Tenjo Hikari was initially quite confused.
He was wondering if he had somehow made a mistake.
After all, according to the information provided by Professor Cronos and the "Apocalypse Diary" left by Professor Seraph, Professor Paladin was just a travel-loving adventurer who occasionally dabbled as an actor and photographer, without any so-called legendary experiences.
If he had a specialty, it might just be a talent for acting.
But to suddenly tell Tenjo Hikari that Professor Paladin was a true man who endured hardship to infiltrate Duel Academy for revenge was quite a shock to him.
However, as Tenjo Hikari arrived, he gradually figured it out.
It wasn't his mistake.
It was Professor Paladin who "made a mistake"—no, to be precise, Professor Paladin "misremembered."
Professor Paladin misremembered his own "life"!
At first glance, it may seem ridiculous, given that who can't recall their own life experiences—it sounds absurd, right?
But, this isn't a joke, nor is it because Professor Paladin forgot something this important, it is... "artificial."
In fact, in the original "Yu-Gi-Oh! GX," such things happened.
In the original, as an investigator hired by Industrial Illusions, Judai's friend and schoolmate O'Brien encountered MR.T while investigating for "Darkness."
Initially, everything was going smoothly, but during the duel, MR.T brought up O'Brien's childhood, using psychological tactics.
This is quite a normal occurrence in the Duel Realm; be it psychological or verbal tactics, as long as you win, you can do as you please.
Under MR.T's influence, O'Brien recalled a decision from his childhood that he regretted for life.
During an unexpected journey, their car overturned due to an accident; he was the least injured one, the car was burning fiercely and was about to explode. As per his father's guidance, he figured he only had time to wake one person.
He had to choose between saving his father or his mother at that moment.
And he chose to save his father!
Thus, he lost his "mother," which became a lifelong burden.
MR.T seized upon his heartache, attacking during the duel, causing O'Brien to miss his chance, and ultimately losing the duel, turning into a puppet of darkness...
At first glance, although very malicious, it's quite normal.
But...
This wasn't the [truth], nor were they O'Brien's [memories]!
The actual truth was... O'Brien, based on the situation at that moment, analyzed he should wake his father, and after waking him, he helped his father successfully save his mother!
His mother was actually alive!
It was simply despicable!
The actual situation and O'Brien's "memories" had a discrepancy!
So, MR.T, during the duel, actually altered O'Brien's memory, making him believe he had an inerasible guilt, causing him to lose hope in humanity and the future, leading to his defeat by MR.T!
Honestly, whatever duel, whatever darkness-copied powerful cards were trivial compared to the "traits" darkness exhibited in this duel.
Because this duel showed everyone why darkness is the "enemy of humanity."
You can call it low, you can say it's poor at dueling, but you absolutely cannot say it's "not strong."
Ordinary people could be instantly swept away by its power, becoming entrapped in darkness; even the strongest and determined duelists, those who are focused and unbeaten, or the flawless duelists without weaknesses, in front of darkness, are not "perfectly unblemished in spirit."
Because it can create flaws within you and make it feel perfectly natural.
This is its true terror.
"How is Professor Moushou doing?"
"Undergoing emergency treatment, but for some reason, no matter what we do, we can't wake him!"
"What about the Spirit?"
"No way, that darkness power... can't be removed at all."
"Professor, how is the professor doing!!!" Judai rushed into the infirmary, shouting.
In the school infirmary, a large group of teachers were frantically dealing with various incidents, even though they were trying their hardest to protect students, every day students were still getting injured, and today, adding to their woes was "the strongest" Professor Moushou being injured and unconscious due to an "internal conflict."
They were already plenty busy, and with a clamorous Judai rushing in, it only made things more hectic.
Amon was in the infirmary constantly helping several professors, not even noticing someone was shouting loudly while rushing in at first.
Having once sought medical treatment worldwide for his brother, he knew a bit of medicine, assisting was no issue. He thought he could better help the students this way, but unexpectedly, the state of the infirmary worsened daily, and today, even a professor had fallen...
His eyebrows tightly furrowed.
Every day, he heard a voice, a guiding voice, but he silently worked here.
So, medicine couldn't save the students...
After a bout of busyness, he collapsed onto a chair.
Even with his physical stamina, he was quite exhausted now, only occasionally opening his deck, looking at the clouds, to ease his stress.