After the duel with Dimitri, Hikaru didn't encounter any other notably strong students that day.
Which wasn't surprising.
After all, cards once used by the King of Gas held imnse allure for the average student. No matter how powerful, such cards could always bolster the overall strength of their Decks.
But on the flip side, the participants in this kind of competition were either duelists like Hikaru who joined to gather Fusion Materials, ones like Dimitri who sought to "simulate the King of Gas," or simply those whose Decks weren't that strong.
Students like Zane or Jaden, who specialized in a specific archetype, wouldn't participate in these duels.
Hikaru did, however, run into quite a few mbers of the Polyrization Club. So surrendered upon seeing him, while others chatted and casually sparred.
To put it simply, there were extremists and moderates.
Due to Hikaru's influence, second-year students from the Fusion Club had begun to "counterattack" against the second-year extremists from the Polyrization Club. While not overt, they had started striving for their own rights and status.
Frankly, Hikaru felt they had been heavily manipulated. Most first-year Polyrization Club mbers with any sense had already joined the Fusion Club.
Everyone had access to Ancient Gear decks and could learn Fusion Summoning. Although the Fusion Club lacked the grand building of the Polyrization Club, there were no group drills or bullying, and mbers simply played cards and relaxed every day.
Occasionally, Alexis would even sing to liven the mood. How could that not be better than the lifeless Polyrization Club?
Hikaru had considered persuading them, but they instead dramatically called themselves rebels and reformists.
It left Hikaru speechless.
Dark Atticus (Darkness) was always about rebellion and revolution because his world had truly been invaded by the Fusion Army and left in ruins. Countless friends and family had been turned into cards, so his desire for revolution ca from the heart.
'But you guys? Just leave the Polyrization Club and join mine. Once it's empty, the problem solves itself.'
Still, Hikaru couldn't say they were entirely misguided. The courage to resist the privileged within the Polyrization Club was comndable.
The first day of the new sester ended smoothly.
Hikaru took so ti to check his Deck and noticed a few new spare cards, pleasantly surprised.
"A low-level monster?" Tierra floated over curiously. "Didn't that power usually give you Fusion Monsters after duels?"
Hikaru had always been secretive about Super Polyrization and didn't want anyone to know it existed, so Tierra didn't know exactly what he was hiding, but she could roughly estimate how powerful it was.
Over the breaks, while observing Hikaru's duels and learning the new era's "rituals," she had also received so vague explanations from him.
Hikaru didn't mind sharing at that level. After all, it helped her cooperate better.
"Elental HERO Prisma?" Tierra folded her arms and stared at the card in thought. "I see, a universal Fusion material? No wonder."
Elental HERO Prisma was a Level 4 LIGHT Warrior, but its true strength lay in its effect:
Once per turn, reveal 1 Fusion Monster from the Extra Deck, then send 1 Fusion Material listed on that card from your Deck to the Graveyard. This card's na becos the sent monster's until the End Phase.
Before Hikaru transmigrated, this card still had its monts—dumping a Vaylantz Monster to the Graveyard and becoming Vaylantz Fusion Monster, pulling off pseudo-one-card combos.
To Hikaru, this card held special aning. He had long wanted a monster that could act as a universal material, like King of the Swamp, Beastking of the Swamps, or Fusion Parasite.
But despite countless modifications to his Deck, even after fusing away his Fulltalfoes Alkahest and other bulk cards he bought, he hadn't gotten the faintest trace of one.
Until today, it seed that dueling "himself" might yield cards of this type.
Hikaru pondered.
The only problem, it wouldn't be easy.
First off, judging from the card's completion rate, Hikaru could tell he'd have to duel Dimitri for several days straight to get it.
While Dimitri was strong, he wasn't on the sa tier as Hikaru's friends. If Hikaru had to burn his "first duel" chance each day just to fight Dimitri, it felt like a slight loss.
Moreover, with all his Deck restructuring, Hikaru's Deck now ran smoother. His Duel Spirit Compatibility had reached Six-Star level, making it increasingly rare for his hand to brick. Against regular duelists, he could practically draw whatever he needed.
So while Prisma was useful, it wasn't essential anymore.
Not to ntion, Dimitri didn't mimic just one person.
And his imitation of Hikaru still wasn't perfect. If he got more accurate, maybe he could manifest cards like Fusion Parasite or King of the Swamp.
Still, all things considered, this was a decent option.
In the following days...
Hikaru continued attending class and participating in duels as usual. He faced several powerful opponents, but without interference from Jaden and the others, he obtained the cards with ease.
In fact, Dimitri seed to have been the strongest among them, which genuinely surprised Hikaru.
At the award ceremony, amid the cheers of his classmates, Hikaru received a card referred to by Principal Sheppard as "used by the legendary King of Gas."
Dark Swordsman, also known as Buster Blader, a legendary card once used by Yugi Muto to slay a "God."
While it didn't have the fa or rarity of Dark Magician, nor was its presence in Yugi's Deck that prominent, it was perfectly suited for students. It was strong, but not so powerful that it risked students being "canceled" for winning gas.
A great card.
On one hand, it could fuse with Dark Magician to beco Dark Paladin. On the other, it had its own evolution, Dragon Destroyer Swordsman, which could force all Dragon monsters on the opponent's field into Defense Position and negate their effects.
No matter which, Hikaru had no complaints.
"Aweso, Hikaru!" Jaden cheered excitedly.
"Hikaru's too strong!" a regular Fusion Club mber chid in.
As Hikaru basked in the spotlight and applause, a group of students in purple uniforms wearing masks exchanged quiet whispers.
They sneered as they watched him.
Hikaru instinctively sensed malice and turned in their direction, only to find the masked students staring back with unabashed hostility.
'Fusion Army?'
He didn't recognize them at all.
"Hey, Hikaru," Tierra suddenly appeared beside him, intrigued. "These humans seem interesting. I can feel a strong darkness from them—even stronger than yours when you're not using any cards."
'What!? Those nobodies?' Hikaru stared at them with surprise.
'Interesting…'
Looks like they were here for him.
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