Chapter 12: Adaptability

Passing through the gate, Tenjou Hikari felt countless rays of light pierce through his body. He felt as if his body had shattered into infinite pieces, scrambled by someone, until the sunlight reappeared. Only then did his body begin to reassemble, finally taking the form of a "human" as he landed on the ground.

"Ugh—"

Tenjou Hikari landed, his legs giving way, and he nearly collapsed.

So heavy!

It’s so heavy—

He felt his limbs become countless times heavier than before.

The sky seemed to be at dusk; the flow of time between the two dimensions appeared to be the same.

"Judai!" "Tenjou-kun!"

While Tenjou Hikari was still dazed, someone had already run to their side, asking nervously, "Are you two alright?"

"Oh! I'm fine!" Judai said nonchalantly.

Tenjou Hikari struggled to shake his head, looking at Marufuji Sho and Maeda Hayato. After a moment, he spoke, "I'm fine too, just a bit dizzy."

"That's a normal phenomenon, nya~" Professor Daitokuji pushed up his glasses and said with a smile, "Judai possesses adaptability beyond that of an ordinary person, so returning to the real world doesn't bother him much. However, Tenjou-kun, your adaptability isn't as high, so you should still rest for a while."

"Besides, it's an old model, so it's harder on the human body. An average person needs to rest for five or six days, nya!"

"I see..." Tenjou Hikari nodded, indicating he understood.

It made sense. In the original story, Judai wasn't a normal human; he was the reincarnation of the "Supreme King," with thick skin and strong mental power. Such things really didn't amount to much for him.

Moreover, although Tenjou Hikari felt uncomfortable, it was just dizziness and a sense of heaviness in his body. A few deep breaths seemed to be enough.

It was about the same as running a kilometer.

It seemed that Super Polymerization wasn't just helpful to him in duels.

"Oh my, it's a good thing you're back, nya, otherwise I would have been taken away by the Academic Affairs Department!" Seeing that the two were unharmed, Professor Daitokuji patted his chest and wiped away his tears, unable to help feeling a lingering fear.

Academic Affairs Department?

Tenjou Hikari looked to the side and saw a row of people wearing dark green uniforms and military caps, looking like soldiers, staring sternly at them. Among them, the leading woman, after hearing Professor Daitokuji finish his sentence, said mercilessly, "Professor Daitokuji, fortunately, there were no accidents this time, so the Academic Affairs Department will not issue a penalty to you!"

"However, the dimensional gate will be reclaimed by us and handed over to the Board of Directors for repairs. As for your salary this month, you'd better be prepared!"

Tenjou Hikari remembered that in the original story, these were the people who "arrested" Judai after he violated school rules. They were the theoretical "soldiers" on Duel Academy Island, directly under the Board of Directors.

"How could this be, nya!!!" Daitokuji said with a mournful face.

"It's all Professor Daitokuji's fault. If it weren't for Professor Daitokuji pressing buttons randomly, Big Brother and Tenjou-kun wouldn't have almost been unable to return!"

"Professor Daitokuji... although I'm also very sad, Sho is right..." Even Maeda Hayato, that good-natured person, felt that Daitokuji had gone a bit too far.

"Eh, I just thought it was a bit old, so I tried adding some things..." Daitokuji was depressed for a while, then suddenly remembered something and asked Judai, "By the way, Judai, where did you go?"

"Ah, that—Tenjou, where did we go again? Hahaha?" Judai subconsciously touched the back of his neck again, grinning foolishly.

Before fusing with Yubel, Judai was still too funny.

"We went to a dimension of heroes. The spirits there were very welcoming to Judai, and it even seemed like they were old acquaintances of Judai's," Tenjou Hikari said off the cuff.

"Ah, yes, that's right!" Judai quickly followed up.

"Know Big Brother?" Marufuji Sho asked suspiciously, "Big Brother, what's going on?"

