehold, shaking him back and forth like a ragdoll.
"You goddamn did it! You beat Jaden in a duel! In an OTK no less!" Mash shouted. "And you did all this… all by yourself!"
"I think you're exaggerating this a little…" Syrus looked at the ground, embarrassed. "If it wasn't because of your help—"
"No, I'm serious!" Mash cut him off sharply. "All I gave you was advice and some suggestions throughout the whole duel!"
"This is your win, Sy!"
Syrus's mouth twitched upward despite his attempts to stay humble. He couldn't help it.
"HO HO HO HO HO~!"
BOOOOM!!!!
The entire ledge shook as Lovely jumped and plummeted down from above, landing on the rocky terrace with the elegance of a meteor strike.
"SYRUS!" She shouted. "You're officially my 5th most liked person in the world!"
"Miss Labrynth!?" Syrus startled out of his bliss. "And what do you mean 5th!?"
"It means you're right below me, then Mindy, Alexis, and Jasmine," Mash explained casually. "Also… brace yourself."
"Huh?"
"CONGRATULATION ON THE WIN, BOYS!! YOU TWO DESERVE A SPECIAL REWARD!!"
In an instant, Lovely swooped forward and snatched both Mash and Syrus into a crushing hug with the tightness of giant anaconda death grip.
"ARGGHHH!!!!" both boys screamed.
"MASH! ISN'T THIS TOO TIGHT!!???" Syrus shrieked, his life flashing before his eyes.
"Don't worry, you'll get used to it after a single time," Mash said, eyes closed in resignation. "Just enjoy it."
KRAK.
"WHATS THAT SOUND!?" Syrus shouted in horror.
"Spine," Mash replied.
Jaden finally managed to sit upright, rubbing his aching back. He looks at the ungoing chaos of the three and can't help but chuckle.
But beneath his laugh was a realization that settled in his chest.
[Syrus… you don't know this, but you're more skilled in dueling than you think. And with Mash by your side… yeah. We'll be just fine for the tag duel.]
From on top of the ledge where Alexis and Chumley spectate, a swirling black portal snapped open beside them. With Mash and Lovely stepping out of it.
"YO HO~ I'm back~!" Lovely chimed.
"Haha… yeah…" Mash said, rubbing his back..
"Mash!" Chumley called out. "Your coaching down there really made someone like Syrus look like a pro duelist! Can you coach me too!?"
"Thanks, Chumley." Mash nodded proudly. "I can give you some coaching if you want. Though… I'll need a little DP for that."
"What!? That's absurd!" Chumley protested.
"It's just 100 DP an hour. And that's already with the friend-and-dorm discount!" Mash haggled.
Chumley paused for a moment. "…That's actually a really good offer."
While Chumley mentally calculated his savings, Alexis crossed her arms, fixing Mash with a scrutinizing look.
"Mash..." She called. "Shouldn't you be with Syrus down below? It might benefit him to have you coaching him by his side."
"I already said I'll coach him only once." Mash shrugged. "Besides…"
He glanced toward the field below.
"Syrus got the hang of it," Mash said confidently. "I'm sure he'll be fine even if I'm not by his side."
"Are you sure?" Alexis asked, arching a brow.
"Of course!" Mash declared proudly.
Then his expression lit up as Jaden challenged Syrus back to a duel and Syrus agreed.
"Look, Syrus is gonna demolish Jaden this duel. I just know it!"
Syrus would duel Jaden five more times.
And only won a single time.
---
A few hours later...
The afternoon sunlight filtered through the cracked windows of the Slifer Red cafeteria. Mash, Jaden, Alexis, and Lovely sat together at their table. Mash lounging with his feet up on the table, Jaden looking through his deck, Alexis reading something on her PDA, and Lovely casually polishing her giant axe as if this were perfectly normal cafeteria behavior.
A few moments later, Chumley came into the cafeteria as he walked with his shoulders slumped to their table.
Jaden looked up. "So… how was Sy?"
"He... said that he wants to rest a little in bed." Chumley sighed. "Though his expression is more of a depressed person than a tired one."
