Yu-Gi-Oh! The Pitfall Hero

Having thought this through, O'Brien no longer hesitated and nodded in agreement to Professor Cobra's instructions.

After saying these words, Professor Cobra left a camera on a nearby tree and then left the area.

……

"Hello... Calling the South Seat."

Back in Obelisk Blue's dormitory, Amon placed the watch-shaped device "dis-belt" into a metal box containing a scanning device.

As he placed the "dis-belt" device into the scanner, he also activated the anti-eavesdropping communicator unique to the metal box and sent a corresponding synchronous scan request to someone on the other end of the communicator.

"...Received, this is the Southern Seat."

Meanwhile, in the waters near the Duel Academy, inside a submarine anchored in the deep sea, a woman's voice rang out, conversing with Amon.

"Okay, I'll send the dis-belt data to you right now." Having received the reply, Amon sent the results from the device's scan to the submarine.

Amon, who saw the structure of the device at the same time, couldn't help but show a look of surprise on his face.

"This is?!"

"This device is related to what we're investigating. Keep an eye on Professor Cobra!" The woman's voice gave the answer as she looked at the scan results.

“…Understood.”

Having received a reassuring reply from the people on the submarine, Amon then put away the device in the iron box and began preparing for the next phase of the plan.

Similar to his conjecture, the device distributed by Professor Cobra did indeed have significant problems.

Next, in order to obtain further answers, Amon will follow Professor Cobra to uncover the secrets he is trying to hide.

Yes, that's right. The person who was observing Jaden and John at the Osiris Red Dormitory was none other than Amon, who had a special purpose.

Having previously labeled John a suspicious member of the Ghost organization, he failed to obtain the information he desired from John.

Next, his target will shift to Professor Cobra, who is even more suspicious.

Shortly after Professor Cobra finished explaining things to O'Brien, Amon, who had noticed something amiss with his watch, transformed into a shadowy figure and followed Professor Cobra, arriving with him near the abandoned research facility.

Instead of taking any rash action, Amon simply looked at the structure of the abandoned research institute, conducted a general observation, and then turned and left.

At that moment, Professor Cobra followed the corridor to the deepest part of the research institute.

"At that time, the energy I absorbed from Judai and John was even more powerful than I had imagined..."

"If the absorption level of the duelists' energy continues to increase, those students wearing the devices could very well be in mortal danger..."

"Ha, most people might stop here out of fear, but I, Cobra... am not someone that ordinary people can compare to?"

With a cruel yet greedy glint in his eyes, Professor Cobra, having arrived deep within the research institute, watched as the light within the glass vessel absorbed energy and gradually solidified into a physical form. A look of longing flickered in his eyes.

"It'll be soon, very soon... Soon, my goal will be achieved..."

673 Dark Fusion! O'Brien vs. Yusei!

"...Yusei, fight me! Let me see...the true strength of the hero who has saved Duel Academy so many times!"

After receiving instructions from Professor Cobra, O'Brien used his powerful tracking skills honed during his mercenary career to approach Yusei, block his way, and challenge him to a duel.

The duel took place, without a doubt, at the cliff where he had been training all along, now where Professor Cobra had placed surveillance devices.

There was no hostage-taking scheme involved; the stubborn O'Brien simply stated his purpose directly to his target.

Until he achieves his goal, he will cling to it like a jackal, never letting go.

"...Duel me? Are you sure?"

Looking at O'Brien, who had suddenly appeared before him with a stern expression and immediately challenged him to a duel, Yusei, who was strolling around the campus with Asuka and Rei, habitually raised an eyebrow.

After shielding the two girls behind him, he looked towards O'Brien's location and asked inquiringly.

"Yes, it's you."

Nodding, O'Brien, a man of few words, gave a reassuring answer.

The four branch school champions who came to the Duel Academy headquarters this semester all have completely different personalities.

John's optimistic personality and Jaden Yuki's similar interests make them a perfect match. The two often stick together and don't want to be apart, even when they are on missions, they are always in pairs.

Amon, a young man with spiky hair and square-framed glasses perched on his nose, has a rather independent personality. He gives the impression of always being deep in thought and looking rather worried. He is the kind of person who has a lot of ideas, and it is foreseeable that being around him would be very tiring.

Jim, dressed as a cowboy, is always accompanied by the alligator "Karen." He seems to prefer being with animals to people, intentionally avoiding getting close to others. Even though he appears friendly on the surface, only he himself knows the truth.

The last person was O'Brien, who stood in front of Yusei at this moment. He came from the same place as Professor Cobra. He didn't talk much and gave people the feeling of being more of a professional soldier than a student.

Yet this very person with such a personality took the initiative to approach Yusei and made his clear purpose known to him.

This inevitably raises suspicions that he was deliberately instigated by someone else.

"Hmm? You suddenly came to see me? With such a clear purpose? Let me think... Professor Cobra sent you, right?"

O'Brien: "...?!"

After resting his chin on his hand and thinking it over for a while, Yusei quickly came to a conclusion.

