"A Fusion Academy student summoned Stardust Dragon? Aoyao, Lost… are you two serious?"
In Synchron Academy's staff office, Takehiko Izumi and several third-year students in charge of welcoming the visiting academies were discussing the events of the morning's first inter-academy encounter.
"It's absolutely true, bro. I saw it with my own eyes… Lost got blasted to pieces by Stardust again."
"'Again' is unnecessary," Lost said pointedly.
"What about you, Krista? What do you think about the Stardust Dragon?"
As a fellow Stardust user, Takehiko was most interested in Krista's perspective.
"I haven't actually fought Stardust Dragon yet, so I can't say for sure. Though honestly, what caught my attention wasn't the dragon."
Recalling their brief encounter earlier that day, Krista remembered removing her helmet after crashing into Lost—and then seeing it undoubtedly for the first time: the Millennium Puzzle hanging from Aisha's neck.
"That has to be a Millennium Item."
"A Millennium Item?" Lost said excitedly. "Krista, you mean that thing's the same as your Millennium Scale?!"
"Without a doubt. And the power sealed within it might even surpass the Scale that weighs good and evil across the world."
Unlike most other Millennium Items, the Millennium Scale couldn't be carried around easily; That's why leaving such artifacts lying about was far too dangerous.
So Krista, its current bearer, had arranged to store both the Scale and a key card deep beneath Synchron Academy, in a secure underground chamber.
Only Krista and Vice Principal Orcus had access to that secret vault.
"I've told you before—since last year, the Millennium Scale has done something unprecedented: it's shifted three times in under a year. A device that measures the balance of good and evil in the world shouldn't fluctuate like that… It's a bad omen."
In fact, in less than half a year, the Scale had tilted once toward good and twice toward evil.
Evidently, the balance between light and darkness was breaking down.
Considering the recent string of dark Turbo Duels happening across Axet, it was plain that unrest was spreading across the Spirit Continent.
Aoyao chimed in. "A Millennium Item holder who can summon Stardust Dragon… it's like we've got a second Krista."
Lost snickered. "Heh, Krista's position's in danger."
"Don't be ridiculous. Stardust Dragon brings hope and prayer—it's not dangerous… assuming its wielder truly stands on the side of good."
Though she lacked proof, the moment Krista saw the Millennium Puzzle, she instinctively connected it with the Millennium Scale's recent erratic shifts.
If the power of these Items was enough to influence the world's moral balance…
Then, after two tilts toward evil, Krista couldn't yet say whether the Puzzle's holder was truly good or not.
Takehiko folded his arms thoughtfully. "I've heard rumors that Millennium Item bearers are drawn to one another. Even so, for her to also possess the card of Stardust Dragon… that's not a mere coincidence. Krista, have you heard the legend?"
"Legend?"
"When the earth is shrouded in darkness, the light of Stardust—the Majestic Dragon—shall illuminate the skies."
"Majestic Dragon…"
"So it's finally happening… Aisha Carlos."
Takehiko's calm demeanor masked the excitement surging inside.
If the legend was true, then Aisha Carlos, the one who wielded Stardust Dragon, might indeed be able to summon the legendary Tuner—Majestic Dragon.
If so, there would be no need to worry about the Millennium Scale's measurement of good and evil.
After all, only the truly righteous could be chosen by the light of the Savior
….
"Um, Professor Izumi… I'm ready to begin."
Aisha stepped onto the summoning circle inscribed with stars.
"Alright! …Do your best, Aisha."
'What a polite, well-mannered girl,' Takehiko thought with genuine admiration.
Having gone straight from a recent graduate to an academy instructor, he was still quite young—and since most Synchron students had been his underclassmen just a year ago, few actually treated him like a teacher.
Even the two Xyz Academy students earlier had obviously seen him more as last year's rival—the one who dethroned their reigning champion—than as a mentor.
Meanwhile, this white-haired girl still addressed him as 'Professor Izumi.'
How could someone so kind and respectful possibly register as 'evil' to the Millennium Scale?
If only his shut-in little sister could learn from her.
Already completely won over, Takehiko cheered her on.
"A Tuner Summon, huh? Whew!"
