Truth be told, this was more or less the norm.
Most of the Obelisk Blue students had supported Yanagi simply because they were from the same dorm. They had to maintain the "nobility" and pride of Obelisk Blue within the Academy.
But as the duel continued… heh, that would be another story.
Because yes, they were Blue students—but they were also members of the Fusion Club.
And to make the Fusion Club stronger, to earn more "credits" in dimensional exploration, what they really wanted was someone who could lead them—someone who was an exceptional Fusion duelist.
Realizing this shift, Yanagi shook his head violently.
If I win, there's still a chance.
But if I lose… it's over!
He wasn't like Yulong. He'd used this deck many times, and he had second-year level cards. Even though his Fusion monster had been interrupted, he still had three cards in hand.
"I activate the Field Spell—Geartown!"
"Geartown? That field reduces the tribute requirement for Ancient Gear monsters… Senpai, you planning to summon Ancient Gear Beast, huh?"
"You—!"
Yanagi flinched as Hikaru guessed his move. Gritting his teeth, he slapped down the card:
"I Normal Summon—Ancient Gear Beast!"
A mechanical beast made entirely of iron and gears leapt out with a low snarl.
Ancient Gear Beast – Level 6, EARTH, Machine-Type, 2000 ATK.
"Battle—"
"Hold it!"
Before he could continue, Hikaru cut him off.
"Before you enter the Battle Phase—
I activate the Trap Card—Chained Flame Wyvern!"
"This Trap can shuffle Fusion Materials from your hand, field, or GY into the Deck to Special Summon a FIRE Fusion Monster—but that's only if it's activated from the GY.
Right now, I equip it to a FIRE monster on the field. That monster gains 700 ATK, and I can flip an Effect Monster on the field face-down!"
"What!?"
"Heh… You understand what this means, don't you?"
"You bastard!!"
Chains erupted from the flames, wrapping around Ancient Gear Beast. Flame Swordsman yanked hard—and the mechanical hound was flipped facedown. Meanwhile, his ATK rose from 1800 to 2500.
Ancient Gear Beast → Set.
Flame Swordsman → 2500 ATK.
Yanagi froze.
For the first time, he felt powerless.
Not even when facing a third-year had he ever felt so overwhelmed.
Only once—when he witnessed Zane Truesdale, the top student of the third-years, duel—that he felt this same helpless awe.
This brat… is he on Kaiser's level?
No… impossible!
Zane is Blue Dorm's pride!
"Tch… I end my turn."
He didn't want to, but with just one card left in hand, he had no better option.
Still, it wasn't hopeless.
Labyrinth Tank had 2400 DEF.
Ancient Gear Beast had 2000.
They wouldn't be destroyed so easily.
Even if Flame Swordsman now had 2500 ATK, it didn't matter.
Next turn, if he drew Ancient Gear Golem, he could Tribute Summon it.
With 3000 ATK, on par with Blue-Eyes White Dragon, it would crush everything!
"My turn—draw."
Hikaru drew and glanced at his card.
A smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Looks like even the cards are disappointed in you, senpai."
"Huh?"
"It might not matter much—but helping a monster complete its purpose…
Well, that's part of what a duelist does."
"I Normal Summon—Ancient Gear Beast!"
Another mechanical hound emerged with a growl.
"Wha—!"
Yanagi recoiled instinctively.
Geartown affected both sides.
Which meant Hikaru could also summon Ancient Gear Beast with just one tribute—or none.
"I thought you only used Fusion?"
"Even Fusion decks have materials, don't they?"
"Y-Yeah, and besides…"
Some Red and Yellow students glanced at the face-down monster on the field.
They didn't say anything, but their meaning was clear.
In a world where cards have spirits, it was entirely normal for cards to reject a duelist—or even retaliate.
And from the look of things, the Ancient Gears weren't happy with Yanagi.
"Next, I activate Over-Future Fusion's effect again!
I reveal Labyrinth Tank and send Cyber-Tech Alligator from my Deck to the GY!"
"Then I activate its second effect—
Banish both Fusion Materials from the GY to Fusion Summon a DARK Machine-Type Fusion Monster!"
"Fusion Summon—Labyrinth Tank!"
RUMBLE.
The drill-tipped tank returned to the battlefield.
