Chapter 258: Card Deck Destruction

"Xyz Summoning, how fascinating, Sister Gloria."

On the second floor of the Fusion Department, Grace leaned gently against the window, holding a tablet and repeatedly playing the scene of Electronic Dragon – Nova appearing.

"Hmph, I'm not interested in Xyz Summoning," Gloria said, her gaze fixed out the window, looking across at the Fusion Department, then at her right hand, slowly clenching it into a fist. "Duel! I so want to duel!"

"Oh, really now," Grace put away her tablet and gently rubbed her temples. "If you want to duel Tenjo Hikari, just go straight over there."

"Heh…" Gloria, hearing her sister's words, placed both hands on the windowsill, leaned her head back, and let it rest lightly against the glass. "That won't work. Without you, Grace, I couldn't do it alone."

She tapped the wall lightly: "I must become stronger—more fused!"

Grace also dropped her teasing expression and nodded gently.

After their last Tag Duel, both realized Tenjo Hikari's Fusion was far superior to theirs.

So, if they wanted to challenge Tenjo Hikari again, they definitely had to become stronger.

Yet neither mentioned the so-called "Barrier of Light Society" that had recently appeared on campus—the one said to grant the power to see fate.

Leaving aside whether such power could even help them defeat Tenjo Hikari, even if they won, without stronger Fusion, they'd find it boring.

"Draw a card—draw a card—"

"Huh? What's going on with that person?"

Suddenly, Gloria spotted a figure on the ground floor, endlessly practicing card draws.

"Marufuji… Xiang?" Gloria tilted her head slightly and said casually, "He's the representative of our school's Combined Department, right? I've never dueled him."

"Wait, isn't this guy always playing with ordinary students? So he's secretly training card draws behind the building?" Grace leaned out the window, peering down.

"Come to think of it… yes," Gloria's brow suddenly furrowed. "He's the representative, yet Marufuji Xiang has never dueled anyone from the Fusion Army, never shown his duel."

"And… come to think of it, he's often with You Xing, isn't he?"

"He seems to regard You Xing as his older brother. They're very close."

"You Xing—Tenjo Hikari's friend, right? Last time it was Wan Wan Zhangmu who dueled us, so we never saw that guy's Fusion," Gloria observed Marufuji Xiang closely.

The two watched him for a long while.

"His aura is completely different from usual."

"He doesn't have that mad intensity of the Fusion Army's mainstream soldiers."

"This guy… is strange—"

They exchanged words, gradually realizing something.

This Marufuji Xiang.

Is odd.

But they couldn't say exactly where the oddness lay.

Marufuji Xiang trained his card draws in the open space.

Why—

Why?!

As he drew cards, his mind was heavy with thoughts.

Why had his brother abandoned Fusion and chosen Xyz Summoning?!

Why had his brother, who was always so kind to everyone, told his opponent after a duel, "Disappear, loser"?

Marufuji Xiang had always looked up to his brother as his idol. When Marufuji Ryo joined the "New Fusion Department" and became one of its founders, Marufuji Xiang had wanted to join too—but out of fear of Marufuji Ryo, he tried several times and ultimately never joined Tenjo Hikari's Fusion Department.

It was only after Tenjo Hikari and Marufuji Ryo discussed it that Marufuji Xiang, on Tenjo Hikari's advice, joined the Combined Department and became a duelist there.

Because Fusion didn't care about factions—Fusion was simply Fusion. Even within the Combined Department, many students were close to Tenjo Hikari.

So after joining the Combined Department, he had actually been very happy.

Although he'd lost once to Ai De in front of the freshmen, embarrassing himself, since no "outsiders" had seen it, and later Marufuji Ryo had also lost to Ai De, he no longer cared.

But now—

Why?!

His brother had abandoned Fusion after losing to Ai De, chosen Xyz Summoning, and even abandoned respect for his opponents?!

He swiftly drew a card.

"Spell Card, Power Fusion!" He didn't even look—he already knew what card it would be. When he flipped it over, it was exactly that card.

He was, in fact, quite talented.

Even if he slept through the entire semester, a short cram session would let him pass exams.

After joining the Combined Department, following Tenjo Hikari's advice, he never learned the Combined Department's "style." Instead, like studying, he practiced alone in secret.

He would use this card—the card his brother gave him—to complete the Machine-Type's 【Fusion】! To bring back his old brother!

"Xyz Summoning… interesting…"

Oberlis Blue Academy—though named as such, somehow, the dormitory building had long since been painted white.

Zhai Wang sat in his chair, gently tapping his crossed leg, watching the recorded footage, chuckling softly.

In just a few short days,

Zhai Wang had, through duels, become the de facto "leader" of Blue Academy, defeating nearly all its students. With his identities and abilities as "Ai De's agent" and "one who can guide students onto the professional dueling stage," he had completely ruled the entire Blue Academy.

But to him, it meant nothing.

"Lord Zhai Wang."

"Lord Zhai Wang."

On his side, the leaders of the academy's "Barrier of Light Society"—Silver Yin Liuxing and Rose Princess—saw him appear and immediately bowed with their followers.

Silver Yin Liuxing, champion of the Shooting Game World, used the "Giant Battleship" deck; Rose Princess, a princess of a certain nation, used the "Frog Deck."

The former was the top-tier duelist below Wan Wan Zhangmu; the latter was a girl even Mingxiang respected. Yet after their duels with Zhai Wang, both were instantly turned "white," clad in the academy's white uniforms.

"Lord Zhai Wang, if you wish, we can challenge Marufuji Ryo right now!" Silver Yin Liuxing's fingers flickered rapidly before him, showing loyalty to Zhai Wang.

Though his original goal was to become a professional duelist, after being brainwashed by Zhai Wang's power, he was now utterly loyal to him.

"No—whether Xyz Monsters, Fusion Monsters, or Synchro Monsters, it doesn't matter," Zhai Wang smiled calmly, purple light glowing in his eyes. "What matters more than Xyz duelist is the 【Wheel of Fate】 within the academy.

Just as it is not me, but 【Fate】 that guides you—now, open the door."

Before anyone could understand, several students reached to open the door—when, at that exact moment, a knock sounded.

"Knock knock knock—"

Two members of the Barrier of Light Society pulled open the door, and a duelist entered, wearing a black top hat, carrying a briefcase, and wearing a conspicuously fake smile.

"You summoned me, Lord Zhai Wang."

Professional Duelist X.

A professional duelist specialized in destroying "bonds." Many professional duelists who faced him even abandoned dueling!

Zhai Wang nodded lightly.

Using him to touch the Sun was clearly the best choice.

"Long time no see. I'm glad to see you're well," Zhai Wang greeted, then tossed a card to his opponent.

The man caught the card, glanced down, and his fake smile turned slightly more genuine.

"This is truly… truly…" X quickly removed his hat and bowed. "Then, the duelist you want me to confront? Is it You Xing from Red Academy? For your contract with Napoleon?"

"No, You Xing has others assigned to him."

Zhai Wang gently washed his Tarot cards, then casually drew one.

Death.

He looked up at X: "I want you to challenge the 【Sun】."

"T-the Sun?" X's smile cracked. He turned to look at the sky.

You want me to duel that thing?

"Not that Sun. The head of the Fusion Department—Tenjo Hikari."

"I see. I understand," X confidently tucked the card away and adjusted his attire. "The absolute Fusionist? No wonder you called me. Rest assured,

I will use my deck to destroy his deck, and shatter his so-called 【Fusion】!"

Chapter Two, Chapter Two, please vote for monthly tickets

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(End of Chapter)