Chapter 214: The Beginning of the Bizarre Duel

The arena was packed with students.

Students who usually loafed around in the Activities Club, dated, studied seriously, or simply slept in their dorms had all gathered at the Duel Academy.

Tiancheng Guang scanned the crowd; some classmates of the same grade couldn't help calling out to cheer him on—students from the Fusion Department even shouted directly, "Go, Department Head!" "Light Brother! We support you!"

and so on.

Tiancheng Guang waved back at them, then spotted Serena seated in the front row, surrounded by admirers cheering for him, and couldn't help letting out a quiet laugh.

Previously, due to her status, Serena had been unable to cheer for Tiancheng Guang during his duels at school; now, she had fully become a first-year student at the Duel Academy, and even more, the new student representative, free to go anywhere on campus as she pleased, so lately she had been quite active.

Moreover, how to put it—Serena's "status" meant many students at school were happy to join her in her wild antics.

After all, she wasn't just the first-year representative and a skip-grade student; she was also the daughter of Professor Chi Ma, the Responsible Professor of the Fusion Department, and simultaneously, the disciple of Tiancheng Guang, the head of the "opposing" Fusion Department.

With such a background, no student at the Duel Academy would dare trouble her.

And speaking of the Fusion Department…

Tiancheng Guang looked at his opponent: a refined teacher wearing black-rimmed glasses.

"Professor Locks, hello." Tiancheng Guang gave a slight greeting.

"Ah, it's been a long time, Tiancheng," Locks gently adjusted his glasses, then smiled in response, "Since we last met after the Fusion—oh, Fusion Department— I haven't seen you at all."

Locks was one of the teachers of the Fusion Department, technically considered a "subordinate" of Chi Ma Professor Chi Ma Chima Chima Lingwang.

Of course, only technically.

Teachers aren't students; they're no longer children, they've long had their own lives, their own careers. They handle Fusion Department affairs not because the principal ordered them to, but solely because of "interest."

Dreams—well, at least when Tiancheng Guang lived in the Fusion Department last year, he never felt any such thing from Professor Locks.

But conversely, while Tiancheng Guang was in the Fusion Department, Professor Locks never pointed fingers at Red Academy students; most of the time, he was just an ordinary responsible teacher clocking in for work.

After a brief greeting, the duel began—

After exchanging pleasantries, they immediately started the duel.

Locks LP: 4000.

Tiancheng Guang LP: 4000.

"My turn—draw." Locks drew a card, glanced at it, smiled, and revealed a hand card.

"Normal Summon, Slave Ape."

"Oh oh, hehe, aha!" A thin, scrawny monkey with a metal arm tied to its left hand and wires wrapped around its head leapt onto the dueling stage before Professor Locks.

Slave Ape, Level 2, Earth Attribute, Beast Type, ATK 700.

Slave Ape.

Tiancheng Guang saw the monster appear and quickly recalled its effect.

It's a card that can Special Summon a Gladiator Beast when destroyed in battle.

So that's it— as a teacher of the Fusion Army, he's using a Gladiator Beast deck.

"Then, that's it—end my turn."

?!

Tiancheng Guang froze in shock.

Not just him—even the surrounding students watching couldn't help whispering among themselves.

"What's going on? That teacher only Normal Summoned a monster with 700 ATK?" Wan Wan Zhangmu asked in confusion.

"I remember Slave Ape's effect allows Special Summoning a Level 4 or lower Gladiator Beast after battle destruction, but…" San Ze Sanze Dadi instantly recognized the card, used by a few Fusion Department elites last year; precisely because he knew, Locks's move seemed absurd before him, "But Slave Ape isn't a 【Gladiator Beast】, so even if you Special Summon a new Gladiator Beast, it's meaningless."

"Strange, San Ze Brother—if that's the case, why would this teacher duel like this, even without any face-down cards?" Serena, whose entire understanding of duelists was "give it your all," never considered holding back, and beyond that, she didn't overthink.

"Then… could it be that teacher…" Tianshang Yuan Mingxiang whispered, "is doing this on purpose?"

San Ze nodded.

Yes.

No matter how you looked at it, no matter how you thought about it, Professor Locks couldn't possibly have only Slave Ape—but he had no face-down cards, no other monsters summoned; this alone was deeply strange.

So the most likely explanation… is that it's intentional.

Tiancheng Guang drew a card, glanced at his hand, hesitated a moment, then revealed one: "Activate the Spell Card, Fusion Strong Soldier."

"This card lets you show one Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, then Special Summon one monster with the same name from your Deck or Extra Deck."

Tiancheng Guang pulled out a Fusion Monster from his Extra Deck: "I show the Fusion Monster, Black Flame Knight, then Special Summon it in Defense Position—Flame Swordsman."

Boom—

Rolling flames surged upward; a sword-wielding knight leapt high onto the dueling stage, shouldering his blade with confidence.

Flame Swordsman, Level 5, Fire Attribute, Warrior Type, DEF 1600.

"Monsters Special Summoned by this effect cannot attack and their effects are negated until the end of your opponent's next End Phase."

"I end my turn."

Tiancheng Guang made no further moves and simply ended his turn.

"Huh?"

"What's going on?"

"Today's duel… is so strange…"

The students murmured among themselves.

Not just them—even Napoleon, the headmaster watching the duel, couldn't help pulling out a handkerchief and wiping sweat from his face: "W-what's going on? Why does this feel so off?"

But what surprised them even more was yet to come—

Locks glanced at the monster Tiancheng Guang summoned, gently adjusted his glasses, said "draw" as he scanned his hand, then after a moment, summoned a new monster: "Defense Position Summon, Gladiator Beast Net Warrior."

Net Warrior, a lizard warrior wielding a trident and a net for capturing enemies, let out a howl upon appearing, then lay still.

Gladiator Beast Net Warrior, Level 3, Water Attribute, Aqua Type, DEF 800.

Now—

Tiancheng Guang finally understood.

"End turn." The teacher pressed the end-turn button.

At the same time, Tiancheng Guang couldn't help demanding: "Professor, what do you mean?!"

"What do I mean… isn't it obvious?" Locks's eyes revealed a flash of madness and obsession!

"Because I want to lose to you! Then the school will be completely under your control!"

His actions delivered a brutal lesson to Napoleon!

Not everything unfolds as expected!

This teacher dueling Tiancheng Guang had his own desires, his own purpose!

Chapter One, Bonus Addition

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(End of Chapter)