Alexis sighed. "And to think Mash finally got his confidence up again… After a single lost to Jaden he just went downhill. Even though he manage to win against him two times in a row..."
"Mm~ I bet he's lying in bed right now thinking he'll be a burden during the tag duel." Lovely rested her cheek in her palm. "Even though he literally proved the opposite just a moments ago even while losing..."
"Man..." Jaden leaned back in his chair with a miserable groan. "If only there was a way to make Syrus believe in himself for once."
"There is a way," Mash announced.
Everyone in the table instantly turned to him.
"Just change his deck to a better one." Mash said flatly. "That is not pure Vehicroid."
"MASH!! Not this again!" Jaden threw his hands up. "How many times do I gotta tell you his deck is good if you have the—"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. The heart of the cards. And how many times do I have to say that that's COMPLETE. AND. UTTER. BULLSHIT!" Mash snapped at Jaden.
"Jaden!" Mash leaned across the table "The only reason you was able to win more against Syrus is because of—!"
He slammed both hands on the table.
"DECK DIFF!!! Your deck is just stronger than his!"
"No it isn't!" Jaden shot back. "He still beat me once!"
"Yeah! That's because he got lucky and top-decked Power Bond" Mash jabbed a finger at him. f he didn't draw that card, you would've wiped the floor with him again!"
"ENOUGH!" Alexis suddenly slammed the table. "This argument isn't helping anyone! If we want to help Syrus for the tag-duel, we need to understand what's making him anxious in the first place!"
"Yeah, and I think I know the culprit." Mash lifted a finger.
"Culprit?"
"It's because of Zane," Mash slammed the table again. "Zane Truesdale. Syrus's older brother."
Jaden's jaw dropped. "WHAT?! Zane is Syrus's older brother?!"
Alexis stared at him with dead eyes. "They both literally has the same family name..."
"That's right, Shmaden," Mash added
"Oh… ha ha… my bad." Jaden scratched the back of his neck. "But what's that gotta do with Sy freaking out whenever he duels?"
Mash inhaled slowly. "So…"
He began explaining the backstory Syrus had confessed to him at the time he coached him.
After he was done, everyone stared at Mash with a surprised face.
"Dude… You mean Syrus stopped using Power Bond just because some brother of his told him to?!" Jaden was flabbergasted.
Mash nodded. "Yep. And if I didn't slap that mental shackles out of him, he probably still wouldn't have the balls to play it. Ever."
Alexis covered her mouth with her fingers. "Zane really said that…? That's harsh even for him. And I think I'm starting to piece together why Syrus is always anxious and timid..."
"I mean... It's must be because of his brother, right?" Chumley nodded slowly. "Because when Syrus isn't around, I always heard murmur from other students comparing him to his brother..."
Mash's eyebrow twitched. "Obelisks Students?"
"Mostly," Chumley confirmed.
Mash grinned darkly. "Guess I'm going hunting tomorrow…"
But then a sudden murderous aura in the cafeteria came from Lovely.
"If we ever meet Zane..." Lovely smiled ominously as she sharpens her axe with sparks flying. "Ho ho~ It'll be a Lovely day seeing you bleed from the ground~"
Everyone stared at her in horror, except Mash, who looked proud.
"Anyway," Mash continued breezily, "there are probably more personal issues between both brothers that we don't know about, but that's just my theory."
"Then it's decided!" Jaden slammed his hand on the table with a fiery grin. "Why don't we just ask the person himself, by challenging him to a duel!"
"You're joking." Alexis's eyes widened. "You want to challenge him to a duel!? The number one undefeated 'Kaiser' of the academy, Zane!? You'll get obliterated, Jaden."
"You know who else is getting obliterated?! Syrus's self-confidence!" Jaden stood, fist raised. "Which is why I'll head out now and make a letter to duel him!"
Mash put a hand on Jaden's shoulder. "Not to stop you or anything, but… look outside."
He pointed with his thumb at the window where the sun is about to set on the ocean.
"You know you can't make a challenge letter when its about to be dinnertime." Mash said simply
"Not if I'm fast enough to write the letter AND challenge him before dinner!" Jaden declared.
