Yu-Gi-Oh! The Pitfall Hero

Seeing the crowd turning their gazes towards him, Manjou crossed his arms arrogantly, snorted coldly, and turned his head away.

……

In front of the principal's office.

Yusei and his group, led by Master Daitokuji, happened to run into an old acquaintance who was walking from another direction.

Professor Chronos, and Ryo Marufuji, a third-year student who is about to graduate from here.

"What?! You guys were called here too? Here you are?"

With his distinctive voice, Professor Chronos posed his question to the crowd before him: "Those who were summoned here by the principal are all elites from the Duel Academy, aren't they?"

"In the previous duel against Northern Academy, Yusei, who won as their representative, and Asuka, Obelisk Blue's model student, are one thing... but the rest... tsk tsk~~~"

Professor Chronos, pointing to Yusei, Asuka, and Ryo Marufuji behind him, then deliberately leaned forward and, with a cheeky expression, teased Jaden Yuki again: "Oh my gosh~~~ Who do we have here? Isn't this that Osiris Red loser—Jaden Yuki? You must have come to the wrong place~~~?"

"I……"

Just as Jaden Yuki was about to say something, Professor Chronos turned his gun around and glanced at Manjoume Lightning, who was dressed in black next to Yusei, his face serious as if awaiting judgment: "Oh dear~~~ Sorry~! It seems there's someone else who shouldn't be here!"

In the previous duel, Manjoume had publicly refuted Professor Chronos's words, causing him to lose face.

Professor Chronos, with his petty and narrow-minded nature, kept this matter in his heart and never forgot about it.

At this moment, he deliberately vented his anger on Wan Zhangmu.

Without those people from Northern College backing you up...

Wan Zhangmu, do you still dare to disobey me, who possesses the authority of a professor (not really)...?

"……here we go again."

Yusei shook his head slightly at the two people being dissed by Professor Chronos, signaling them not to fall for his provocation and attack.

You can simply mimic their behavior and return the favor exactly as they did.

"Hmph! Professor Chronos, it's been a long time. Your face is still as handsome as ever!" Noticing Yusei's actions, Manjoume sneered and immediately delivered a curveball to the person who had mocked him.

"Handsome, isn't he...?" Hearing Manjoume say these insincere words without batting an eye, both Marufuji Ryo and Asuka showed rather complicated expressions.

Professor Chronos is indeed quite good at teaching.

However, his personality, and his appearance...

Hmm... I won't comment. Those who know, know.

All I can say is that the waters here are very deep, and most people can't handle them.

"Oh? You noticed it too?" Professor Chronos's face showed a hint of surprise at being praised by the very person he had been mocking.

You know, he's always been very careful about maintaining his handsome appearance!

Surprisingly, Manjoume was able to notice this detail.

It seems I should change my opinion of him!

Manjoume has grown quite a bit since his trip to the North!

"Professor Chronos, what Manjoume meant was that your face still looks a lot like Pot of Greed!" Seeing that Professor Chronos seemed quite pleased with the compliment, Jaden Yuki couldn't help but remind him.

"Varied……!"

Professor Chronos, realizing what was happening, immediately turned bright red.

A burning anger flickered in the eyes of Judai Yuki and Manjoume.

How dare you compare me to that vulgar green pot... You have some nerve! Judai Yuki... and Manjoume too!

"Holy crap..."

"...You're here? Then come in!"

Just as Professor Chronos extended his finger, intending to retaliate, the principal's voice suddenly came from inside the door.

Upon hearing this voice, Professor Chronos felt as if he had swallowed ten pounds of jelly, and with an extremely unwilling expression, he swallowed back the curse he was about to utter.

"...You all remember this! Professor Qiu Ben will be remembered!"

After leaving behind a standard villainous line, Professor Chronos angrily pushed open the door and entered the principal's office.

Behind him, Ryo Marufuji simply shook his head helplessly at Yusei and the others before walking into the principal's office with them.

Professor Chronos believed he possessed the truth, yet none of those present were his allies.

Even Marufuji Ryo, who was traveling with him, wouldn't speak up to help him with his unreasonable behavior.

……

"...The Three Phantom Demon Cards?"

Inside the principal's office, as Yusei listened to the explanation from the bald-headed Principal Samejima, a playful glint flashed in his eyes.

In other words, is it time for Chairman Kagemaru to start taking action?

"That's right, the Three Phantom Demons!" Nodding to everyone, Principal Samejima, standing behind his desk, spoke with a serious expression: "'Divine Flame Emperor Uria,' 'Thunder Emperor Hamon,' 'Phantom Demon Emperor Rabiel'... These are the names of the three Phantom Demons sealed on this island since ancient times, before the school was even founded!"

"Huh? Does this academy have such a long history?" In the midst of this serious atmosphere, Judai Yuki raised his question inappropriately.

"Shut up, you're so noisy!" Manjoume interrupted his question with a hint of impatience, glancing sideways at Judai Yuki, who was stroking his chin as if deep in thought.

"Hehehe... This academy was originally built on the site where those three cards were sealed." Ignoring Jaden Yuki's rude behavior, Principal Samejima explained with a smile: "In other words, the cards of the Three Phantom Demons are buried in the space beneath the Duel Academy right now."

