"The one-turn-kill Reaper?"
Kira frowned, propping his chin as he tried to recall.
Hmm, feels like I've heard that name somewhere. But it's a distant memory, and I can't quite place it now.
"A hint?" Kira said.
"It's like a rumor that's been circulating around the Academy for a while, but I hadn't heard about it before, either."
Meanae said as she naturally walked into the room. She was about to sit on the edge of Kira's bed when she froze mid-step, noticing that the Silent Magician in a student uniform had already taken that seat without anyone noticing.
As always, her face was cool and aloof, seemingly engrossed in some ancient tome, not even glancing their way. Yet she exuded a silent, overwhelming aura, as if wordlessly asserting her sovereignty.
Meanae sullenly backed off, not daring to step closer. She stood awkwardly to the side, cleared her throat, and continued.
"Actually, more students have been brought to the infirmary these last two days. Many of them come out of duels mentally dazed, with injuries that shouldn't even be possible from a duel."
Kira thought for a moment.
"Could it be modified Duel Disks?" he said. "It's not like we haven't seen that before. Some shady types mod the solid-vision impact systems for a thrill, which can cause damage beyond safe thresholds."
Though that sort of thing is more common in underground black-market duels.
But Meanae shook her head.
"No, the injuries aren't that type. I am a professional school nurse, after all. I can tell the difference."
Kira squinted.
Oh, so you really are a professional school nurse and not a burglars undercover doing part-time?
Still, Meanae seemed really in character, actually worrying about the students' safety—maybe she'd internally accepted that she truly was the school nurse.
"Also," she lowered her voice and glanced out the window before adding mysteriously, "some bystanders passing by said they saw Grim Reaper."
"The Reaper?"
Kira considered it. His first thought was the mythic soul-harvesting Reaper, but then again, not necessarily. This is the card-dueling world; anything supernatural is tied to cards. So Grim Reaper could very well be a card.
"Yes. That duelist always appears with Grim Reaper's shadow, which is why he's called Grim Reaper Duelist. They say he sold his soul to Grim Reaper and gained a transcendent power—an absolute one-turn kill. No one can escape it. But that power is cursed."
Kira seemed to remember now.
There was something like this in the original anime. A student sold his soul to Grim Reaper, trading his life for the power of godly draws.
Jaden back then was baffled.
Huh? You just draw the card you want. Why pay with your life?
Isn't that just a matter of sincerity—if you want it, you can do it?
But, to be fair, Grim Reaper's price wasn't cheap, yet the trade was definitely "you get what you pay for." After forming the pact, the student really did gain an authentic god-draw ability—think it, draw it—and then built a deck to maximize that power.
"Interesting. But to make a mess at my school? Even a Reaper better be ready to pay the price."
Kira stood.
"Let's investigate a bit. If we get the chance, we'll meet this Reaper and see if he lives up to the rumors."
…
At that moment, deep in the Duel Academy's forest, in a secluded spot—
A student in an Obelisk Blue uniform stood at one end of a duel field, Duel Disk on his arm, staring in terror at the man opposite him.
The man wreathed in black miasma, face twisted and feral.
He wore an exaggerated expression, raised his arm high, and chanted what sounded like an ancient incantation.
"My right hand's skull howls for victory! Strike them down! Strike them down! Strike them down!"
On the back of his raised hand, a jet-black skull was visible, black energy coiling around his arm like a dragon made of fog.
Even the sky seemed to respond. Dark red clouds gathered overhead, roiling with lightning. Bolts crashed to the ground. Dense black mist congealed into an eerie shadow.
A black robe, a hooded cowl hinting at stark white bone beneath. He held a long scythe, a ghostly specter hovering above the man, until the shadow almost overlapped with his body.
The Obelisk Blue student trembled like a sieve.
"R-Reaper…"
The man kept chanting.
"Offer it up—my life!"
"Draw it forth—the one-hit kill card!"
A black tornado swirled around him as the hand marked with the skull touched his deck.
"Dra—w—Card!"
That single draw seemed to split the dark-red sky like lightning itself. As if the act of drawing had become thunder and light, an unstoppable torrent crashing toward the student.
"Uwaaah!"
The student screamed.
One draw, game over. He collapsed, unconscious, cards scattered everywhere.
"Ahahahahaha—!"
Arms spread, the man threw back his head and laughed triumphantly.
"This is my power—one-hit-kill draws, Grim Reaper's power in the most literal sense!"
"I am now absolutely invincible, the strongest in the dueling world with the legendary power of the draw! I will never lose, never fear anyone again!"
But as he reveled, Grim Reaper's phantom reappeared, silently floating behind him.
"But the price that comes with victory—have you forgotten?"
The voice was cold and heavy.
"Hm?"
The man looked back at the chilling apparition, but showed no fear—he only smiled slightly.
"Yeah, I know. Victory costs a piece of my soul. Whatever. Life or whatever—if you want it, take it. But per our agreement, the contract isn't complete yet."
He glanced at the deck in his Duel Disk.
"When I take the GeneX championship—when this one-hit-kill deck is proven the strongest. Then I'll be at the summit. If you want my life then, take it."
But as he spoke, his vision blurred. He shook his head, tried to sit up, but his strength gave out—he collapsed and passed out.
Just before losing consciousness, he faintly heard someone shouting from afar.
"Found you at last, Reaper Duelist! Let's duel!"
...
2 Bonus chapters at 1000 PS