Tenjo Hikari was in the waiting room, shuffling his deck.
His deck had been "updated" considerably now. Although there still wasn't a usable "engine," Tenjo Hikari felt he had managed to make it so that someone who hadn't used this deck before could use it normally.
No matter if it can duel well or not, as long as it's usable.
Promoting academy level, huh...
Going from a "lower" academy to an "upper" academy, like moving from Red to Yellow, Yellow to Blue—this was something clearly written in the original work.
In fact, under normal circumstances, students of Duel Academy's "Obelisk Blue" were those who advanced straight from junior high and had the chance to become "Blue." In the original work, Manjome was such a case.
And beyond this, even someone like Mitsuzawa Daichi, who ranked first in the entrance exams and was quite outstanding in practical performance, could only manage to enter "Ra Yellow" at Duel Academy.
In the original work, Marufuji Shou was explicitly shown to progress from Red to Yellow to Blue.
Although... Tenjo Hikari was also puzzled, wondering how he managed to move from Red to Yellow while being in classes sleeping alongside Judai.
Of course, it's also possible that Judai genuinely didn't want to attend class and just slept deliberately, while Hikari managed to stunningly impress everyone with effort behind the scenes.
Anyway, no matter the case, upgrading wasn't a big deal, and in the original work, it wasn't particularly rare either.
So...
Tenjo Hikari picked up the deck in his hand, sat on the chair, tilted his head, and gazed up, half towards the sky.
"So why are there so many people outside?" questioned Tierra, floating in the air, after having looked around briefly before returning to ask Tenjo Hikari, "Isn't this nothing significant?"
Yes.
This wasn't anything significant.
Honestly speaking, due to investments from Fengguang Company, Tenjo Hikari was not short of money in the short term anymore, so he wouldn't need to eat bread, crash at the cafeteria while simultaneously researching and studying like when he first enrolled.
Additionally, his actual base and residence were not the dormitory, but the "Great Cosmic Workshop," so even if he upgraded from Yellow to Blue, the greatest convenience and advantage—a more luxurious and larger dorm—was completely useless to him.
Thus, it really didn't matter if he upgraded the academy level, since even if he didn't, given his current reputation within the academy, no student from Blue Academy would dare boss him around.
While Tenjo Hikari was in deep thought, meanwhile in the principal's office, there were two people involved in a heated argument.
One of them was Pot of Greed Professor, Professor Cronos who Tenjo Hikari was very familiar with, while the other was a slightly balding, short-statured, pot-bellied, middle-aged man dressed in formal attire with a walrus mustache, Instructor Napoleon.
The so-called "Instructor" is a position at Duel Academy, roughly equivalent to vice principal. When Principal Samejima is managing field work, he would temporarily hand over the principal role to Professor Cronos, and Instructor Napoleon acts as his assistant.
Currently, the two were arguing.
"Marufuji Ryo lost a crucial duel, now we must make significant changes," Instructor Napoleon spoke up, "I see no reason to keep Red Academy anymore, we should just phase it out!"
"Mamma mia—how can that be? Even some failing students need a place to belong, or would you have them camp outside!"
"Then dismiss them; our Duel Academy doesn't need such failures," Instructor Napoleon stated, "with such painstaking efforts of liaising with companies and groups, we need them to see our academy's achievements; Red will merely stain our reputation!"
"Super mamma mia—no, no, no, no—this," Cronos shook his head like a spinning wheel, "The supreme principle of the academy remains educational cultivation, if we fail to properly teach the essence of humanity, merely focusing on treating students as commodities and profit links, then how can we run a good academy!"
He staunchly refuted.
Regardless.
Instructor Napoleon's behavior appeared to him as too extreme.
Even though Professor Cronos was not a fan of some Red Academy students, he wouldn't go this far.
While the two were tirelessly quarreling, they heard the cheers and enthusiastic voices of the students, which prompted Instructor Napoleon to pause the argument and listen outside.
"Is that the student you favored?"
"Yes, Tenjo Hikari, the strongest and ultimate Fusion Master in Duel Academy, also what I believe to be… the new pinnacle of our school!" Cronos had high regard for Tenjo Hikari.
Saying so, Cronos directly walked out towards the outside, with Instructor Napoleon quickly following.
Cronos stopped Tenjo Hikari before the stage, and upon seeing Professor Cronos, Tenjo Hikari greeted him, then asked why the professor was looking for him.
Cronos parted his lips slightly, hesitated, and eventually just smiled at Tenjo Hikari, saying, "Tenjo-san, don't have any pressure, just duel normally."
