"Alchemage, you got any potions or something?" Hikaru knelt beside Professor Crowler, who was still unconscious, and slid the borrowed cards back into the professor's Deck. Propping him gently against a nearby boulder, Hikaru frowned.
How long had it been?Why hadn't the guy woken up yet?
Crowler might've been eccentric and over-the-top, but when danger came, he didn't hesitate.He hadn't fled. He'd thrown Hikaru the emergency extraction device first.
That kind of instinct—that kind of teacher—Hikaru couldn't help but respect.
"Don't worry," Alchemage replied, peering at Crowler. "From what I can tell, it's just a matter of spirit acclimation. He'll be up in two hours max."
That was a relief.
In the anime's later arcs, Crowler had become the model professor.But even in the early days—beneath his buffoonery and vanity—he was always protective of his students.Even during his forced participation in a Shadow Duel, when death loomed, he didn't panic or beg. Instead, he tried to teach.Tried to reassure his students.Tried to die with dignity.
He was the kind of teacher who'd die for his students.And that meant something.
Honestly, Hikaru had only brought him along because he needed someone with high clearance, a failsafe teleport device… and most importantly, Ancient Gear Golem in their Deck.
He'd expected the two of them to steamroll everything.
Who could've guessed the possessed Gem-Knight White Crystal would skip the duel phase entirely and start throwing hands?
Taking the opportunity, Hikaru questioned Alchemage further.
Why was he even here?
As it turned out—he'd run away.A dispute with his master at the Alchemy Academy had driven him to strike out on his own and prove his theories through independent experimentation.
"What was the disagreement about?"
"The Philosopher's Stone," Alchemage said flatly.
"The Philosopher's Stone?" Hikaru blinked. That was... normal, wasn't it?
"My master insisted that the true purpose of alchemy was the Philosopher's Stone—that all other results were mere byproducts. Immortality, panaceas—nothing compared to that. We argued. Loudly. Because I say that's nonsense!"
Alchemage raised his staff, jabbing it toward the air like he was poking his master in the eye.
"The true goal of alchemy," he declared, "is gold. The Philosopher's Stone is just a tool to make gold!"
…Jesus.A fundamentalist, old-school alchemist.
Hikaru gave him a sideways look, scanning the scattered equipment lying around.
"Let me guess. You've been out here trying to manufacture gold by yourself?"
"Sigh... all the reagents I brought got used up. And I still didn't succeed." Alchemage scratched his head. "But I've got some byproducts. They're useless to me—but for you, Master? Please take them."
He handed Hikaru a whole pile of cards—normal monsters with no Spirit energy, the kind Alchemage had used for his fusion experiments.
Hikaru raised an eyebrow.
Not bad.
Revived Steel Construct Alchemage required a normal monster and a Reinforced monster to fuse—so having a bunch of vanilla fodder around? Actually pretty handy.
Sure, most of them were trash, but whatever—Super Polymerization could chew them up just fine.
And hey—saved him money, too.
"Maybe one day you can make me a Swamp King," Hikaru muttered, pocketing the cards.
When Crowler finally woke up, Hikaru gave him a quick recap.
Apparently, Crowler had no memory beyond a rock smacking him in the head.Learning that Hikaru had dueled and bonded with Spirits while he was out cold didn't bother him much. In fact… he was relieved.
"Mama mia! I didn't have to deal with monsters face-to-face? Grazie Dio!"
After a short rest—and giving the professor time to fix his hair—Hikaru and Crowler stepped into the dimensional gate and returned to their own world.
Compared to last time, the return trip was far less jarring.No pulse-pounding sprint through time and space—just a mild fatigue.That Chaos Soldier dimension from before must've been a monster.
"Mama mia…" Crowler murmured, kneeling and kissing the cold tile floor of Duel Academy. He whipped out a handkerchief and wiped his brow.
Chancellor Sheppard was already waiting for them at the gate.
"Well? Everything go smoothly, Professor Crowler?"
"Ah? Uh, yes! Yes indeed!" Crowler wrung his hands nervously, then plastered on a wide, shaky grin. "It was as simple as drinking tea!"
...He had made Hikaru promise not to tell anyone he'd slept through the entire trip.In exchange, he swore to pull strings and get Hikaru extra credit—assuming the boy performed well enough in the midterm.
Hikaru just nodded enthusiastically beside him.
"Excellent, excellent. And Hikaru—did the Spirit accept you?"
Hikaru nodded again.
"Wonderful! Looks like next year, North Academy will have to send another rookie to our Friendship Games! Their second-years won't stand a chance!" Sheppard beamed.
Across the room, Declan Akaba stood in the shadows, visibly seething.
No issues?Smooth as tea?Like it was nothing?!
Was this… mockery?
He clenched his fists behind his back.That absurd smirk—did Crowler know?Was he mocking Akaba's plan?
That Gem-Knight White Crystal card… he had personally recovered it from a crumbling subdimension, aided by KaibaCorp personnel.The other Gem-Knights had exhibited faint corruption—but White Crystal?He was off the charts. A swirling abyss of darkness.
Even if Akaba hadn't used full force, even if he hadn't activated every contingency, even if the KaibaCorp techs were less than elite—
There's no way two humans could've come back unscathed.
Not unless…
Right then, Crowler turned and flashed him a grin.
It was a crooked, eerie, grotesque thing.
A fucking Pot of Greed.
Akaba nearly lost it.Was that a taunt?!
Had Crowler predicted this? Did he see through it from the start?
Did he bring Ancient Gear Golem with full intent to counter White Crystal?
That damned old man…!
No. No, he must calm down.
This isn't over.
At the very least… now he knew one of Crowler's hidden cards.
He forced a polite smile, exchanged a few fake pleasantries, and excused himself—palming off work to subordinates as he left the room.
Before he lost control and punched Crowler in the face.
"I wonder what's got him so riled up," Crowler whispered to Hikaru. "Did I offend him somehow?"
"Eh… maybe he's just not good at socializing," Hikaru said vaguely.
But in truth, he knew exactly why Akaba was furious.
The man wasn't fit to lead the Fusion Division.He sowed division. Treated students like pawns.Managed his 'soldiers' like a warlord, not a professor.Tried to trap him in another dimension, for gods' sake!
Fusion was supposed to be about unity. About bringing things together.
And Akaba stood for the exact opposite.
Hikaru made up his mind.
He'd hollow out the Fusion Division from within—and build a New Fusion Club, one that reflected what Fusion was supposed to be.
But that was for later.
For now?
Midterms were coming.
Two parts: a written exam… and practical dueling.
His target?
Scholarship.
Time to get serious.