Professor Lyman's corpse.
But Kira's face didn't ripple as he looked at it.
He'd been prepared.
It was indeed Lyman's body. But he'd only been missing a few days; this corpse was a desiccated mummy—clearly dead long ago.
So the body died—but not Lyman himself.
As mentioned, Lyman had long been terminally ill and turned to alchemy for immortality. This was his original body. His soul had long since transferred into an artificial body.
From the first time Kira and Jaden met Lyman, he might already have been a homunculus.
Kira stared at the mummy, paused, then slowly turned. At the entrance behind him, a figure had appeared at some point.
Clad in a strange robe with a hood, face hidden behind a mask, his features were indistinguishable. He wore a duel disk and stood tall, eyes cold beneath the hood's shadow as he looked at Kira.
The strongest of the Shadow Riders officers. Kira knew—this was the missing Lyman himself.
"Since you've discovered this place…"
A cold gleam flashed in the man's eyes.
"…there's no need for you to leave."
"That so."
Kira was unfazed, smiling slightly.
He stepped forward until they faced each other across the lab's open center. The man's tall frame blocked the doorway—clearly, only a duel would grant passage.
"A Shadow Duel?" Kira asked.
"Of course." The hooded voice was processed and low. "Defeat me and you leave alive. Or die here and be buried along with the secrets you've unearthed."
Kira sighed.
"Must we really put on the act like this, Professor Lyman?"
Hooded man: "…"
He hesitated a few seconds.
Then he reached up—swish—and removed hood and mask, revealing his face.
"Well now, was it that obvious?"
It was Lyman, but not the harmless face from before. Veins bulged, his perpetually narrowed eyes now glowed bestially red—no longer human.
The timid teacher's façade had fallen away; the air of a boss replaced it.
But seeing that grim, feral face, Kira understood something.
"So that's why you've been missing," Kira said. "How long can this body last, Professor?"
Lyman: "…"
Another pause. Then two dry laughs.
"Nothing slips past you, does it, Kira—no, at this point I should say, Duel King."
He coughed twice and wiped his mouth.
"I never figured you out. So when did you notice my secret? From the beginning?"
Kira didn't answer. "So, do we really have to do this, Professor?"
Lyman chuckled twice.
"Of course. As you can see, I am one of the Shadow Riders, loyal to that lord, here for the keys to unlock the Sacred Beasts' seal. I've been at Duel Academy for this purpose from the start."
He unfolded his duel disk and barked:
"I'd anticipated a battle with you—figured I'd take the other keys first and leave you for last.
But since you've found me early, that's fine too."
His face turned cold.
"Come then!"
"Let me see the mettle of a Duel King!"
"So we're doing this after all."
Kira shrugged and unfolded his duel disk.
He knew Lyman was close to the end. This duel would test Kira as an alchemist—and as the only student Lyman had personally taught for long—while also serving as Lyman's self-trial.
Even if Kira lost, Lyman wouldn't kill him. He'd likely seal him in that alchemy tome for a few days until he'd tested all the students he had in mind, then release him.
Of course, Kira had no intention of losing.
"Duel!" x2
[Kira, LP 4000]
[Lyman, LP 4000]
"I'll go first. Draw," Lyman said. "Activate Continuous Spell 'Chaos Distill'!" (anime card)
With a thunderous boom, a massive alchemical apparatus materialized on his field, bubbling with molten liquid.
"As expected of the alchemy teacher," Kira said. "An alchemy deck?"
"Correct. Alchemy needs proper equipment—just as I taught you," Lyman smiled. "Chaos Distill's effect: all cards sent to my graveyard are banished instead."
A one-sided Macro Cosmos Cosmos for himself, and a core engine of his deck. His alchemy doesn't need the graveyard—it fights entirely through banish.
"Then I activate the Spell 'Lead Compass,'" Lyman said. "It can only be used while 'Chaos Distill' is on the field.
Special Summon 'Alchemy Beast - Leon the Lead' from my hand or deck!" (anime card)
The furnace thrummed. A lion formed of lead roared and leapt from the cauldron, landing on the field.
[Alchemy Beast - Leon the Lead, ATK 500]
"I set two and end my turn," Lyman said coolly. "Your move.
Show me the King's duel."
"I'm only your student. But since you want to test my progress, I'll give it my all," Kira replied humbly.
"My turn. Draw.
I Normal Summon 'D.D. Survivor.'"
[D.D. Survivor, ATK 1800]
"Oh? A monster that resists banish—returns to the field if removed from play," Lyman smiled. "You know me best, my student.
A countermeasure against my 'Macro Cosmos'?"
"If I brought a graveyard-reliant deck against you, I'd have lost half the duel before it started, no?" Kira smiled.
"Then I'm coming in. Be careful, Professor.
Battle. D.D. Survivor, attack 'Alchemy Beast - Leon the Lead.'"
A mere 500-ATK lion was no match for the warrior. But Lyman raised his voice.
"Too naive! I activate my set card!
Continuous Trap: 'Elemental Absorber'!"