Chapter 209: Debut

Compared to ordinary, commonly seen duels, the professional dueling arena features many things that ordinary people could never experience.

One of them is "liàngxiàng."

As a professional duelist, "Duelist" is not merely an identity—it is also a job. As professional duelists, they must endorse their company and brand, and naturally, they must make corresponding gestures.

For example, this time.

Because the previous Dimensional Friendship Cup attracted massive attention from ordinary people, "traffic" was almost entirely siphoned away; the professional arena urgently needed a match sufficient to capture eyes. Precisely for this reason, this duel achieved perfection in venue, logistics, and lighting alike.

The commentary team consists of three: professional commentators, card designers, and retired duelists.

The entire arena can accommodate over ten thousand people; countless spectators paid exorbitant prices to buy tickets and come to the venue for a close-up view of this duel.

And before the duel, the two duelists' entrances were meticulously designed.

Ryo Fujiki's entrance was filled with technology and futurism: besides flickering blue flames, the sound of clanking mechanical parts echoed, and like dimensional teleportation, Ryo Fujiki's figure transformed from "data" into a physical form, appearing on the field.

"Lord Caesar Ryo~~"

"Caesar~~~"

Countless girls who came in person to support Caesar Ryo excitedly shouted his nickname.

"Wow… no wonder he's Caesar—he's so popular." In Duel Academy, students watching this duel enthusiastically discussed it; Judai even excitedly cheered for Caesar from afar.

After his entrance, a gust of wind swept through, and a figure fell from the sky like a meteor, then emitted dazzling brilliance; a figure knelt on one knee, one hand pressed to the ground, then slowly rose up, like a Marvel hero.

"Wahhh!!!"

"Ai De!!!"

Ai De Phoenix is young and wealthy, handsome, and thus has many female fans—but unlike Ryo Fujiki.

Among his fan club are also some older women—very old ones.

He seems especially beloved by aunts.

Then came the commentary opening, the two duelists speaking, and so on.

Because he heard Ai De planned to join the Fusion Department after enrollment, Ryo Fujiki felt positively about Ai De on a sensory level; Ryo Fujiki himself would not be condescending—he merely lamented that after graduation, he could no longer return to the Fusion Department, and beyond that, he strongly recommended Ai De spend his studies in the Fusion Department, for it would surely become an unforgettable chapter of his academic life.

"Even now, I still occasionally think of everyone from the Fusion Department."

"Is that so? Then I'm looking forward to it." Ai De did not dampen Caesar Ryo's enthusiasm, smiling in reply.

He too wished to experience student life.

He had watched the entire Dimensional Friendship Cup, and he could not deny that the performances of Tenjo Hikari and others were truly astonishing.

As Tenjo Hikari and others' senior, Duel Academy's undisputed "Caesar," Ai De was curious: just how strong was this duelist?

Before coming to this arena, he visited Zhai Wang.

Zhai Wang seemed calmer than before; as someone familiar with Zhai Wang, he could tell Zhai Wang's inner "anxiety" had lessened considerably.

Originally, Zhai Wang had divined his fate: he would destroy the world. And as time passed, as dimensional exploration expanded, he found the "light" growing ever larger, his fate of world destruction becoming ever more stable—even—seemingly extending to other dimensions!

But recently, due to his own carelessness—or perhaps truly fate's design—he mistakenly joined Tenjo Hikari's Fusion Department, duelled and defeated Ryo Fujiki, the "Representative" of the Fusion Union, and thus a conflict arose between Zhai Wang and Professor Professor Chi Ma Chima Chima Lingwang.

Zhai Wang's dimensional exploration organization—the Light Society—was attacked by Professor Professor Chi Ma Chima Chima Lingwang's Fusion Army.

Though merely a minor friction, Zhai Wang later joyfully told Ai De that his apocalyptic future seemed diminished.

The "light" upon him seemed weakened.

But—

That was all.

Ai De knew well: as long as Zhai Wang could still foresee the future, he remained within the grip of a perilous fate.

And this time, Zhai Wang's divination was…

Duel according to your own heart.

Is that so…

Duel according to your true intent!

"You go first, Senior." Ai De placed his deck into the Duel Disk and calmly said to Caesar Ryo.

"I go first?" Caesar Ryo looked at his opponent and shook his head. "The deck you're using today—is it truly your own deck? The one you never use on the professional circuit."

But—

I've heard you used that deck before, when you duelled Xiang on Duel Academy Island."

Ai De nodded slightly.

Come to think of it, Ryo Fujiki, the Fusion Union's Representative, was indeed this man's younger brother.

The aura is completely different.

"Then in that case, you go first—" Ryo Fujiki yielded.

"Senior." Ai De crossed his arms and spoke slowly. "Though you are my senior at the academy, as a senior professional duelist, I wish to remind you: as a duelist, sometimes, don't overthink your opponent."

"Because your opponent may only wish for your destruction."

"What the hell, this guy's talking so arrogantly!" In the distant Duel Academy, watching Ai De make this declaration, Ryo Fujiki muttered discontentedly.

"But—Xiang, didn't he beat you?" Judai poked the wound.

"He just beat me! My brother is ten times, a hundred times stronger!" Ryo Fujiki resented Ai De's words to Ryo Fujiki, because it sounded like he was "teaching" Ryo Fujiki!

"... I see." San Ze Sanze Dadi took a deep breath. "So, in Ai De Phoenix's eyes, he has walked further along the path of dueling than Caesar? Is that confidence—or… arrogance?"

"Ai De Phoenix…" Wan Wan Zhangmu watched the live stream solemnly.

What power does this freshman possess, to be so confident?

"I see… I understand." Ryo Fujiki recalled what Tenjo Hikari had told him earlier, and took a deep breath.

"Then. Duel!"

"Duel!"

Cyber Dragon, Caesar Ryo LP: 4000.

【Hero】Duelist, Ai De LP: 4000.

"My turn! Draw— I Normal Summon, Cyber Dragon Core!"

Hum—

A mechanical dragon, adorned with embedded red "veins" and glowing red cores, appeared on Caesar's field.

Cyber Dragon Core, Level 2, Light Attribute, Machine Type, ATK 400.

"When Cyber Dragon Core is on the field or in the graveyard, its name is treated as 【Cyber Dragon】!"

"Additionally—when this card is successfully summoned, you can activate its effect: add one 【Cyber】 Spell/Trap or 【Cyber Tech】 Spell/Trap from your deck to your hand!"

"I add Cyber Revolution from my deck to my hand!"

Wow—

Tenjo Hikari's eyes lit up.

Cyber Dragon Core!

Caesar even collected this card!

"Set one card, end turn!"

"Perfect! Not only did he add Cyber Revolution to his hand—directly enabling a Special Summon of Cyber End Dragon—but Cyber Dragon Core itself is treated as a Cyber Dragon!" San Ze Sanze Dadi instantly grasped Caesar's strategy.

"Amazing! Now my brother achieved with one card what he couldn't before!"

Ryo Fujiki exclaimed excitedly.

"Hmm… excellent strategy, but Senior… before my 【Fate】, this is far too weak."

"!?" Caesar was startled.

"My turn—Draw!"

"Normal Summon, Destiny Hero - Drillman!" He drew a card from his hand and showed it directly to his opponent.

"Fate!?"

"Hero??"

"What is this!?"

"What card is that!?"

"Never heard of this card before!"

Chapter One, Extra Bonus Today, Extra Bonus Today

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(End of Chapter)