Taking a deep breath, Aisha felt the flow of mana rising through her legs from the starry summoning array.
It was undeniably different in essence from the amplification circles used in Fusion Academy's summoning lessons.
Raising her hands, her Spirit Eyes glowed as the circle's starlight poured energy into her body, gathering power for the summon.
"Gathering prayers, become the shining star of tuning! Monster Summon—!"
Brilliant starlight surged; the forming card gleamed before her.
"No way!" Lloyd, who had always looked down on the lowest-ranked academy, unconsciously clenched Leon's thigh beside him. "We failed twice, and yet the bottom-of-the-barrel Fusion Academy actually succeeded?!"
Xyz Academy had never witnessed a Synchro Summon before—so this was beyond their expectations.
Despite that, for the others, Aisha's success felt almost natural.
The real question was… what kind of Tuner monster had she summoned?
[Flamvell Guard] Level 1│LIGHT│Dragon / Tuner│100 ATK / 2000 DEF
The result—a simple Level 1 Normal Tuner monster. Practically tailor-made for Aisha's deck. Miles wasn't surprised in the least.
Of course, that didn't mean Normal Tuners were bad.
In fact, within Aisha Carlos's deck, a Normal Tuner worked perfectly with her 'Common HERO' support Spell and Trap cards.
It could be pulled by [Enchanting Fitting Room], or summoned via [Unexpected Dai] or [Human-Wave Tactics].
Its simplicity made her deck far more flexible.
"Nice work, Aisha!" Miles said.
"Ehehe!" Aisha grinned brightly. "As long as you're happy with it, Mr. Miles, I'm happy too!"
Ever since she'd summoned [Kurikara Divincarnate], Aisha had stopped fearing monster summoning altogether.
Maybe it really was thanks to Alice's influence—her sister's card had given her new confidence in summoning.
"Not Flamvell Guard, huh…" Takehiko murmured.
Though it didn't fulfill the prophecy, the fact that Aisha had successfully summoned a Tuner meant she indeed possessed Synchro potential.
As her teacher, encouragement came first.
"Excellent summoning, Aisha. Even though you're from Fusion Academy, if you're interested in Synchro Summoning, Synchron Academy would gladly welcome you."
Takehiko was already trying to recruit her.
After all, anyone who could summon Stardust Dragon was a rare talent for Synchron Academy.
And as she grew stronger, the day would surely come when she'd be recognized by the Savior's light.
More than anything, such a polite and adorable student—he really wanted her under his wing!
"Professor, I appreciate the offer, but I'll have to decline."
"As I thought, haha—just joking, of course."
Recruiting talent from another academy wasn't easy.
Still, if she left Synchron, she'd lose access to the summoning circle that enabled Tuner Summons. It would be a shame if someone with the potential for the light could never summon Majestic Dragon again.
"Well, regardless, if you change your mind during the exchange program, my door's always open~"
"(￣ー￣) I'll be sure to, Professor!"
Transferring wasn't an option, so Aisha just smiled politely and stepped off the summoning circle.
But the moment she lifted her foot—
the glowing circle reacted, resonating with the Millennium Puzzle at her chest.
A surge of light erupted, gathering into another forming card before her.
"A second summon?" Takehiko gasped.
Her first attempt, and she'd already achieved an incredibly rare double summon.
It was like drawing a double Ultra Rare on the first ten-pull.
Xyz Academy was in disbelief—their two students had failed, yet the lowest-ranked academy's second-year student had just performed a perfect dual summon.
Talk about a slap in the face. Even monster summoning had rules of decency!
"This feeling…" Krista suddenly felt Stardust stirring restlessly within her deck.
At the same time, the Red Dragon Archfiend within Lost's deck reacted as well.
"The light of the Savior!"
Aisha Carlos, whose first summon had merely been a simple Tuner, now—through resonance with the Millennium Puzzle—had awakened the legendary light of the Savior.
"Could it really be… Majestic Dragon?"
Level 1 Tuner. The glowing card descended gently into Aisha's fingertips.
However, the monster revealed was not the Majestic Dragon spoken of in Synchron's legends.
The unfamiliar card face left even Takehiko momentarily speechless.
Born from the true light of the Savior—it was [Converging Wills Dragon].
...
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