Compared to Jaden, Chazz's deck had no significant differences from when he'd participated in the GX Tournament.
Although he was facing two opponents, Chazz won beautifully. It had to be said that with the Ojama system, he wasn't as afraid of a resource battle as one might think. Even fighting two people, with superior physical strength, skill, and draw power, he basically couldn't lose to his two older brothers.
After winning, Chazz's two older brothers knelt on the ground. The eldest sighed, "So my lagging little brother has finally reached this day?" The second brother couldn't help but mutter, "Damn it, am I really the last one starting today?"
In the original story, Chazz and his three brothers actually had a dynamic similar to the Ojama brothers. Although not perfectly aligned, it was when Chazz first dueled his eldest brother that he acquired the Ojama brothers.
Although his two older brothers usually looked down on him and often called him a straggler, they were still his biological brothers. Especially after personally participating in the interdimensional journey and witnessing the dangers faced by true duelists in other dimensions, they no longer felt that Chazz was merely using the family name to gain fame without any real return, as they had in the past.
Therefore, after losing to Chazz, they were fairly accepting.
After all, his victory didn't mean their "status" was truly gone.
In the past, the eldest brother represented the business world, the second brother represented the political world, and Chazz represented the Duel Monsters world. The three developed in different directions, and Chazz had to serve the eldest brother's goals. That was why he'd often participated in commercial tournaments when he was young.
But from now on.
From now on, the focus of the Princeton Group would completely shift to the Duel Monsters world that Chazz represented, and all of the group's resources would be directed toward this area.
Because the new strategic direction was confirmed and Chazz had won, the next step was naturally a banquet.
After all, Chazz couldn't just win the duel and then completely wash his hands of everything. At least for today, he still had to get acquainted with the important members of the group and various partners.
Naturally, Hikaru and the others were free to roam around the luxurious high-society banquet.
However, none of them were interested in such things, so they just searched for food they liked. To Jaden's excitement, Chazz had specifically instructed the chef to make extra tempura and serve it to Jaden whenever he wanted.
Therefore, Jaden could enjoy fried shrimp to his heart's content.
Hikaru wandered around the banquet, and whenever he found something new, Tierra would have him try it.
She was usually very bored, so having this kind of tasting assignment, she immediately tried everything with great enthusiasm. Although the group was just eating and drinking, and Serena and Lulu even started feeding each other, no one bothered them.
On one hand, there were generally few people here who would look down on commoners or pester others who were simply focused on eating. On the other hand, Hikaru was quite famous; most people here, upon seeing him, would mention "GX Champion." Furthermore, even Jaden and Atticus were duelists who had participated in duels that these people had seen, so they wouldn't be easily forgotten.
Therefore, everyone felt very good about this banquet.
The only one who felt a little uncomfortable was Jaden. He kept sensing that someone was secretly watching him while he ate his fried shrimp. He thought it was a fan, or someone trying to snatch his tempura, but every time he looked up, the gaze had vanished.
Very strange.
However, he didn't dwell on it for long.
He was in a very good mood today.
During the time Hikaru was in the Synchro Dimension, Jaden had dueled his other self, the Supreme King, almost every day.
Although he only dueled once a day, he had gradually "become familiar" with the other party.
Of course, saying that might not be entirely appropriate. After their interactions, he felt that the other party and himself might never have been two separate people.
But that wasn't important. What mattered was that they could talk.
Although he had previously shown no interest in the Supreme King's words and was furious with him, strongly unwilling to acknowledge hiṃ
But after losing so many duels, he had to seriously consider and reflect.
After all, his side had lost, and stubbornly holding on was a bit embarrassing.
So during their duels, he thought about and discussed the differences between his ideas and the Supreme King's, between his deck and the Supreme King's.
First and foremost, undoubtedly, was Super Polymerization.
Quick-Play Spell, Super Polymerization. Discard one card from your hand to activate. Fusion Summon one Fusion Monster using monsters from either field as material. Neither player can activate cards or effects in response to this card's activation.
Furthermore, this card could even ignore some Fusion restrictions, allowing monsters that "must be Fusion Summoned with a specific Fusion card" to be successfully Fusion Summoned.
Undoubtedly, this card was the biggest difference between him and the Supreme King.
Whenever Jaden thought he could turn the tide, the Supreme King's Super Polymerization would make him grimace.
Both were HERO decks, both used Fusion strategies, but the Supreme King could directly Fusion Summon Jaden's HEROes into other monsters. Compared to Jaden painstakingly trying to deal with the opponent's monsters, this single card could accomplish everything.
The key was that HEROes could be Fusion Summoned with any Attribute to create a corresponding Attribute monster, which truly caused Jaden enormous trouble.
But as their relationship gradually became less hostile, he managed to ask the Supreme King before one duel not to use Super Polymerization and to duel fairly using only HEROes.
However, he didn't expect.
He still lost.
"It's a simple matter. We use the same deck, the same tactics, the same ideas. In fact, you and I have no fundamental difference, no so-called gap. But..."