"Ah, this, that, actually..." Yuki Judai touched his face with his finger, thought for a moment, and chuckled, "Actually, it's like this..."

Uh.

Although it was perhaps somewhat counter-intuitive.

For example, Yuki Judai could eat the home-cooked meals Daitokuji made with great joy and was the only freshman in the Red Academy who could finish two big bowls at once, but Judai was not a child from a "poor family."

On the contrary...

His parents were executives at Kaiba Corporation! They were excellent scientific and technical talents!

"Eh eh eh!??" Marufuji Sho's eyes widened in shock after hearing this.

Many years ago, Kaiba began to explore different dimensions, searching for the path to the Underworld. For publicity and promotion, Seto Kaiba held an event, sending cards and some drawings made by children into the very first dimensional gate, randomly sending them to countless spaces.

Those cards and drawings... were Judai's.

"Ah!?" Maeda Hayato was dumbfounded, "I, I've also heard of that event, I even signed up..."

Clearly, whether it was talent, spirit power, or family background, Maeda Hayato could not compare to Yuki Judai.

"So, so?" Professor Daitokuji also leaned in, "That hero, is..."

"Mm!" Judai opened his deck, flipped out an unusual card, and a nostalgic smile hung on his face, "He experienced many things in other dimensions, gained brand-new power, and transformed into a new form, but when he saw me again, he still turned back into his original appearance... He is my partner and friend!"

"So that's how it is. Congratulations, Judai," Tenjou Hikari heard this from the side and nodded in congratulations.

It seemed that in the original story, Judai sent the cards to a rocket, but in this world, it became sending them to a different dimension.

No wonder that Avian was so familiar with Judai.

In short, the matter ended just like that. Regarding the incident of traveling to the "Gate of the Underworld," both Judai and Tenjou Hikari kept their mouths shut and would never speak of it. And after meeting Avian, Judai also understood his future goal—to find his partners.

Regrettably...

The dimensional gate originally required energy to recharge. As the "lowest" academy, the Red Academy received the least amount each quarter, so it couldn't be used many times to begin with. Now that it had been confiscated by the Academic Affairs Department, it was likely that no one would be able to use it for a short time.

The three of them happily prepared to go to the cafeteria to wait for Professor Daitokuji to cook. Marufuji Sho and Maeda were still pestering Judai for details. Professor Daitokuji explained to the teachers from the Academic Affairs Department for a long time before finally returning to the dormitory in a dejected state.

He greeted Tenjou Hikari and thanked him for his willingness to participate in this "tag team" match. After watching Tenjou Hikari walk away, he slowly opened his eyes: "I won't be mistaken... That student really does possess a considerably high talent for [Alchemy]!"

Alchemy, the "science" of those who pursue eternal life. However, in this world of cards, it had another name—Fusion!

He rubbed his eyes with his hands, unable to help feeling a bit emotional: "I didn't expect... in the final stage of my life, I would actually encounter a student with this kind of talent..."

At the same time.

The highest level of the Fusion Department.

A figure stumbled out of the dimensional gate, lying on the ground, coughing crazily.

Beside him was the expressionless head of the Fusion Department, Reiji Akaba.

"Can you stand up?"

"Of course I can! Professor!" The student struggled to support himself with both hands, trying hard to stand up.

"Very good. In a few days, when your body has fully recovered, go and complete the thing in your heart. Do not let me down."

"Just you wait, Tenjou Hikari, I will definitely have my revenge!" The student's eyes were burning, as if he could burn a person alive with his gaze.

He struggled to climb up, relying on the wall to barely stand. There were no other emotions in his heart, only one thought, and that was—revenge!

And our Tenjou Hikari...

At this very moment, Tenjou Hikari, not even ten minutes later, had completely lost the dizzy and uncomfortable look he had when he first came out of the dimensional gate. He bought a piece of bread and ate it while thinking about his deck, already bouncing around!

(End of chapter)