The venue was packed with students.
Students who usually slacked off in the Activity Department, those in relationships, serious learners, or those lounging around in their dorms were now all gathered at the Duel Academy.
Tenjo Hikari scanned the surroundings, and some students from the same grade couldn't help but call out, cheering for Tenjo. Particularly, the students from the Fusion Department shouted, "Go, Minister!" "Brother Hikari! We're supporting you!"
Things of that sort.
Tenjo Hikari waved in response and then saw Serena, who was sitting in the front row, cheering for Tenjo Hikari like a star surrounded by a crowd, which made him chuckle lightly.
Previously, due to her identity, Serena couldn't cheer and support Tenjo Hikari during duels in school. But now, she had completely become a freshman at the Duel Academy, and not only that, she had become the freshman representative. She could now freely roam the school as she wished and had been quite active lately.
Moreover, well, given Serena's "status," there were plenty of students within the school who were willing to run wild with her.
After all, she was not only a freshman representative and an advanced student but also the daughter of Professor Akuma, the responsible professor of the Integration Department at Duel Academy. Additionally, she was also the apprentice of Tenjo Hikari, the head of the "Fusion Department," which was "opposing" the Integration Department.
With such a background, there certainly wouldn't be any students in Duel Academy who would cause her trouble.
And speaking of the Fusion Department...
Tenjo Hikari glanced at his opponent, a polite-looking teacher with black-frame glasses.
"Hello, Teacher Rocks," Tenjo Hikari greeted.
"Ah, it's been a while, Tenjo-san," Rocks pushed his glasses up slightly and responded to Tenjo Hikari with a smile, "Since you left the Fusion... oh, I mean, Integration Department, I've never come across you."
This Rocks was one of the teachers of the Integration Department and theoretically a "subordinate" of Akaba Leo.
Of course, that was only in theory.
Teachers are not students; they're long past childhood and have their own lives and careers. They take responsibility for the matters of the Integration Department, and aside from the principal's arrangements, if there's a reason for working for Akaba Leo, it's just one thing: "interest."
Dreams, at least when Tenjo Hikari was living in the Integration Department last year, were not something he sensed from Teacher Rocks.
But conversely, when Tenjo Hikari was in the Integration Department, this same Teacher Rocks did not criticize students from the Red Academy and mostly just clocked in and out of work like an ordinary responsible teacher.
With simple greetings out of the way, the duel began—
After exchanging pleasantries, they immediately started the duel.
Rocks LP: 4000.
Tenjo Hikari LP: 4000.
"My turn—draw." Rocks drew a card, glanced at it, smiled, and revealed a hand card.
"Normal Summon, Test Ape."
"Ooh, hehe, ah!" A scrawny figure with a metal arm bound on its left hand and wires wrapped around its head jumped out in front of Teacher Rocks.
Test Ape, LV 2, Earth Attribute, Beast-Type, ATK 700.
Test Ape.
Tenjo Hikari saw the monster appear, and quickly recalled in his mind.
This card could Special Summon a Gladiator Beast when it's destroyed in battle.
I see, as a teacher of the Fusion Army, his deck consists of Gladiator Beast cards.
"Then, just like that, end my turn."
?!
Tenjo Hikari was suddenly taken aback.
Not just him, but the students watching also couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
"What's going on? That teacher just summoned a monster with 700 ATK normally?" Manjome questioned in confusion.
"Test Ape's effect, as I recall, allows the Special Summon of a Gladiator Beast monster below 4 stars after battle destruction. But..." Mitsuzawa Daichi instantly recognized a card used by some Integration Department elites last year. But precisely because he knew, Rocks' actions seemed particularly absurd to him, "But, Test Ape isn't a Gladiator Beast monster, so even if a new Gladiator Beast is Special Summoned, it doesn't make any sense."
"That's odd, Brother Mitsuzawa. If that's the case, why is the teacher dueling like this without even having a Set Card?" Serena, whose understanding of duelists was always "wholehearted," never considered holding back, and beyond that, she wouldn't overthink things.
"If that's the case, could it be that teacher..." Tenjouin Asuka asked quietly, "is doing it on purpose?"
Mitsuzawa nodded.
Yes.
No matter how you look at it, Rocks, the teacher, couldn't only have Test Ape. However, he didn't have any Set Cards and didn't summon other monsters; it's peculiar no matter how you look at it.
Hence, the most likely scenario is... it was intentional.
Tenjo Hikari drew a card, glanced at the cards in his hand, hesitated for a moment, then revealed one: "Activate Spell Card, Fusion Armament."
"This card can showcase a Fusion Monster Card from the Extra Deck and special summon a monster from the Extra Deck or Graveyard with the card name mentioned from the Deck or Extra Deck."
Tenjo Hikari took out a fusion monster from the Extra Deck: "I showcase the Fusion Monster, Dark Flare Knight, and then Special Summon—Flame Swordsman in Defense Position."
Bo—
Flames roared and surged upward, and a swordsman jumped high, confidently appearing on the duel stage, holding a sword on their shoulder.
Flame Swordsman, LV 5, Fire Attribute, Warrior-Type, DEF 1600.
"The monster Special Summoned by this effect cannot attack until the opponent's next End Phase, and its effects are negated."
"I will also end this turn."
Tenjo Hikari did not continue to make any moves and directly ended his turn.
"Huh?"
"What's going on here?"
"Today's duel... is so strange..."
The students discussed among themselves.
Not just him, even Instructor Napoleon, who was observing the duel, couldn't help but take out a handkerchief to continuously wipe the sweat off his face: "Wh... what's wrong, why does something feel off?"
And what shocked them even more was yet to come—
Rocks took a look at the monster that Tenjo Hikari summoned, gently pushed his glasses up, saying he was drawing a card while scanning his hand, and after a moment, he summoned a brand new monster: "Summoning in Defense Position, Gladiator Beast Rocks."
Rocks is a lizard warrior holding a steel fork and equipped with a net to capture enemies. After appearing, it howled for a moment and then laid low.
Gladiator Beast Rocks, LV 3, Water Attribute, Aqua-Type, DEF 800.
This moment—
Tenjo Hikari completely understood the situation.
"End turn." The teacher pressed the turn end button.
And at that moment, Tenjo Hikari couldn't help but question: "Teacher, what do you mean by this?!"
"What do I mean... it should be pretty obvious, right?" In Rocks' eyes, there was a hint of madness and determination!
"Because, I also want to lose to you! This way, the school will completely be in your control!"
His actions gave a heavy lesson to Instructor Napoleon!
Not all things will go as expected!
The teacher dueling Tenjo Hikari had his own desires and goals in mind!