"Hikaru, the teacher is really happy to see you back in class, meow."
A new day. Professor Banner saw Hikaru return to class and greeted him with a smile. "Feeling better?"
"Ah, I'm fine now, Professor!" Hikaru responded energetically.
"Then, without further delay, come, Hikaru." Banner gestured toward the platform. "Today we're doing the pulverization experiment, meow. You can try it yourself."
In front of the whole class, Banner directly changed the original lesson plan and had Hikaru take the stage. He guided Hikaru through the process, clearly giving him special treatment.
One of the principles of alchemy is destruction and regeneration. Breaking materials down completely, then distilling or grinding them into components for crafting new materials, that is the goal of alchemy.
The rest of the class was already used to this. Apart from Bastion still diligently memorizing everything, many students had basically given up on actually learning alchemy.
Rather than trying to master the subject, it was more fun to watch what crazy chemistry experiments Professor Banner and Hikaru would do next.
Campus life seemed unchanged. The fears Jaden had about losing classmates or friends because of Shadow Duels hadn't come to pass, or at least, not yet.
Even in the original series, the Shadow Riders took a while to show up, and the gaps between their appearances weren't fixed intervals.
During this period, Hikaru went to Professor Crowler to apply for another Ancient Gear Golem. His reasoning? The one he had mysteriously became the Ultimate Golem.
Previously, Crowler would have never believed in the supernatural. But after being attacked by Gem-Knights in another dimension, learning about the Sacred Beasts from the principal, and hearing about the Shadow Duel incident from Alexis.
Now, when he heard Hikaru's request, he was at least willing to half-believe it.
Besides, Crowler had gained a lot of support from the principal by backing Hikaru as their "poster student", so he was happy to oblige.
After discovering an alternate dimension full of Ancient Gears, the academy had obtained an increasing number of Ancient Gear cards. Handing one out through official channels to an "Outstanding Student Award" was easy enough.
Of course, Hikaru didn't plan to just freeload cards. Since Crowler had granted him such privileges, and considering Hikaru wanted to recruit him later as the faculty sponsor for his future "Neo Fusion Club," he gave Crowler an Ancient Gear Fusion in exchange.
That might be the most natural progression for a card game: trading and collecting.
That day…
"Hey, did you hear? There's a Western-style mansion that suddenly appeared over the lake on the west side of the island!"
"What? A mansion?"
"Yeah! No one knows when it showed up. It might have just appeared overnight! I heard some students are already planning to go explore it!"
"Maybe there's some vampire nobleman inside!"
"Don't joke. I heard several students have been passing out recently."
Maybe it was because of a popular TV show, but the girls seemed pretty excited.
"Wait a second—" Passing by, Jaden suddenly realized something. "You can't do that!"
Ever since Hikaru's hospitalization, Jaden had developed a strong wariness toward Shadow Duels. Now sensing this could be a new threat, he hurriedly grabbed his two friends and rushed to the principal's office.
There, Principal Sheppard and the Keykeepers discussed the situation and quickly concluded:
A new enemy had arrived!
Everyone rushed to the lake.
At some point, a thick mist had settled, and a giant mansion sat alone in the center of the lake, its shape barely visible.
As the group approached, a long red carpet unrolled from the mansion, completely ignoring the laws of physics, extending across the water to the shoreline.
"Is this an invitation?" The students stared seriously at the red carpet.
Hikaru instinctively stepped onto the carpet. The next moment, Jaden grabbed him back. "Wait, Hikaru! You just recovered. You can't take part in this kind of duel!"
"Yeah, Hikaru," Alexis chimed in. "Let me—"
But before they could finish, there was a light thud. Missing from anyone's attention, Professor Crowler had already stepped onto the red carpet.
The students watched him in shock.
As the only teacher present, he straightened his posture and cleared his throat. "Ahem, as the only professor here, allow me to handle this duel!"
"Professor!" Bastion and Chazz stared in disbelief.
Even Zane looked surprised.
Was this really the same Crowler? Wasn't he usually cowardly and sleazy?
"As expected of Professor Crowler."
"A true role model."
"A teacher worthy of respect!"
"Well, of course!" Crowler turned back around, coughed again, then stood up straight and declared solemnly, "A red carpet is the path of gentlemen, which means it is the path for a proud noble like myself!"
"Besides, I absolutely won't allow unknown thugs to harm my students within these school grounds!"
Hikaru clapped from the side.
Lately, quite a few students had been attacked and rendered unconscious, supposedly by a vampire. So it made sense for the professor to say such things and even volunteer to go first.
Then again.
The building looked just like Hikaru remembered.
Which meant this time's opponent was Camula, the Shadow Rider.
In the original, Camula defeated Crowler easily by peeking at his deck and hand ahead of time.
She also possessed a card called "Illusion Gate" that could directly control someone's soul and wipe out all their monsters. However, the loser of a duel involving that card would have their soul sacrificed to the Sacred Beasts.
Camula used her vampire powers to control Syrus, making him a decoy. So Zane had no choice but to forfeit the duel, turning him into a doll.
Thinking about that, Hikaru got a bit excited.
The Illusion was good. He could just force through with Super Polymerization and absorb the energy. That way, he wouldn't suffer, and he'd get a Fusion Monster too.
Just as he thought this, several figures emerged from the red carpet.
They all had similar features: pale skin, bat-like wings, dressed as butlers or maids, bowing respectfully toward Hikaru and the others.
After them, a green-haired beauty walked forward with elegant steps.
"You are the Keykeepers?"
"Ah, yes!" Crowler stood up straight. "You're the one behind all the incidents lately, aren't you!?"
"You must be the one chosen to duel?" The green-haired beauty frowned, ignoring his question and glancing at Zane and Hikaru. "At the very least, pick someone more pleasant to look at."
"Huh?"
"No way I'm letting someone like you sully the lady's eyes."
'The lady!?'
"I am the vampire Camula," she suddenly screeched, her face grotesquely enlarging and her tongue slithering out like a snake. "Come, human! If you wish to disturb the lady's slumber, then first you must face me in a duel!
If you lose, surrender a handsome boy to the island. If I lose, I'll release the students I bit and left unconscious!"
"Hmph, gladly!"
No more words were needed. In front of all the students, they activated their Duel Disks and began an intense duel.
Meanwhile, Hikaru stood to the side, utterly confused.
'Wait a minute... this Camula isn't even a Shadow Rider!?'