"In your wet dreams." Mash turned away.
"Besides… you're not the only one who wants to challenge Zane."
"Huh? What'd you say?" Jaden blinked.
"Nothing." Mash waved him off. "Anyway, let's grab Syrus. It's almost dinner."
As Mash stood up and walk out of the cafeteria door, she turned to look to Alexis. "Aren't you gonna go back to your dorm cafeteria for dinner?"
"I'm could always go there, even if I'm late." Alexis shrugged.
"And also... Isn't it weird for you to hang around in the other dorm cafeteria?" Mash asked.
"Well, you always crash at our cafeteria, so I don't see a problem." ★
"That... is a completely different thing... but whatever."
Mash and Lovely slipped out of the cafeteria and headed upstairs to the dorms. There, Mash knocked on Jaden's door.
"Oi, Syrus! Dinner!"
Silence.
Mash frowned. "Weird… Think he's asleep?"
Lovely cracked her knuckles. "Move aside, Darling~."
Before Mash could even blink—
BOOM.
The door blasted off its hinges and flew straight across the room as Lovely kicked it.
Mash stared at her. "What the fuck."
"I thought he locked himself in~" Lovely shrugged innocently.
"The lock is literally INSIDE the room," Mash said flatly. "How would he possibly lock himself out?"
"Whatever. Not our problem. Jaden can pay his DP for a new door." Mash stepped inside and saw Syrus's bed, the middle bunk of the triple stack was covered by a neatly pulled blanket.
"Hey hey~" Lovely walked toward the sleeping Syrus and grabbed the blanket.
Lovely tugged it off in one dramatic flourish. "WAKEY WAKEY, TIME FOR DINNER—!"
Underneath was nothing but piles of pillows
"Huh!?" Lovely sputtered. "Where did he go?!"
"Lovely. Look." Mash pointed to a note left on the table. "Must be from Syrus."
Lovely walk on Mash for the two to read the note, and their eyes widened in horor.
"Shit... I think I just remembered this part about this episode..." Mash whispered. "It's the part where Syrus try to leave the island with a raft!"
"What!? Don't I remember that he can't swim!?" Lovely said.
"I KNOW!!" Mash shouted, grabbing her shoulders. "Which is why we need to get Jaden and the others right now! I know exactly where he's going! I think."
"Got it~!" Lovely scooped Mash into her arms like a princess and blasted out of the room.
---
At a certain quiet dock with a lighthouse near the Slifer Red dorm... Zane Truesdale stand at the edge of the dock, his arms folded, and his usual stoic expression as he watched the horizon swallow the sun.
Footsteps approached beside him as Alexis walked over to him. Zane didn't turn until she stopped beside him.
"Alexis," Zane called her. "Any new leads on your brother's disappearance?"
"No.." Alexis let out a small, defeated exhale. "It was like he just vanished."
"Well, don't give up. I'm sure you'll find him." Zane's said as his gaze didn't waver from the horizon.
She nodded at the encouragement. "Thanks. Anyway… speaking of brothers, I saw Syrus practicing with Jaden earlier."
Zane's jaw tightened. "Let me guess. He lost."
"Actually, no." Alexis folded her arms "He actually manage to won some of them, with the help of Mash coaching getting him to finally use Power Bond."
"Did he," he muttered. "Hmph. Even now, he still relies on others instead of standing on his own." His tone sharpened. "And Mash… I've heard plenty of unpleasant rumors about him from the Obelisks. And that AI 'girlfriend' he showed off at the entrance exams…"
"Actually..." Alexis hesitated. "Never mind. If I were to told you, I would probably look like a nerd from the occult club."
"?" Zane shot her a questioning look.
"And another thing," Alexis continued, eyes narrowing slightly. "Mash told us about you... forbidding Syrus from using Power Bond."
"So?" Zane voice dropped coldly.
"Just know," she warned, "there are at least two people who want to challenge you to a duel because of that. And neither of them are happy with you."
Zane scoffed. "What? Are they planning to scold me for being a 'big bad brother'?"
