"Lava Golem. Volcanic Queen…"
Momono was shattered, starting to question his life choices.
Maybe all the duels he's fought really went to the dogs.
How is this even fair?
And that last 'Blast Held by a Tribute'…
A self-destruct that triggers the moment a Tribute Summoned monster declares an attack. No doubt, summoning Lava Golem and Volcanic Queen was bait to make him Tribute Summon. They ate his monsters, occupied his field, burned his LP. Of course—especially at critical LP—you'd immediately think to Tribute them away as material to clean up the mess.
Little did he know, that was stepping into the second trap laid by this insidious schemer.
"Looks like I won."
Kira walked up to the kneeling Momono, hands on hips, looking down.
Momono glanced up. In the moonlight, the Duel King's pallid face looked like something out of a horror movie.
He remembered the previous Duel King from years ago. He wasn't this scary.
Momono instinctively averted his eyes and forced his voice not to shake. "I-I won't tell you anything.
I'm a mercenary duelist; please respect my professional integrity!"
Kira chuckled. Well now—tough guy.
He'd already noticed: Masumi Momono wasn't a dark duelist, just a hired hand—like the fake dark duelist Titan from GX S1 or later Axel Brodie.
Not all hired duelists use dark powers. Some are just regular mercenary.
If it's not necessary, Kira generally won't initiate a Shadow Game against ordinary people.
"All right then. Honestly, I don't dislike duelists with principles. Having your own creed is respectable; you're a stand-up guy."
Momono relaxed a little at Kira's words—then Kira stepped back and gestured.
"He's all yours."
Momono: "?"
Whose…?
Kira stepped aside—revealing a petite girl.
A chill gripped Momono's heart.
Wait—what is that?
Night hung low. A waning moon cast a cold, eerie light over the abandoned, haunted dorm.
In the dead silence, a figure stepped into view.
A breathtakingly beautiful girl—yet something about her inspired unspeakable dread. Her skin was so pale it seemed translucent, like frost on a winter morning window—otherworldly and cold.
She wore a Victorian-style long dress. The hem whispered over the floor without a sound, like a ghost in the night. Though it was night, she held a pitch-black parasol. Her hair flowed like moonlit water.
Her red lips parted in a dangerous smile, revealing two sharp fangs—unmistakably vampiric.
"A-a vampire!?"
Momono dropped to the floor and crab-walked backward.
"W-what are you going to do to me?"
The girl licked her red lips and smiled.
"Why, savor you, of course. I just love tough guys' blood—it tastes extra delicious."
"N-no, wait, you've got it wrong! I was just talking big—actually I'm super cowardly," Momono babbled. "I was just going through the motions! Who starts torture without even asking questions?"
"Oh?" Kira turned back. "So you'll cooperate?"
Momono nodded frantically. "Say it—ask anything, I'll tell you!
Want to know my employer? No problem! His name is Viper, a professor at Duel Academy's Western Branch!
Want to know why I'm here? Just ask! I came to find a student named Jaden Yuki. The mission is to test his potential and collect his duel energy as a research sample!"
Fear really is the best teacher. Look—he's answering before being asked.
Vampire Fraulein, having stepped back, hid her face beneath the shadow of her parasol again, visibly displeased, muttering, "Am I really that scary? He looked like he saw a ghost…"
Silent Magician patted her shoulder in reassurance. Don't worry—our master's always been like this. Before you came, the spooky gigs were my job.
Kira frowned. "Viper sent you?"
"It's the truth! I swear I'm not lying!" Momono thumped his chest. "He's a Duel Academy professor, respectable and all—but yeah, it's definitely him.
He told me to find that student named Jaden Yuki—"
"I didn't say I didn't believe you." Kira waved him down.
Professor Viper is next semester's main antagonist—Kira knew. He just didn't expect action this early.
More precisely, Yubel must be making moves.
Unfortunately, this guy only knew so much; further questions wouldn't yield more.
Having gotten what he wanted, Kira turned—and saw Alice wearing a morbid, uncanny expression, staring at Momono with a creepy "heh-heh-heh" grin.
"Another duelist swallowed by darkness…"
Kira flicked her on the head.
"Ow!" Alice yelped; the creepy grin vanished, replaced by a teary-eyed, aggrieved look. She clutched her head and looked up at Kira as if about to cry.
"Be sunny. Less doom-and-gloom," Kira scolded. "Or your sentence gets extended."
"…Okay."
Alice hugged her head, not daring to look at him, but muttered under her breath.
"You're the one who drags people into Despairland. I can't even laugh a little…"
"You say something?" Kira glanced back.
Alice flashed a sweet smile. "Nope! I said master is amazing."
"Much better."
Silent Magician and Vampire Fraulein: "…"
Kira thought.
With the timeline warped, he couldn't rely too much on the original. Viper and Yubel moving early wouldn't be surprising.
Still, early on, Yubel appeared half-dead with only one arm, regaining strength only after absorbing a ton of duel energy from the Academy.
If it's that low-HP Yubel, dealing with them shouldn't be too hard for him now. Compared to the bosses he's already handled, not that troublesome.
But complacency kills.
Kira walked out, chin in hand, musing.
When the professor arrives, maybe he should prepare a surprising welcome ceremony.