Chapter 200: Invitation from the Thief Ship
Chapter 200: Invitation from the Thief Ship
Duel Academy Island.
Gamma picked his way through the dense forest, stopping now and then to crane his neck and look around, as if trying to find his bearings.
He was lost.
Though it might seem a bit unprofessional for an intruder, he had to face the cruel fact that he had indeed lost his way.
But he didn't blame himself. It was this damn Duel Academy, built on such a primitive and sprawling island, that was to blame.
Getting lost in the deep forest was like being entangled in an intricate painting. The textures of the trees interlaced and stretched, their branches lush and weaving a boundless canopy. Layer upon layer of leaves blocked the moonlight, causing the scarce illumination to seem lost as well.
"Seal array, seal array," Gamma muttered as he pushed forward, finally emerging from the thicket. The ground beneath his feet was soft and moist, each step rustling through the fallen leaves.
Everything around him looked eerily similar. Whether it was the straight tree trunks or the dense canopy, it all felt like a copy-paste job with no distinction from the areas he had just traversed.
"Head six hundred meters in the four o'clock direction, then exit the bushes," Gamma muttered to himself, reciting the instructions for his mission. He pushed through a bush, and suddenly, the area opened up.
It was a large clearing, empty and devoid of any features.
"Damn, where the hell is this damn Phantom Demon Seal Array?" Gamma grumbled, reflecting on where he might have gone wrong.
Just then, a female voice called out from behind him, "Who are you?"
It was Asuka, returning to the Blue Dormitory and just happening to pass by this way.
"A student of Duel Academy?" Gamma glanced at her and considered for a moment before huffing.
"You've come at just the right time. I was just worrying about finding my way, and since you're here, you might as well show me the way."
Asuka took two cautious steps back, her guard up. "Are you the intruder?"
Without another word, Gamma raised his arm. Mechanical parts assembled themselves into the shape of a Duel Disk, and a faint blue wave erupted from it, swiftly sweeping over the area like a forming barrier that enclosed them both.
"The Duel Field has been deployed, and now you have no escape," Gamma declared, his fist clenched. "Let's duel in the style of your academy! If I win, you must lead me to a specific place!"
Although Asuka didn't know how the situation had escalated so quickly to this point, the mention of dueling immediately piqued her interest, and she forgot her sleepiness. She took two cautious steps back and deployed her own Duel Disk.
"If it's a duel, I'm always up for it, anytime," she said.
"Duel!" they both exclaimed.
After the alarm sounded, You Xuan and the other two immediately headed back to their dormitory. Asuka lived in the Blue Dormitory, so they naturally parted ways midway as their paths diverged.
As they approached the Yellow Dormitory, You Xuan also suddenly stopped.
"Why don't you head back first, Mitsukawa?" he suggested.
Mitsukawa turned around, puzzled. "Now that there's an intruder alert and the whole school is on lockdown, where do you think you're going?"
He immediately realized something. "You're not thinking of going after those guys, are you?"
"Don't worry, nothing will happen to me." You Xuan waved his hand dismissively. "See you tomorrow."
Mitsukawa thought to himself, "Of course, I know nothing will happen to you. But something might happen to others."
"Okay, then you be careful too," he said aloud.
After parting ways with Mitsukawa, You Xuan didn't head toward the Yellow Dormitory but instead turned back into the forest.
"Have you found the target? Are you sure it's the intruder?" You Xuan asked.
Silent Magician and the android, Soga, floated out from the shadows, one on his left and the other on his right, both nodding to confirm.
"You've been tailing me?"
Silent Magician nodded again.
"Fujiki You Xuan, a first-year student at Ra Yellow, yet you possess several astonishing records that can be traced," Alpha muttered to himself, "What exactly is so extraordinary about you?"
As You Xuan parted ways with Misukawa, he suddenly turned back and re-entered the island's forest. Alpha silently followed.
Wasn't this guy planning to return to his dorm? Alpha wondered.
Ignoring his confusion, he entered the forest, with You Xuan leading the way. They wound their way through the forest, and although Alpha didn't know where his target was headed, it seemed they were moving away from the student activity areas and deeper into the heart of the forest.
Alpha felt this was a good sign. His mission was to take away the student named You Xuan, and the less attention they attracted, the better. The more secluded the location, the easier it would be to act.
The night sky hung low, with thick clouds veiling the moonlight, casting a faint, eerie glow that made the forest even more ominous. The silhouettes of trees loomed in the darkness, their branches swaying gently in the wind, as if whispering secrets among the hidden spirits of the forest.
Alpha began to feel a sense of unease creeping into the atmosphere.
After one particular turn, he stopped and looked intently, only to be surprised that the figure in front of him had somehow vanished.
Where did he go?
Alpha looked around, perplexed.
Now, as he gazed at the dense forest surrounding them, he felt as though he were standing in the middle of a vast maze. The starlight was fragmented by the towering trees, casting distorted shadows, and an indescribable mist hung in the air.
A voice sounded softly from behind him, "You, have you seen him?"
Alpha jumped and spun around, only to find You Xuan standing behind him with his hands behind his back. In the hazy moonlight and mist, You Xuan's presence was somewhat unnerving.
Alpha was startled.
Wait, why am I the one being startled? I'm the intruder and the one tailing him. How did the situation suddenly flip, giving me the feeling of being a disposable character in a horror movie?
But he quickly regained his composure and took a step back.
"So that's how it is," Alpha said in a low voice, "It seems you do possess some extraordinary power. I knew it, my father wouldn't have singled out a student without a reason."
"Father," You Xuan repeated the word, "So it's a family affair, then?"
Alpha didn't answer the question directly, instead saying, "I'm here for you, Fujiki You Xuan. My father believes your abilities will be valuable to us. Join us, and you will gain access to unimaginable resources and the opportunity to rise to the top of the world."
"Hmm, before that, I should at least know who you are, right?" You Xuan asked.
"That's something you'll be entitled to know once you join us," Alpha replied, "But I can tell you this: our goal is to overthrow the current order and seize ultimate power and authority from that tyrant, Kaiba Seto."
You Xuan raised an eyebrow.
Based on this goal alone, it was clear that their paths would never align.
Firstly, You Xuan hadn't finished exploiting Kaiba's resources, and their relationship was still amicable. Secondly, at this stage, as long as Kaiba stayed out of the game, he was virtually untouchable. With Kaiba's dueling prowess, resources, and influence, going against him was not a wise choice.
You Xuan's thoughts could be summed up as: If you want to challenge Kaiba, don't drag me into it.
"You refuse? Hmph, expected. But unfortunately, now that I'm here, I'm not giving you the option to refuse."
Mechanical components on Alpha's arm transformed and assembled into the shape of a Duel Disk.
"Then let's settle this with a duel and force you to come with me."
(End of Chapter)
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