"Uh, alright, thank you for your concern, professor, I will." Upon hearing Cronos, Tenjo Hikari did not question further.
Although he could tell Professor Cronos was preoccupied, he wouldn't ask at this moment—after all, not far behind Cronos was Instructor Napoleon.
He nodded to Instructor Napoleon, then turned around and headed towards the Dueling Arena.
Instructor Napoleon had been on field duty all of last year, so he hadn't had the chance to see Tenjo Hikari in person. Now that he did, at least his first impression was positive.
"If he loses to Teacher Rocks, then as agreed, you will adopt my strategy."
Cronos remained silent, not responding to this matter.
Rocks belonged to Akaba Leo's team, teaching second-year dimension studies. He possessed impressive dueling ability and had shone in the arena before.
As an opponent in an "upgrade" duel... this opponent was truly too strong!
Regardless of whether he was stronger than Tenjo Hikari or not, according to school rules, such a teacher shouldn't be an opponent! In theory, Tenjo Hikari's opponent should be a senior from the third-year Blue Academy.
Of course, in response, an agreement had been made with Napoleon. Regardless of the duel's outcome, Tenjo Hikari was destined to become "Blue."
The so-called agreement—previously during an argument between Cronos and Instructor Napoleon, Napoleon insisted on changing the school's operations and strategy, abandoning those who failed, and then conducting a new admission.
Indeed, due to Marufuji Ryo's failure, the academy's students had been distracted, their minds elsewhere, often absent-minded.
In addition, some groups and consortia that used to cooperate with Duel Academy also seemed to express some doubtful intentions.
Since that was the case, it was necessary to show them Duel Academy's change!
And Cronos, to ensure students wouldn't lose a place to learn, proposed continuing the school's strategy and promoting "Tenjo Hikari" as the new academy "peak."
Over the past year, Tenjo Hikari and his friends had taught him many things, especially awakening Cronos to the realization that student education shouldn't just be about the daily routine and academics but also about life and the future. Even students from Red Academy have their brilliance; expelling them recklessly is like losing the essence for trifles.
A temporary setback doesn't mean anything. He believed his most trusted student, Marufuji Ryo, would undoubtedly make a comeback and perform astonishingly again in the professional arena.
He simply didn't want to put too much pressure on Tenjo Hikari or let him bear this responsibility.
Even if someone had to bear responsibility, let him do it, which is why he didn't tell Tenjo Hikari the truth.
However—
His care was undoubtedly futile.
Because, as Tenjo Hikari stepped onto the duel stage, countless students sat down, anticipating the new duel of the person who would be the "highest peak" in the academy after Marufuji Ryo's defeat, cheering and rooting for Tenjo Hikari, calling out his name without the previously heavy atmosphere.
After all, Tenjo Hikari's duel was so unique, bizarre, and interesting that it was the best time to capture everybody's attention—one of the reasons Cronos scheduled the duel at the time the United States Branch students arrived, as it shouldn't favor one over the other.
However, what Professor Cronos didn't expect was just as he prepared to watch the duel from backstage, the school's broadcast suddenly aired Instructor Napoleon's voice. Startled, he stood up and was about to call to stop Napoleon's actions when Napoleon had already disclosed the "bet" he had with Cronos in brief keywords.
Thus, all students knew—
This duel was not just Tenjo Hikari's upgrade exam.
It was also a duel crucial in deciding the future direction of the Duel Academy!
Voices of discussion, argument, cheering, celebration, curses, and pleading reached Tenjo Hikari's ears as he saw a teacher in a purple uniform slowly stepping onto the duel stage.
"How could something so important, why make Hikari do it!" Mitsuzawa Daichi couldn't help but stand up abruptly, "I'm going to find Instructor Napoleon!"
Manjome also couldn't help but bang the table: "What does the school's policy have to do with Tenjo! Why burden him with this responsibility!"
The Tyler Sisters exchanged glances and saw the excitement in each other's eyes. For the fun-seeking sisters, this kind of activity on their first day at school was truly thrilling.
So that's how it is—
Turning back, Tenjo Hikari already figured out the cause and effect.
So that's how it is.
This happened in the original work too, but in the original, it was Instructor Napoleon directly dueling Professor Cronos to decide the fate of the Red Academy.
Thinking of this, Tenjo Hikari smiled. Under worried or puzzled gazes, he shouted at the camera on the ceiling.
"Don't worry, Professor!"
"No matter what kind of duel it is, I will not back down!"
"I will give everyone my answer!"