Daide Temple knelt on the ground and exhaled a long breath.
"The teacher lost."
He looked up at Yugen, but there was no resentment in his eyes, only a helpless smile... and even a bit of comfort.
Indeed, this duel was not particularly satisfying. His tactics were continuously obstructed, and his Card Deck was countered at every turn. Even when he attacked with all his might, it felt like hitting a sponge, exhausting all changes only to be effortlessly resolved by the opponent as if everything was already within their calculations.
For a Duelist, this was undoubtedly a failed duel, but for a teacher, it might not be the case.
After all, for a teacher—especially one who might soon reach the end—the best consolation is seeing one's student surpass them.
"Thank you for showing mercy, teacher."
Yugen put away his Duel Disc and walked to the center of the arena, bending over to support Daide Temple.
"Haha, you do know how to talk. Do you think the teacher doesn't know who showed mercy?"
Daide Temple chuckled lightly, signaling with his hand that he needn't be helped. He then sat down on the dirty steps to catch his breath.
"Cough, cough... cough, cough, cough..."
Daide Temple coughed violently again, this time even coughing up a mouthful of blood.
Yugen stood by, yet he wasn't worried.
For most people, this would likely mean they were terminally ill, but Daide Temple was different.
This only proved that Daide Temple's body was dying, not that he had to die.
After a bout of coughing, Daide Temple managed to calm down, wiped the bloodstains from the corner of his mouth, and smiled at Yugen.
"The teacher is going to die, and you're not worried at all?"
Yugen shrugged and pointed to the coffin that he had already opened, as well as the mummy of Daide Temple inside.
"The teacher already has a body there," he said. "Obviously, the teacher isn't that easy to kill."
Daide Temple laughed heartily.
"Haha, immortality... this is the ultimate dream of countless alchemists throughout the ages." He shook his head, "But I don't have that blessing. This might just be my last body."
"For a teacher of your level, even if the flesh perishes, the soul may still remain intact," Yugen said.
Daide Temple gave him a strange look.
"How do you know that?"
Yugen smiled without answering.
Daide Temple indeed had a backup plan. He attempted a Forbidden Technique of alchemy, planning that after this body perished, he would no longer seek a new body container, but exist only in the form of a soul.
The cat he kept, named Pharaoh, was the new abode for his soul.
But he hadn't told anyone about this, not even President Kagemaru knew about this plan. Yet somehow, his student found out.
"Meow~"
As they spoke, Pharaoh had somehow found its way over, leaping into Daide Temple's arms, contentedly sprawled out.
Daide Temple squinted his eyes, continuing to speak leisurely while petting the cat, just as he did when lecturing in class.
"There's really nothing that escapes you. Sometimes I think you're a terrifying guy... haha."
Daide Temple said casually.
"I do have that idea, but it's just a last attempt of a dying man.
The indestructibility of the soul is an undertaking countless alchemists have tried to pursue, yet has anyone ever succeeded?
My end will probably be the same as those predecessors, not only unable to achieve immortality, but even the soul might be scattered to the winds."
"The teacher will succeed," Yugen said confidently.
Daide Temple was taken aback. He couldn't help but squint his eyes and look closely at Yugen.
"Oh? How can you be so sure?"
Because I've read the script.
He thought to himself, but of course, he couldn't say that. So Yugen just smiled slightly.
"I just know."
"Because, teacher, you are the unprecedented, unparalleled, strongest Alchemist in history."
Daide Temple tilted his head back, laughing uncontrollably.
"Well, I hope so."
He took out a book from under his robe and handed it to Yugen. It was an unusually strange book, its cover filled with ancient and intricate patterns, with an Eye of Horus printed in the center of the cover.
It was as if when a person looked at the book, the book was also looking at the person.
"This is an Alchemy Scripture left by an ancient alchemist, documenting the truths of the world. The ultimate wisdom of alchemy, crystallized as the Philosopher's Stone, which I've pursued all my life is contained within.
I have been searching for someone who could inherit it."
He smiled.
"I thought this duel was a test for my successor, but now it seems it was a test given to me by the King... cough cough.
Yes, who else is more qualified to inherit this power than the Duel King?"
In fact, Yugen had learned a lot from Daide Temple's guidance and alchemy. The extraordinary mastery, and various applications of darkness power that he currently possessed, were largely learned and evolved from the Alchemy Scripture.
Opening the book, there indeed was that card.
The ultimate secret technique of alchemy created by Daide Temple with all his might, the legendary Philosopher's Stone.
In a duel, by paying half of one's Life Points, it can transform into any card in the Card Deck. However, this is consumable, and can only be used three times. After using it three times, this card will turn to dust.
"I have no relatives and nothing to hold onto in this world, except for that one matter that I can't let go," Daide Temple said.
"President Kagemaru, is it?" Yugen asked.
Daide Temple laughed heartily.
"Yes." He sighed deeply, "People do change... no, or maybe they don't, perhaps people are just inherently complex."
"Kagemaru, that guy... he's actually not a bad person."
"In those days, we passed by the village occupied by demons, and we fought with all our might, taking a stand for those unknown villagers.
But we were still young then, I had not yet developed the Alchemy Card Deck, and my tactics were far less mature than they are now. It was two against one, but we were still no match for the demon.
I failed. Back then, I should have lost, it should have been me who fell.
But Kagemaru, in his last turn, left the life-saving Trap 'Stamina Enhancer Z' to me, restoring 4000 Life Points to help me pass the crisis.
Yet he was the one whose Life Points dropped to zero in the subsequent enemy attack, and he fell."
Daide Temple sighed lightly.
"And then did you win?" Yugen asked.
"Of course, I won." Daide Temple nodded, "I inherited his will and defeated that monster. We won in the end, and Kagemaru also woke up.
But as time went by, we realized that he had never truly recovered.
The damage from that duel aggravated the issues he already had with his body. His aging sped up exponentially, and the condition of all his organs began to deteriorate rapidly.
A year later, he could no longer leave his wheelchair.
Two years later, he had to rely on the Life Support Pod just to continue living."
He squinted his eyes and said softly.
"Everyone knows alchemy is about turning stones into gold, but that's just the surface. The true essence of alchemy is transforming a human heart into something more noble and pure. However, the President was just the opposite, his once pure heart became darkened because of alchemy."
"One day, a greater disaster will come to this island. To prepare for that day, I had to cultivate reliable students."
"And now with you here, I think my mission has been completed."
"This way, I can leave in peace."
He said, gently closing his eyes, lying down peacefully.
With a smile still on his lips.