Alexis didn't respond to that.
Then suddenly,
"DON'T STOP ME, MASH! JADEN!"
Both Zane and Alexis turned their heads toward the shout echoing from the direction of the Slifer coastline.
There, they saw Syrus near the water edge with a flimsy makeshift raft in front of him.
---
"Syrus!" Jaden shouted, his shoes skidding against the cliffside dirt as he ran toward the water's edge. Syrus stood awkwardly on top of a flimsy, wobbling raft made of tied-together driftwood.
"What are you even trying to do!?"
"Yeah, Sy! Are you outta your mind!?" Chumley added running behind him. "You can't even swim!"
"Can't you see, Jaden!?" Syrus yelled back, voice cracking. "I'm leaving Duel Academy so you don't have to tag duel with me! Because I'll only drag you down and we'll both get expelled when we lose!"
He gripped the raft like it was the only thing keeping him steady.
"If I leave now, they'll assign you with Mash! And with Mash as your partner, you'll have a 100% chance of winning!"
"C'mon, Sy!" Jaden pleaded. "Don't give up yet! You gotta believe in yourself!"
"Well YOU gotta believe in me!" Syrus shot back, eyes squeezed shut. "I'm a lost cause!"
"Urghhh!!!" Jaden groaned, running his hands through his hair. "There's gotta be something I can say to get him back… Maybe if I try coaching him like Mash—"
"Or," Mash glares at him as he get off Lovely's arm, "you could just use the fucking cards I gave you, and none of this would be happening right now."
"I already told you, man! I won't use your world cards you gave me!" Jaden insisted. "Unless they're using your world cards, which I doubt!"
Mash stared at him and just sighed deeply.
"This protagonist is shaving years off my life…"
Then He turned to Syrus.
"Syrus," Mash called, crossing his arms. "You really think thisis the answer? Don't you think that since you're running away from the tag-duel... It means you and Jaden are basically forfeiting."
Syrus blinked. "W-What are you saying?"
"I'm saying," Mash continued, "that you'll get Jaden expelled if you run away, you know?"
Syrus froze.
"T-that..." He hesitated, and after think about it for a moment. "That could… really happen…"
"Good. Now that you get it," Mash said, reaching a hand out, "get your ass over here so we can prep for next week tag-duel. I'll coach you."
"Really…?" Syrus whispered, looking at Mash hopefully. "Okay… okay then…"
He began awkwardly rowing the raft back toward land.
"Well, that was easy," Mash said casually. "I don't know why you're struggling so much, Shmaden."
"Yeah…" Jaden muttered, looking genuinely confused. "I wonder why…"
Then a loud crrrrk came from beneath Syrus.
"Huh?" Syrus looked down.
The raft split.
"WAAAAAHHHH!!!" he screamed as he plunged into the water.
"HELP! HELP ME!!! I CAN'T SWIM!!!" Syrus flailed wildly, splashing like a panicked cat.
"I'M COMING, SY!" Jaden yelled and dove in after him.
"J-JADEN!!!" Syrus latched onto him immediately, dragging him down. "DON'T LET ME DROWN!"
"HEY—HEY! Are you trying to pull me underwater with you- WOAH!!" Jaden shouted as Syrus's panic pulled him underwater.
"JADEN! SYRUS!" Chumley shouted, looking back at Mash and Lovely. "Aren't you two gonna help!?"
"There'd be three people to rescue if I went in," Mash said flatly.
"Uhh~ I hate being wet in a dress~," Lovely added.
"Ugh… Then I guess it's time for Chumley to save the day!" Chumley declared, charging forward. "COWABUNGA!!"
BYUUUURRR!!!
Chumley hit the water with a splash, however, hethen blinked in confusion as his feet touched the ground.
"Huh? Its shallow..."
"PUAAHHH!!!" Syrus and Jaden come out from the water standing.
"PUAAAHH!!" Jaden and Syrus burst back up, now standing on their feet too.
"Man, Sy… aren't you overreacting just a bit?" Jaden coughed.
"My bad…" Syrus muttered sheepishly.