Upon hearing these words, O'Brien's pupils constricted instinctively, and he showed a shocked expression.

Instinctively, he habitually placed his arm on the gun-shaped dueling disc on his thigh, assuming a posture as if he were about to kill someone to silence them.

Although he didn't say anything, his surprised reaction and instinctive defensive actions undoubtedly revealed his true intentions and purpose.

O'Brien: "..."

Yusei: "...Well, I don't know what your plans are, but I'll accept this duel."

Just when O'Brien thought that Yusei, who had discovered something amiss, would refuse his duel request with ulterior motives, Yusei surprised him by readily agreeing to the duel.

O'Brien: "...?"

O'Brien, bewildered by Yusei's actions, froze on the spot, momentarily losing his ability to think.

"What's wrong? O'Brien, this is the request you made! Why are you stunned?"

Yusei waved his arm in front of O'Brien's eyes and patted O'Brien on the shoulder with a smile.

It was only then that O'Brien realized what was happening and instinctively took a few steps back.

"Ahem... Well then, that's settled then, Yusei. I'll be waiting for you at the cliff..."

Realizing he had lost his composure, O'Brien had no intention of continuing the conversation.

After receiving confirmation from Yusei, O'Brien turned and quickly left to prepare for the upcoming duel.

Although Professor Cobra instructed him to force Yusei to use his full strength no matter what, O'Brien was not entirely confident in his ability to do so.

His opponent was Yusei, the hero who had created countless miracles. Facing such a powerful duelist, O'Brien could not harbor even the slightest bit of wishful thinking.

"Yusei? Why did you accept his invitation? This duel is clearly a bit strange."

Watching O'Brien's departing figure, Asuka, who was standing next to Yusei, couldn't help but ask him curiously what he was thinking.

In her mind, it was probably because the three of them lost the device that Professor Cobra had given them that they were targeted by him.

But judging from O'Brien's reaction just now, it seems that's not the case.

It seems that only Yusei is being targeted, not her and Saotome Rei.

"Hoo hoo~ Lord Yusei, that big oaf was completely dumbfounded when he heard what you said!"

Saotome Rei, who didn't have many complicated thoughts in her mind, couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle as she recalled O'Brien's outburst earlier.

If he really is an assassin sent by Professor Cobra, then his mindset is a bit too wavering, isn't it?

Can such a duelist truly become Lord Yusei's enemy?

"Well, what's coming will come eventually. Rather than waiting for the other side to make a move, it's better to take the initiative..."

Yusei smiled at the girls beside him and then asked them, "Next, I need to go back and get the Duel Disk to prepare. Do you want to come with me?"

"Well, I'm fine with nothing, but I might as well go there and take a look."

"I have to go! I have to go! I want to see Lord Yusei's heroic figure as he annihilates that guy!"

Naturally, after looking at each other, the two girls ultimately chose to set off with Yusei.

Having received a reply, Yusei returned to his dormitory, retrieved his Duel Disk, and then set off with the two girls towards the place he had agreed to meet O'Brien.

Incidentally, while Yusei was returning to his dorm to retrieve his Duel Disk, Jaden Yuki and Kenzan, who were chatting with John in their dorm, also heard about the duel and set off with Yusei to O'Brien's location.

Thus, what should have been a secret showdown between Yusei and O'Brien turned into a picnic trip for the main group of protagonists due to various unexpected circumstances.

When Yusei arrived at the place where O'Brien was waiting, a long army had already formed behind him.

Asuka, Rei, Jaden Yujo, John, Kenzan, Sho Marufuji...

Seeing O'Brien's embarrassed expression, these people tacitly stood aside as spectators.

Yusei smiled at them, then approached O'Brien with his Duel Disk. "Hey, O'Brien, let's duel!"

"...Although I'm a little bothered by those guys next to me, my purpose remains unchanged."

O'Brien glanced at the camera Professor Cobra was hiding in the bushes and said in a deep voice, "Yusei! Let me see your true strength!"

"Heh, is it you who wants to see it, or is it the guy behind you who wants to see it?"

Noticing the device on O'Brien's arm that emitted light from the World Tree, Yusei narrowed his eyes and said nothing more.

He stretched out his arm and, together with the silent O'Brien opposite him, unfolded their duel disks.

"...Duel!!!" ×2

(Yusei LP: 4000)

(O'Brien LP: 4000)

"Hehehehe... It's finally starting!" Professor Cobra, hiding in the abandoned research lab and observing Yusei and O'Brien through a camera, wore a standard villainous smile.

Although the large group of people who appeared with Yusei was quite an eyesore, their presence would not affect his plans.

"Yusei, O'Brien... let the energy from your duel become the best sustenance for that master!"

Because Yusei's arms were covered by Osiris Red's uniform, Professor Cobra did not notice that Yusei was not actually wearing the watch-shaped energy absorption device.

At this moment, Professor Cobra believed that everything was under his control.

Little did he know that his tricks had already been seen through by some clever people, who had taken corresponding countermeasures.