Duel Academy Island.
Gamma was wandering through the forest, stopping now and then, craning his neck to look around, as if searching for something.
Because he was lost.
As an invader, this was rather unprofessional, but he had to admit it—he really was lost.
But he didn't blame himself. It was this damned academy's fault for being built on such a huge, wild island.
Lost in the deep woods, it felt like walking through a complex painting. The trees intertwined, branches thick, leaves blocking the moonlight and making navigation impossible.
"Sealing array, sealing array…"
Gamma muttered as he walked, breaking through the woods. The ground was soft and wet, each step muffled by fallen leaves.
Everything looked the same—the straight trunks, dense canopy. It all felt like copy-paste, no way to tell one area from another.
"Advance 600 meters at four o'clock, then through the bushes…"
Gamma muttered the directions, crawled through a thicket—and suddenly emerged into an open clearing.
Nothing there.
"Damn, where's the Sacred Beast sealing array supposed to be?"
Gamma grumbled, trying to figure out where he'd gone wrong.
Suddenly, a female voice called from behind: "Who are you?"
It was Alexis, heading back to the Blue Dorm along this path.
"Duel Academy student?"
Gamma glanced at her, thought for a moment, and snorted.
"Perfect. I was just looking for someone to guide me. Since you're here, point the way for me."
Alexis took two cautious steps back: "You're the intruder?"
Gamma didn't hesitate. He raised his arm—mechanical parts assembled into a duel disk. A pale blue field burst from the disk, rapidly forming a barrier that enclosed the two of them.
"The duel field is active. Now you can't escape." Gamma clenched his fist. "Let's settle this the academy way—a duel! If I win, you must guide me to the designated place!"
She didn't know how things had escalated so fast, but when it came to dueling, Alexis was wide awake. She quickly deployed her duel disk, ready and alert.
"If it's a duel, I'll take you on anytime."
"Duel!" x2
…
When the alarm sounded, Kira and Misawa immediately headed for their dorms. Alexis was in the Blue Dorm and parted ways with them en route.
Approaching the Yellow Dorm, Kira suddenly stopped.
"Misawa, you go on ahead," he said.
Misawa looked back, puzzled: "With intruders and the whole school on lockdown, where are you going?"
Then he realized: "You're not trying to find those…?"
"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Kira waved. "See you tomorrow."
Misawa thought, Of course, I know you'll be fine. But I'm not so sure about everyone else…
"Fine, just be careful."
After parting, Kira didn't head for his dorm, but turned and walked into the woods.
"Target found? You sure it's an intruder?" Kira asked.
Spirit-form Silent Magician and Jinzo floated out beside him, both nodding.
"They are tailing me?"
Silent Magician nodded again.
"Strange," Kira muttered as he walked. "Where did these crazy fans come from…"
Alpha watched from the shadows, eyes narrowed.
"Fujiki Kira, Ra Yellow first-year with an amazing record…" Alpha muttered. "What's so special about you?"
After splitting from Misawa, Kira headed deep into the forest. Alpha silently followed.
He's not going back to the dorm? Alpha wondered.
He pushed aside his doubts and followed, the two winding deeper into the forest, away from inhabited areas.
Alpha thought this was a good sign—his goal was to abduct Kira quietly, and the more remote, the better.
The night was dark, the sky shrouded in clouds, the forest gloomier than ever. Trees loomed in the dim light, branches swaying like whispers from hidden creatures.
Alpha began to feel uneasy.
After one turn, he looked up—and the silhouette ahead had vanished.
Where did he go?
Alpha looked around in confusion.
Now, the dense forest felt like a giant maze. Faint moonlight was shredded by branches, casting twisted shadows, as a strange mist filled the air.
A soft voice sounded behind him: "You saw it?"
Alpha spun and leaped back. Kira was standing behind him, hands clasped behind his back, looking eerie in the moonlit mist.
Alpha was startled.
Wait, I'm the intruder and stalker—why does it feel like he's the villain and I'm the expendable horror movie character?
But he quickly regained his composure.
"So, you do have some mysterious power," Alpha said in a low voice. "I knew Father wouldn't single out a student for no reason…"
"Father?" Kira repeated. "So you're a family operation?"
Alpha didn't answer, only said: "I came for you, Fujiki Kira. Father believes your abilities are valuable to us. Join us, and you'll get unimaginable resources and a chance to stand at the top of the world."
"Hm, before that, at least tell me who you are?"
"You'll only learn once you join," Alpha replied. "But I can tell you our goal is to overthrow this world, seize ultimate power, and take it from that tyrant Seto Kaiba."
Kira raised an eyebrow.
Just from that goal, there was no way he'd ever side with them.
First, he still wanted to leech more benefits from Kaiba, and they got along fine. Second, as long as Yugi stayed retired, Kaiba was the protagonist of this world—his dueling, resources, and power unmatched. Anyone going against him was asking for trouble.
All Kira could say was: If you want to die, don't drag me down with you.
"Refuse? Expected, but too bad—since I'm here, you don't have a choice."
Alpha's arm shifted, mechanical parts assembling into a duel disk.
"Then I'll take you by force through a duel."
==
Next Goal: 2000 PS