Thus the fabled cursed Reaper card ended up in Kira's hands.
For now, Kira had no immediate combat use for it. Naturally so—despite being a Reaper's card with the ability to grant godlike topdecks for a price, in itself it's just a 0 ATK/0 DEF normie.
How do you make a 0 ATK vanilla useful? Even he didn't have a quick answer.
So the Reaper's greater value to him was research rather than combat. The cursed spirit's power was worth studying. The price—burning life—was nasty, but the purchased power was undeniably strong.
Lucien was a bottom-tier branch student, talent average. Yet the Reaper granted him, an ordinary player, the King-level draw power. Expensive, but you get what you pay for.
A spirit like that merits research.
With Sartorius's mess settled for now, he could finally handle some projects he'd long had in mind.
That evening, an informant from the Knights of Hanoi called the Revolver.
…
"Boss, that person you told us to watch… the world champion 'The D'?"
"Right. What about him?"
"He should be returning from Europe next week."
"Oh?"
Kira had tasked them to track him. The D was a once-ordinary duelist who suddenly awakened, swept the pro scene, and became world champion.
He was also Aster's father's killer—the burglars who stole Destiny HERO – Plasma.
For years he never dared use Plasma in public. It's stolen property; the police and Aster never stopped hunting him. He kept it hidden.
In fact, publicly The D was Aster's guardian; Aster was grateful for his care. Little did he know The D did it just to stay close and monitor the investigation.
Even without using Plasma in matches, he won the world championship—proof of the Plasma's fate-boosting power. No wonder he killed to get it—truly a life-altering key card.
Kira instructed the Knights of Hanoi to keep tracking The D after he returned. The anime's Plasma wasn't as strong as the OCG's, but that means more room to develop.
Though the Light of Destruction spirit left Plasma long ago, the card's spirit still bolsters fate. Perhaps the Light's prior presence changed it. Worth studying.
…
Meanwhile, at the Academy, new trouble arrived.
"The Society of Light?"
Kira frowned slightly. Across from him sat the school nurse, Meanae, reporting.
He'd found that the comic-relief burglars trio who'd infiltrated the Academy for years were surprisingly useful. Despite the gags, years undercover made them good at intel.
With access to Knights of Hanoi resources, they learned Academy happenings instantly.
"Yeah," Meanae said. "Since Sartorius got taken down, our Knights of Hanoi have been tracking the Society remnants' movements."
Calling them "our Knights of Hanoi" sounded odd, but Kira didn't mind. He nodded. "And?"
"We've got something! The Academy's hosting the Genex Tournament, right? We cross-referenced the newest wave of outside entrants with our recent intel.
Guess what? Ta-da!"
She produced a sheet from who-knows-where.
Kira took it. Handwritten names in neat script—probably Meanae's own.
"This is the latest entrant list," Meanae said. "We've confirmed some Society of Light members among them."
"The Society?" Kira raised a brow.
So the boss died, and they're going to attack Duel Academy?
"What's their goal?" he asked.
Meanae shook her head. "No idea. But if we let them enter, it'll be dangerous."
Of course. Though Sartorius was gone, the Light's network on Earth remained. They were dangerous—and anyone defeated by them could be brainwashed, "baptized by the Light," and devote themselves to its cause.
A passive of the Light: anyone infected could spread it by dueling, like evangelism.
"How many do we know? Who are they?" Kira asked.
"We don't know yet—just a few identities. We're sure more entrants are Society, but unknown who," Meanae said. "Should we tell Chancellor Sheppard and halt the tournament?"
"No need."
Kira shook his head, thought a moment.
"If absolutely necessary, we could. But I don't think we're there yet."
"Really?" Meanae frowned. "But if we let them in, the students…"
Kira smiled and cut her off.
"This is Duel Academy. Don't underestimate our students."
"They're warriors, not lambs to be protected."
He paused, an image of timid Syrus flashing through his mind.
After two beats, he added, "Well, not all lambs, at least."
"The Society guys might be decent by the scene's standards, but top-tier? Not necessarily. I've faced a few standouts—I have a sense of their level."
"I-I see…"
Meanae pondered.
"So you mean…"
Kira smiled mysteriously.
"Do you still have the student list for this semester?"
Meanae's expression turned wry. "You mean your 'Underworld Project'?"
"Yep, that one," Kira grinned. "Gather the students on that list. Let's have a little meeting. Time our guests learned how hospitable Duel Academy can be."
...
2 Bonus chapters at 1000 PS