Yugen woke up to find that it was already afternoon.
He got up, yawned, and lingered in bed for a long while before finally getting out.
Looking around, he saw Silent Magician floating beside him in the air, still engrossed in reading a book. On the other side, Black Luster Soldier stood with his eyes closed in a corner of the room, looking somewhat like a personal bodyguard with a sword.
When Yugen first woke up surrounded by them, he wasn't quite used to it, but now he had gotten accustomed to their presence.
"Good morning."
Casually greeting them, Yugen hopped off the bed and prepared to wash his face. Black Luster Soldier remained with his eyes closed, not reacting, but Silent Magician silently looked up from her book of spells and glanced at him.
It was as if she was silently conveying a message, suggesting that it was still early and he should sleep longer as the sun hadn't even set yet.
His stomach had begun to feel a little hungry. Yugen rinsed his mouth, thought for a moment, and then curiously went behind Silent Magician, peering over her shoulder to see what she was reading.
Well, as expected, he still couldn't understand it.
It seemed that it was still quite unrealistic for a Duelist to become a self-taught mage. He should just obediently stick to dueling.
Silent Magician, feeling his gaze from behind for a long time, felt a little uncomfortable and floated to the side, lowering her book and tilting her head to look at him with a slightly awkward expression.
It was as if she was asking, What are you doing?
Yugen shrugged, indicating that it was nothing, just looking around.
Then he turned around to wash his face.
Having slept for more than half a day, he was quite hungry when he got up. Yugen went to the Yellow Dorm cafeteria and ordered a plate of royal chicken curry, a portion of pumpkin curry soup, and curry vegetables with cold cuts.
The Yellow Dorm's cafeteria indeed had a lot of curry options, and the taste was genuinely good. The dorm leader, nicknamed the Curry Demon, was enthusiastic about curry even in his duels, and had a truly unique understanding of developing various ways to use curry.
Actually, based on the original story, Yugen originally thought that the academy's administrative office would come knocking on his door today in a fierce and imposing manner to interrogate him. Because in the anime, after Judai and the others broke into the abandoned dormitory at night, the next morning the administrative office came right to their door to summon them for questioning.
Later, at Professor Cronos's suggestion, they arranged a tag team duel, with the consequence of being expelled if they lost the duel.
However, more than half a day had passed, and there seemed to be no movement. Yugen didn't know if they had only looked for Judai and the others and hadn't bothered with him – which wasn't impossible. Or perhaps because the timeline had changed, their trip to the Spirit World was considered more serious than in the anime, so the administration hadn't decided how to handle it yet.
But Yugen didn't really care anyway, as expulsion wouldn't fall on him. He just ate his meal first, while habitually taking out his student terminal to check if any new cards had been added to the inventory.
Then, he received a new message from Professor Cronos on his terminal.
"There's a duel, Yugen-kun. Do you have some free time?"
Yugen raised his eyebrows.
This was indeed a straightforward inquiry.
To put it simply, it was probably saying, There's a duel, come quickly.
Cronos's office.
"Ryuga is quite remarkable, you know."
Cronos steepled his fingers under his chin, smiling as he looked at a tall, young man in an Obelisk Blue uniform named Ryuga in front of him.
"He has consistently achieved high rankings in various competitions, with three championship medals, and excellent results from his time as a Duel Academy student."
Cronos glanced at the resume in his hand.
"He was also a student council member before, wasn't he?"
"Yes, I was involved in many things in the student council," Ryuga said with a polite smile.
"I see. That's indeed a very impressive resume. So far, his results in the inauguration exam have also been impeccable."
Cronos said admiringly.
"You flatter me, Professor Cronos."
Ryuga pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose, bowing respectfully.
"In that case, as long as I pass the final practical combat assessment, my final exam will be cleared, and I'll be a Duel Academy professor next year, right?"
"That is indeed the case, none. To be an academy professor, one must be exceptionally talented, none."
Cronos leaned back in his chair, smiling.
"It's a rule designed to select the elite among the elite. The final duel must be completed. Next year, you can become a full professor."
"Yes, Professor. I will definitely not disappoint your expectations."
Ryuga nodded again, but inwardly, he sneered.
Yes, I will not disappoint your expectations, Professor. For now.
Returning to his old school to teach and becoming a professor at Duel Academy was just the first step in his future plans.
His goal was to get into the academy, and then one day, he wanted to step on Cronos, who was currently the highest-ranking practical combat instructor.
Duel Academy was the number one school of its time, and all those who graduated from here were top elites. Therefore, Ryuga believed that as long as he could obtain a high position within this school, he could then obtain a large amount of resources outside and have significant influence.
If he operated properly, he might even have the opportunity to cultivate capable assistants among the students he taught, and in the future, he might be able to manipulate various industries according to his will.
The more Ryuga thought about it, the more pleased he became, as if in his own mind he had already transformed into a superior being, looking down at Cronos from a high position.
Hmph, your time in your lofty position is coming to an end. My humility towards you is only before I reach the upper echelons of this academy.
His goal had been very clear from the beginning.
He wanted to push this greedy professor down and then take his current position.
"So, Professor, may I ask who my opponent will be in this final battle?"
Ryuga made calculations in his mind, but on his face, he still showed ample humility, bowing slightly as he asked.
"An academy teacher? Or perhaps… would the Professor personally give me guidance?"
"No, no, absolutely not, none."
Cronos chuckled.
"I have specially requested a different opponent for your assessment. Your final inauguration exam duel will be against a currently enrolled student from the academy, none."
Ryuga was stunned. "A student?"
"Yes, a first-year student who just enrolled this year, none. After all, as a Duel Academy teacher, you will ultimately face students. At the very least, you must prove in a duel that you are more outstanding than the elite among the current students to be considered qualified in practical combat, none."
Cronos leaned back in his chair, laughing heartily.
However, when he said this, he seemed to have completely forgotten that he himself had been ruthlessly defeated by a certain seaweed-headed student at the tail end of his own enrollment exam.
"I see. That makes sense. If I can have the students get to know me through a duel beforehand, it will probably be beneficial for my work after I'm inaugurated."
Ryuga tried his best to suppress the smile that was constantly threatening to break out from the depths of his heart, meticulously maintaining his usual humble and calm demeanor.
Ha, it really is heaven helping me.
To actually choose a student as his assessment opponent, and even a first-year.
Wasn't that practically a free win?
He could basically already pop the champagne, he could open a bottle early tonight.
"Then, Professor, may I ask who my opponent is?"
Professor Cronos smiled mysteriously.
"His name is Fujiki Yugen."