"Not pure enough."
Not as pure as him.
Whether it was relying on instinct, relying on wisdom, acting like a hero, or wanting to be a passionate person, no matter what. Dueling is a pure thing.
To go further on the path of dueling, you must have persistence, and be resolute.
Just like your good friend, that pure Fusion of Hikaru's.
"Don't delve into your heart anymore. It's better for you this way." Finally, the Supreme King said.
Then, that day, Jaden was thrown out of his spiritual world. After that, when he tried to use the mirror Hikaru had given him, he couldn't reflect the Supreme King at all.
Perhaps he was already tired of it.
Or... he had already said everything he needed to say.
After all, in their last duel, the duel without Super Polymerization, the Supreme King had uncharacteristically spoken so many words.
Jaden had also thought for many days afterward.
Through his duels with the Supreme King, he had obtained many incredibly powerful HERO cards that weren't available on the market.
But those cards were actually secondary.
He had been somewhat unsure in what aspect he wasn't "pure" enough, until today, when he dueled alongside Hikaru and recalled that duel in the Warrior Domain. That was when he remembered.
Without realizing it, he had actually started feeling that dueling wasn't as "interesting" anymore.
But the reason he dueled with others in the first place was precisely because he found it interesting.
Therefore, he was very happy today and wasn't paying as much attention. Although someone was secretly observing him, he didn't care that much.
On the other side, Tierra took a bite of pastry. The person standing next to Hikaru watched in horror as the pastry slowly disappeared into thin air, then couldn't help but rub his eyes.
Hikaru coughed twice and explained. The person then suddenly understood.
So it was a spirit?
Tierra wasn't bothered by this human's bewilderment. She wasn't interested in passing humans and didn't get angry. Her attention was entirely focused on the food. After each bite, she would evaluate it, and if she found something very interesting, she would save it for future idle experiments.
Despite it being a banquet hosted by the Princeton Group, Tierra's evaluations were very sharp. Most of the food was merely "edible" to her, and only a very small portion received her positive affirmation, with a comment like "barely comparable to the instant noodles Funglow Corp makes."
But compared to the original Instant Fusion created by Magical Scientist, that was impossible.
It seemed that Funglow Corp's imitation of Instant Fusion was indeed impressive.
At the main entrance of the banquet hall, a person slowly left.
He was a man in his mid-twenties, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, looking like a successful young professional.
But his "interior" had already been replaced by another being.
Yubel!
The strongest spirit in this world, in this era.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it! My Jaden, my Jaden! That otherworldly god is too close, too close!"
Although Tierra wasn't fully concentrating, she was always by Hikaru's side, which gave Yubel no chance to approach Jaden and the others.
Even though she had tried her best to conceal her presence with her power, if she dared to get even a little closer, she would definitely be discovered.
She hadn't fully revived, and that otherworldly god was almost a "living" being.
With just her spirit power, she was probably no match for the current Tierra.
Earlier, she had watched the entire duel between Jaden and Hikaru. After more than a decade, she had finally seen Jaden again. She wanted to torment and eliminate the people next to Jaden to prove her love, but instead, she watched Jaden and Hikaru perfectly cooperate to win.
There was even something called "Beloved Contact," and Shining Flare Wingman and Neos Fusion Summoning some kind of "Shining Neos Wingman"?!
Bastards!
Two bastards!
No, three, even more?
She was so furious at that moment that she couldn't even articulate how many spirits were contained within that Fusion Summoned monster.
But it didn't matter!
Yubel gnashed her teeth.
She had only taken a few distant glances, and she didn't dare get closer.
She took a deep breath.
As the strongest spirit, the wisest strategist, and the most skilled general, Yubel was cold, ruthless, and intelligent. She knew she absolutely could not act impulsively right now.
If that otherworldly god hadn't been distracted, she wouldn't even have been able to watch Jaden from here, because she was certain that Tierra still "remembered" her. After all, they had met before at the Nexus.
She took several deep breaths.
She needed to accelerate her revival process!
After emerging from the Nexus, she had absorbed Sillva, Warlord of Dark World's life force and carefully concealed herself, hiding within the body of a Duel Academy teacher. Using her abilities, she obtained a contract from that human, compelling them to provide Duel Energy for her revival. Although it was summer vacation, she had recovered a good deal thanks to the interdimensional development project.
But it wasn't enough.
Far from enough!
Her soul seemed to be tearing and rolling in place, cursing, wailing, screaming, and yet also ecstatic. Finally, finally seeing Jaden!
That Hikaru was Jaden's best friend now?
Good, good, good, good, good, good! She absolutely had to let him know that Jaden belonged only to her!
She meticulously planned her strategy.
Before long, a series of schemes came to mind.
Heh...
After summer vacation, all branch campuses of Duel Academy worldwide would send representatives to the main academy for exchange and study.
By then, she definitely wouldn't disappoint Jaden! She would surely surprise him! Make him feel her love!