"...Huh??? Really? Is it really okay to do this?" Hearing Principal Samejima deliver such important information in a calm tone, everyone couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

"Don't worry! Those three phantom demons have been sleeping deep underground..."

He waved to the worried crowd and continued, "Although according to the island's legend, when those three cards reappear on the surface, the world will be surrounded by monsters, and the ensuing chaos will submerge everything... so far, the seal has not encountered any problems."

(【%

"Duel Academy was founded by President Kaiba... which means... Seto Kaiba, my superhero! Was it you who protected everyone?" Yusei couldn't help but have this thought flash through his mind as he listened to Principal Samejima's explanation.

"When the world is shrouded in chaos, the true darkness that erodes people will be unleashed, bringing an eternal end to the world... In this catastrophe, the world will ultimately return to nothingness, and everything will cease to exist..."

"...These three cards possess such terrifying power!"

Despite speaking in a way that sounded like a legend, Principal Samejima did not show any smile on his face.

"Gulp..." Upon hearing the principal speak in a serious tone, Professor Chronos couldn't help but swallow hard.

Compared to the world's crisis, his matter was nothing more than a trivial one.

"I don't quite understand it, but it seems to be a very powerful card~~!" Jaden Yuki, who has not yet tasted the bitterness, still maintains an optimistic attitude.

Even after listening to the principal's earnest explanation, there was still not a trace of a sense of crisis in him.

Seeing his expression, Yusei asked Principal Samejima, "The seal worked fine before, so does that mean there will be problems next?"

"That's right..."

After giving Yusei a deep look, Principal Samejima lowered his head slightly and said in a deep voice, "Those challengers who intend to break the seal appeared not long ago!"

"Huh? Break the seal? What benefits can they get from this?"

"According to what you just said, if the three Phantom Demons are released, wouldn't we all be doomed?"

"Could it be... that these people are a bunch of lunatics? Planning to drag everyone else into the abyss of nothingness?"

Everyone reacted to the important message conveyed by Principal Samejima to varying degrees.

"Who exactly are those challengers?" Marufuji Ryo asked his teacher, Samejima Shimon, who had taught him the knowledge of the "Electronic Flow" tradition.

"The King of the Seven Stars... the seven duelists known as the Seven Stars... seven completely enigmatic individuals."

With his hands resting on the edge of the table, Principal Samejima looked directly at the crowd before him and slowly began to explain: "...One of them arrived at Duel Academy last night."

"If I'm not mistaken, he's currently waiting for his opponent near the volcano behind the Duel Academy..."

"Principal? How do you know so much information? Wasn't it all supposed to be a mystery?" Scratching his head, Jaden Yuki asked in surprise.

"...Listen to me quietly! Why are there so many questions?" Professor Chronos waved his hand impatiently at the annoying underachiever.

"...The Three Phantom Demon Cards are sealed in the ruins beneath the academy, firmly protected by seven massive stone gates called the Seven Star Gates. Those seven gates require seven keys to open."

“And the key to unlocking these seals…” Without answering Jaden Yuki’s question, Principal Samejima took out a dark green square box from the drawer: “…It’s right here, these are the seven keys.”

"..."

Watching Principal Samejima's actions, everyone fell silent for a moment.

A duelist known as the Seven Star King, the Seven Star Gate sealing the Three Phantom Demons, and the seven keys used to open the Seven Star Gate...

A flood of information rushed into their minds in a short period of time, causing the main characters, including Yusei, to unconsciously show complicated expressions.

"Seven Stars... Are those duelists called Seven Star Kings the ones who came to steal the key?" Yusei glanced at the crowd around him and asked Principal Samejima for confirmation.

“That’s right. The reason I called you here is that I hope you can help me guard these keys,” Principal Samejima said in a deep voice.

"Principal, even if you say you want to protect... we don't know how to do it!" Manjoume said, puzzled.

They were just an ordinary group of teenagers, so how did they suddenly have to shoulder the responsibility of protecting the world?

Isn't this responsibility a bit too heavy?

"...Of course, a duel!"

With a matter-of-fact tone, Principal Samejima said calmly, "Winning against the Seven Stars in a duel means defeating them, and when all the Seven Stars are destroyed, it means we have won!"

"...Defeat? What if we lose?" Yusei held up a finger and asked a question.

"...We must win the duel to protect the Seven Star Gate!"

With an unquestionable tone, Principal Samejima said in a deep voice, "This is an agreement that has been passed down on this island since ancient times, which is why I have entrusted this important task to you, one of the few duelists in the Duel Academy!"

"...If it were you, you would definitely be able to complete this arduous task!"

After finishing his sentence, Principal Samejima cleared his throat and looked in the direction of Teacher Daitokuji: "Although, some of them are just there to fill in..."

"...Hmm? Meow?" Under the gaze of Principal Samejima, Daitokuji-sensei, who was hugging Pharaoh, gave a cute but puzzled look.

“You bad student, I’m talking to you~~” Even at this moment, Professor Chronos did not forget to mock Jaden Yuki.

"……snort!"