Until-
"I'm disappointed in you, Syrus."
"Huh!?"
A new voice sliced down from above.
Syrus and the others snapped their gaze upward. There, Zane and Alexis stood on the rocky ledge overlooking them.
"B-BROTHER!?" Syrus squeaked. "What are you doing here!?"
"You're trying to drop out of the academy?" Zane asked in a cold tone.
"I… I…"
"Well, it's about time. Go ahead then."
Syrus's shoulders trembled. He looked down and shuffled toward Mash, trying to hold his tears.
Jaden seeing this glared up at Zane, furious. "Hey! You're his big brother! How can you say something like that!?"
"Because I'm his big brother that's why." Zane replied, voice icier than before. "I know everything about him."
"Yeah, I bet you know so much about him, but guess what!?" Jaden snapped. "You don't! And I'm gonna prove it to you right now, by challenging you to a duel-"
"Hold on, Jaden."
Jaden blinked and turned to the sound of Mash voice.
"I think this is the perfect opportunity for me to help Syrus," Mash smirked. "My way."
Mash turned at Syrus who stares back at him.
"Syrus," he said softly, "let's make a bet."
"Huh!?" Syrus was surprised. "A bet?"
"Yeah. The bet will be that I'll beat your dick of a brother in a duel." Mash jabbed his finger at Zane.
"What!?" Alexis shouted.
"But In exchange," Mash continued with a smirk, "I want you to do something for yourself. Remember when I said I'd give you new cards one day?"
"Y-yeah…?"
"Scratch that. You're getting a whole new deck from me."
"WHAT!?"
"And if I lose," Mash added casually, "you can do whatever you want to me."
"Never mind that!!" Syrus sputtered. "There's no way for even you to beat my brother! And I'm not changing my deck!"
"So... You must be that infamous 'Mash' I always heard the Obelisk students talk about." Zane finally stepped forward. His eyes locked onto Mash.
"And you're also one of the two person who defeated Dr. Crowler in the entrance exam with that... theatrical cards of yours."
"Ha ha! Didn't realize that the 'Kaiser' himself is putting so much attention to a lowly Slifer like me..." Mash gave a dramatic bow. "I'm flattered."
"And now this 'Lowly Slifer' wants to challenge me," Zane mused, "to the point of making a bet with my brother."
"Yeah, man! I thought it was decided that I was gonna duel, Zane-"
"Jaden." Mash stared at Jaden with a serious stare, unusual of him. "Please, do me a favor, just this once. It's for Syrus's sake."
Syrus felt something tighten in his chest.
[For... my sake?]
Jaden sighed. "Fine. If it's for Sy… Then you're the expert."
"Thanks." Mash smiled. Then he slid his duel disk out of his Chaos Pocket and strapped it to his arm.
"So, Syrus," he asked. "Are you willing to bet I can beat your brother?"
"Sure... But, It's impossible!" Syrus shouted. "My brother is the undefeated top duelist of the school! His skill, his deck, everything is the best of the school! There's no way for you to win!"
"HO HO HO~!" Lovely laughed dramatically, her hologram forming beside Mash with a smug tilt of her head.
"AND WHO DECIDED THAT~?"
Zane's eyes widened slightly as he finally able to see her. "So that's the rumored 'Mash's demon girlfriend.'"
"Ho ho ho~ Oh, Zane~ You're so lucky," Lovely said with a wicked smirk.
"Hm? And why is that?"
"Because the only reason you're undefeated…" Lovely purred.
"…is because you haven't met ME,"
Mash finished her sentence, smirking confidently. "Get ready, Kaiser. Because your undefeated streak… ends with me."
Zane smiled, intrigued.
"Interesting... Fine. I accept."
____________________________________________
Hey everyone IG here.
Personally, this is the hardest chapter currently for me to make, there is so much emotional scene that I need to make sure beats and cutted scene so the chapter isn't that long than it already is. And not only that, I have exam next week, so I want to atleast squeeze out one chapter this week.
This is also a pretty rushed chapter so sorry for the drop in quality.
Anyway hope you all enjoy because I'm tired asf. Chiao
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