"Nngh… Damn it!"
"Wow, so Over-Future Fusion works like that…
You can just keep summoning a DARK Machine every two turns?"
"Same Tribute monsters. Same Fusion Monster.
Why does this guy's version feel so much stronger?"
"Ahem. Watch it—those Blue students are looking over here…"
Yanagi's crew glared at them.
But even they had to admit it:
Their leader… wasn't as good as Hikaru Amagi.
"Battle." Hikaru shrugged.
"Flame Swordsman attacks your Labyrinth Tank.
Then Labyrinth Tank attacks your face-down Ancient Gear Beast.
Then Ancient Gear Beast attacks you directly."
"Too bad I don't have Limiter Removal in my deck, or I'd finish it now."
"Your move, senpai," he added, smiling politely.
Yanagi's hand trembled as he reached for his Deck.
Only one card left: Ancient Gear Engineer.
Completely useless right now.
Even though Geartown was still active, Hikaru wasn't stupid—he wouldn't destroy it and let Yanagi summon from it.
So what card could turn this around?
Was there anything?
There had to be… right?
He drew with a trembling hand—
—and all strength left his body.
He collapsed to his knees.
Ancient Gear Golem.
Too late.
He could already see it—his ruined reputation, his shattered standing at the Academy.
His cards scattered to the floor.
His Duel Disk flashed red—loss confirmed.
Hikaru smirked.
"Senpai, weren't you looking for Ancient Gear Golem?
Here it is."
"If you don't respect your cards… they won't respond to you."
He continued calmly:
"You call yourself a Fusion duelist… but you're unworthy.
Your uniform may be purple—but your heart lacks camaraderie, lacks unity…
Lacks Fusion."
He felt a warm surge ripple through his body.
He didn't know where it was going, but it was easily three or four times stronger than what he'd received from beating Yulong.
Flame Swordsman had taken him three or four days to earn.
At this rate, he might gain another Fusion Monster by the end of the day.
Just then, Professor Crowler approached.
He took a deep breath and looked Hikaru in the eye.
"Hikaru Amagi… your duel was… astonishingly pure. Remarkable."
"Thank you, Professor."
Crowler held out a card—Ancient Gear Golem.
"This card… isn't a temporary loan from the club.
It is a gift.
From me—Professor Vellian Crowler, wielder of the Ancient Gear archetype—to you."
"Wha—!"
"Professor?!"
The surrounding students, especially the Blues, were green with envy.
Most of their Ancient Gear cards were borrowed from the Academy.
Once they graduated, they had to return them.
But a gift from Crowler himself?
That was permanent.
And this was Ancient Gear Golem. A powerhouse rivaling Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
"Thank you, Professor." Hikaru accepted it without hesitation.
"No… I should thank you."
"?"
A question mark popped over Hikaru's head.
"Thank me… for what?"
Crowler sniffled, dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief.
"Thank you… for reminding me that framing others…
was never the right way."
"???"
He's not talking about Jaden… is he?
I only brought him here because I remembered he was the highest-ranking professor...
Hikaru didn't say it aloud. It was a nice misunderstanding.
"I'll take this student with me. He'll be reported and disciplined.
You all—carry on with your club activities."
Crowler left, visibly shaken.
Despite everything, he was still a good teacher.
In the original story, he'd risked himself to protect his students.
So Hikaru was more than happy to keep things friendly between them.
The rest of the students went back to their activities.
Some of the first-years who had wanted to challenge Hikaru earlier backed off—clearly unwilling to risk it after seeing a senior lose.
Red and Yellow students rushed over to cheer him on.
Once he was done with the social niceties, Hikaru found a quiet place to sit and rest.
But something still felt… off.
A vague unease had been lingering inside him all duel.
He didn't know where it came from.
He pulled out his Deck and searched for his newly acquired Ancient Gear Golem.
This card, in this era, was still—
"Holy crap!"
His eyes went wide.
"No, no, no—!"
Inside his Deck, Ancient Gear Beast and Ancient Gear Golem…
were stuck together.
Not from glue or moisture.
They were merging.
Fusing together.
Turning purple.
And then—
Becoming a Fusion Monster.
Ancient Gear Ultimate Golem.
Two cards… had Fused.