"Teacher Youyu!"
Judai showed an expression of surprise, seemingly completely unfazed by "being caught by the teacher trespassing in a forbidden area".
Youyu temporarily ignored this issue, gently touched his little jellyfish head, and walked over to Daitokuji.
Daitokuji coughed violently twice. He propped himself up on his knees, trying to stand, but his body seemed to refuse. After two futile attempts, he quickly gave up, sitting back on the floor with a wry smile as he looked at Youyu and his student.
Youyu raised an eyebrow: "Need help?"
Daitokuji shook his head: "I'd rather stay like this."
It was only then that Yuki Judai clearly saw the face of Teacher Daitokuji beneath the mask.
Although it still looked like the face he was familiar with, there seemed to be subtle differences. His complexion was pale, with veins bulging around his face, and his lips were dry and cracked.
If he hadn't just had an intense duel with this teacher, he would find it hard to believe that this body in such a mental state could even stand. This didn't look like a young teacher, but more like a helpless old man ravaged by years of being bedridden with illness.
Despite having just been life-and-death adversaries, Judai couldn't help but speak: "Teacher, you..."
Daitokuji smiled and waved his hand: "It's nothing, just an old ailment acting up."
He didn't lie; it was indeed an old ailment. What he didn't mention was that this old ailment could also be fatal.
Youyu, hands in pockets, asked: "When did you notice I was here?"
"For a while now, I suppose." Daitokuji shook his head, as if trying to keep himself awake, "Mr. Wang of Duels is elusive; at first, I didn't notice you at all.
It's not to boast, but there aren't many people in this world who can approach me without my noticing."
"I believe that," Youyu nodded.
It was then that Judai noticed Teacher Daitokuji's eyes, which were usually narrowed to slits, were actually open. His pupils were red, the color of blood, making them slightly unsettling.
"You don't seem surprised that I'm one of the 'Seven Stars'," Daitokuji said.
Youyu didn't give a definite answer and instead asked, "I have a few questions."
"Go ahead and ask," Daitokuji agreed readily.
"Whose orders are the 'Seven Stars' following?" Youyu asked, "We've caught a few 'Seven Stars' members, but they are either too broken from dark duelings to speak or know nothing."
Daitokuji chuckled: "That master is indeed very cautious. Apart from me—his confidant, the other members of the 'Seven Stars' are just pawns, nobody knows his identity."
Then he added somewhat self-mockingly, "Or maybe, in the end, I'm just a pawn too."
"So who is he?"
Daitokuji looked up, carefully at Youyu, and enunciated, "One of the masterminds behind this academy, the founder and ruler of the Heaven and Earth Imaging Society, President Kagemaru."
Youyu stared into his crimson eyes for a long time, confirming the teacher was not lying.
"Kagemaru is already dead," he said.
Daitokuji looked slightly surprised instead.
"A few months ago, he was confirmed dead in his life-support facility on an isolated island. I confirmed it with my own eyes," Youyu said, "The Heaven and Earth Imaging Society got the news, but since it could affect the company's survival, they deliberately sealed off the information to prevent leaks."
After a pause, Youyu continued, "Although this information is sealed from the outside, I thought that as his confidant, you should know that. Seems like you didn't get the news?"
Daitokuji frowned: "No... this shouldn't be. You said he died months ago?"
"I discovered it," Youyu explained, "But when I found out, he had already been dead for some time. Before then, he had been remotely controlled by a demon called 'Tragoedia'."
Daitokuji shook his head.
"That's impossible," he said firmly, "I saw him just last month."
Youyu raised an eyebrow: "Are you sure? Not through a computer screen, with only an abstract outline and a processed voice?"
"No," Daitokuji was very certain, "I saw him in person, we talked... and we even had some disagreements over details.
President Kagemaru is an important person to me, I couldn't possibly mistake him."
After a pause, he added, "In fact, it was precisely that disagreement that made me more determined to stop him. That master is veering off course, pursuing power too great, risking losing himself in it."
Daitokuji's gaze fell on Yuki Judai.
"That's why I entrusted my alchemy, my everything, to Judai. If someone should inherit my will to stop that master, it has to be Judai."
Youyu actually wanted to say that he could do it too... but considering that Daitokuji probably saw that "alchemy talent" in Judai's divine-draw card skills, he thought better of it and kept quiet.
"Ahem, my time is running short."
Daitokuji coughed again. He struggled to lift his hand, handing over a dark book with an aura that seemed like a Divine Artifact.
"Judai, inherit this book, it's my life's work! I entrust it to you..."
Judai was a bit dazed, instinctively feeling the responsibility was too great for him to bear, and subconsciously wanted to refuse.
"This is Teacher Daitokuji's last wish, you should accept it," Youyu patted Judai on the shoulder.
Kidding, this book contains the "Philosopher's Stone," and even among the fake cards throughout animation history, it's one of the most powerful!
It's akin to a martial arts fantasy where a master is on his deathbed, coincidentally encountering a rare prodigy, determined to impart all his lifelong skills to the other...
Honestly, Youyu also wanted this Divine Artifact. But Daitokuji made it clear, only the ultimate alchemist can wield this card's power.
It's not that Youyu hadn't studied alchemy, but he knew his qualifications weren't outstanding, and the Philosopher's Stone would be useless in his hands.
But it doesn't matter.
He can't use it, but Judai can!
In his beloved disciple's hands, it would indirectly be like having it himself!
Daitokuji coughed again, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
"Alchemy... ultimately has its limits," he said with a resigned smile, "No matter how much you cling to life, no matter how you defy death, alchemy can at best delay."
Upon hearing this, Youyu had an idea and walked to one end of the secret chamber.
This was a room in an abandoned dormitory, long untouched, chosen by Daitokuji as his laboratory on Academy Island.
And on the wall at this end of the room, there was a coffin leaning against it.
As he pushed open the heavy stone coffin lid, a choking cloud of dust rose, revealing a desiccated remains before everyone.
It seemed to be very old, with severe corrosion making the face unrecognizable. But at least the attire, the face shape, and hair were all quite familiar.
It looked like Daitokuji.
If a typical student saw a dried corpse in such a bizarre setting, they might scream in fright, but not the thick-skinned Judai.
He tried hard to identify Daitokuji's features on the corpse, then looked back in surprise at Teacher Daitokuji standing behind him.
"Teacher, this is..."
"This is my body that died many years ago," Daitokuji said with a faint smile, "Judai, you already know I'm a top alchemist, but you don't know my past.
In fact, I had a terminal illness, my body failed many years ago."
"So now you..."
"The one now is a body I created for myself using alchemy."
Daitokuji said calmly, pointing to the corpse lying in the coffin, as if discussing an unrelated passerby.
"The one lying there, that was my original body. I used alchemy to escape the pain-ridden body, but an artificial body ultimately couldn't last long.
Now this body of mine is also nearing its limit, and that duel just worsened the situation. Soon, my body will collapse, and my existence probably will too..."
These were secrets Youyu had long known, so the situation itself didn't surprise him. But Daitokuji's explanation sparked an idea, a terrifying possibility flashed through his mind.
He turned to Daitokuji.
"You said, Kagemaru supported all your experiments, correct?"
Daitokuji was stunned and nodded: "Correct."
"So he has all your research data?"
"Yes."
"Does that mean... he also possesses the forbidden alchemy to create human bodies?"
Daitokuji suddenly looked up, his crimson eyes slightly contracting, reflecting fear.
He instantly understood what Youyu was thinking.
And he sincerely hoped Youyu was wrong.