Chapter 59: Recruiting New Members

Slowly, another five or six days passed, and Tenjo Hikari and the others returned to the real world under the escort of Kaiba Corporation.

Kaiba himself seemed highly satisfied with this exchange; generously, he announced increased investment in the Duel Academy and awarded bonuses to all accompanying personnel.

The students from Tenjo Hikari's group received the largest share—after all, they were the duelists, so their bonuses naturally topped the list; roughly speaking, even if Tenjo Hikari stayed back in the Duel Academy for seven or eight years, receiving scholarships annually, he still wouldn't earn this much.

No wonder Kaiba is so generous.

Though none of them had ever met Kaiba from this world, Tenjo Hikari's fondness for Kaiba Ryo skyrocketed.

With this money, he could clear out an entire used card shop in Shichōno City.

But right now, there's no need.

After returning to the academy, Tenjo Hikari first went to find Judai and the others, inquired about the current situation, and then spotted Misawa Daichi foolishly drinking hot sauce.

"What's going on?"

Tenjo Hikari stood outside the Red Academy cafeteria, puzzled.

"Ah…" Asuka sighed, rubbing her forehead and shaking her head, "It's all my brother's fault…"

"Huh?"

"Misawa broke up with someone… probably." Marufuji Ryo carefully chose his words.

"So what exactly happened, Judai? Wan Wan Zhangmu?"

"Hahaha, Misawa duelled a Seven-Star duelist before and lost—ever since, he's been like this."

Could it be that Amazonian female warrior?

Tenjo Hikari asked them about their recent situation and discovered the real-world events differed from his memory.

During this time, Judai and the others encountered three "Seven-Stars," though "three" was misleading—there were actually many more.

First came the "Black Scorpion Thieves," who infiltrated the academy, disguised themselves as faculty and staff, stole their keys, but upon discovering three keys were missing from the academy and had been taken to another dimension, failed their mission and were exposed by "Detective Wan Wan Zhangmu," forcing them to abandon the keys and flee.

During the pursuit, Judai and the others encountered the hidden true "Seven-Star"—the thief of Endymion—and in a moment of carelessness, Wan Wan Zhangmu lost to the thief, after which Judai swiftly stepped in and defeated him.

"Endymion? That's the Magician King deck, right?"

"Ah… yeah, that magic card strategy was pretty interesting!" Judai tilted his head, recalling, "If Wan Wan Zhangmu hadn't dueled that guy and discovered its trump card, I probably couldn't have won either."

So the Seven-Stars really have been strengthened, huh?

And Wan Wan Zhangmu just played the classic loyal second male lead sacrifice arc!

"And then?"

"Asuka defeated a Dark Duelist named Titan? He was also a Seven-Star, right?"

"Titan—what deck is he using?"

"Demon deck. Dice-throwing." Judai chuckled.

?

Isn't that the original Seven-Star? —

Too weak.

"So the one we've encountered now is the fifth Seven-Star?"

"Mm." Judai nodded.

Wan Wan Zhangmu sighed: "I never thought Misawa would fall apart after just one loss."

"Even though he lost to a Dark Duelist, he shouldn't be this despondent." He raised his hand and explained to Tenjo Hikari what had happened these past few days.

The incident occurred two days ago.

Suddenly, several male students went missing from the school.

After Wan Wan Zhangmu's investigation—though he had lost to the Endymion thief, he was the first to notice the disappearances and immediately began investigating, counting students in each class.

"That impressive?" Tenjo Hikari stared at Wan Wan Zhangmu in surprise.

"Hmph." Wan Wan Zhangmu merely grunted.

"Wan Wan Zhangmu really is brilliant," Marufuji Ryo added, "When the Black Scorpion Thieves stole the keys, Wan Wan Zhangmu deduced their identities from the tiniest clues."

Too bad—if he hadn't been ambushed by the Endymion thief and fallen ill, he probably wouldn't have lost at all?"

"Lost is lost. Don't make excuses." Wan Wan Zhangmu cut in.

After his investigation and search, he discovered a new arena had suddenly appeared in the southern part of the academy island—but he no longer had a Seven-Star key, so he urgently gathered his companions.

The arena's guard was a burly woman; after Misawa dueled her, he unexpectedly lost—and now he's like this.

Blushing, dazed, drinking hot sauce, spilling tomato juice.

And, to be honest.

This is the Red Academy cafeteria!

For Misawa Daichi from the Yellow Academy to be here is already absurd!

"So what does this have to do with your brother?"

He didn't ask when Uesugi Kaze had recovered—he asked the important question.

"That idiot…" At the mention of Kaze, Asuka's temple twitched, "He said Misawa must be in love, so he told Misawa to confess—and even tricked me into giving him my key…"

When she couldn't find her brother, she worried for his safety; now that Kaze had returned and awakened, all she wanted was to punch that unreliable brother twice.

"Didn't he lose again?"

"Ah…" Asuka sighed, "If he had, it'd be better—turns out the female duelist ignored Misawa entirely, calling his behavior crude and low-class. Now he's even more spaced out."

"Ah, this stupid five-seas ocean." Tenjo Hikari shook his head, "If he loses his rank as second in class because of this, I'd be happy—but this is just too embarrassing."

"Ah!" Judai nodded vigorously, "So I've decided—I'll duel that woman today!"

His face glowed with passion: "What do you say, Hikari? Join me—"

"Hmm, I've got other things to do."

"?"

"Hikari, do you have something important?" Asuka asked, puzzled. "You just came back from Kaiba Corporation—could you be unwell? Should we ask the school nurse?"

"Ah, no, I've just had some personal matters these past few days." Tenjo Hikari waved his hand, then pointed to his clothes, saying, "I'm quitting the Fusion Department."

"What!?"

"Ah?"

"Flap-flap—"

Misawa Daichi, who had been zoning out, fell straight off the bench, snapped out of it instantly, jumped up, and ran to the door shouting, "The sky's falling! The world's ending!?"

"Hahaha, Ocean, I thought you couldn't hear me."

"What's wrong, Tenjo? Are you crazy!?" Even Wan Wan Zhangmu, who'd been arms-crossed and smug, dropped his arms, staring in shock.

"Could it be… Tenjo was brainwashed in the other dimension!?" Marufuji Ryo clasped his hands in prayer, "I must be dreaming! I must be dreaming!"

"Hahaha, you've misunderstood." Tenjo Hikari shook his head, "Actually, I feel the current Fusion Department… isn't very fused. So I want to form a new Fusion Department—let's call it Neo-Fusion Department?

I'm asking if you're interested—for example, Judai?"

"Ooooh! Neo-Fusion Department? Sounds awesome!" Judai's eyes lit up—he loved the word "neo," "I don't have a club, so if Hikari's starting a new one, I'm in!"

"Interesting. I'll join too." Wan Wan Zhangmu recovered, crossing his arms.

"Do you even have Fusion Monsters?"

"You didn't forget VWXYZ, did you!? You jerk!"

"Then… me too?" The others, seeing everyone else join, couldn't help but want to join in.

Clubs are just extracurricular fun anyway—Tenjo Hikari knew this well; his clubs would never be as insane as the current Fusion Department. That's a good thing!

Great!

Tenjo Hikari smiled.

He came here for "club recruitment"! A club can't have just one person!

With Judai and the main cast joining, how could the new Fusion Department not thrive? How could the old Fusion Army not collapse?

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(End of Chapter)