"Duel King"
Adrian's expression instantly turned cold.
People say Duel Academy is the King's forbidden zone. He used to think that was an exaggeration, but now it seemed the rumors weren't overstated after all.
He had just set foot on the island—not even as a stowaway, but as a legitimate exchange student.
Yet even so, the moment he approached the abandoned dorm area, he was immediately caught red-handed.
But Kira's appearance also confirmed the rumors.
Adrian adjusted his glasses and said quietly, "So, it's true, isn't it?"
"Hm?" Kira raised his eyebrows.
"The rumors about the Duel King's power," Adrian said. "This abandoned dorm connects to a world filled with terrifying dark forces. The King obtained incomparable power from that world, and the heart of that power is this island's center and this abandoned dorm."
Kira: "?"
Now it was Kira's turn to be dumbfounded.
Is that really what people say about me?
What nonsense is this?
True, there were indeed his secrets in the dorm, but in reality, it was just that Professor Lyman's old alchemy lab was hidden below. It contained Lyman's years of research, including forbidden alchemy techniques, dark powers, and card-making secrets.
Of course, Lyman had already willingly gifted all of it to Kira.
Kira massaged his temples. "Even rumors these days are this wild…"
"Want to deny it?" Adrian frowned.
"Haha, not really." Kira chuckled. "No matter what I say, you probably wouldn't believe me anyway, so just believe whatever you like."
At this moment, the ghostly Eye muttered from the side: "Honestly, I think that version is pretty convincing. You're crazy strong, and you really do look like some evil god from another world…"
Kira glared at it, and it immediately fell silent.
"So that's what you came here to investigate, young master Gecko?" Kira looked at Adrian with interest.
Adrian gritted his teeth. "That scene you just showed me… How did you know about that?"
But Kira just waved a finger, "No, no, I didn't show you anything. You showed me. What you just saw was your own inner darkness—the image that haunts your mind the most."
"What do you mean?" Adrian gritted his teeth even harder.
The most haunting image in my own mind? No way. I've already let go of that. Shido is my dearest little brother, I've never…
"Is that so?"
Kira smiled and raised his duel disk.
Adrian got the hint: "So, in the end, it's a duel, right?"
"Yep." Kira nodded. "They say dueling is the truest way for duelists to open their hearts. I know a thing or two about that. Maybe I can help you face your true self."
He paused, then gave a mysterious smile.
"Or are you afraid to face it, young master Gecko?"
Afraid to face my true self?
A flash of cold light appeared in Adrian's glasses.
What a joke.
"Fine, I've always wanted to see the Duel King's strength for myself."
Adrian snorted, activating his duel disk.
Duel King—such an awe-inspiring, lofty title.
Deep down, perhaps Adrian did feel that title should belong to him.
He'd always had absolute confidence in his own strength; in fact, Adrian's performance in GX was indeed stunning. He defeated Chazz, obtained the legendary forbidden power of Exodia, beat Aster Phoenix, and even the undefeated boss Yubel almost lost to him…
If there were a power ranking for all GX characters, Adrian Gecko would surely be at the top.
Adrian activated his duel disk.
"Duel!" x2
[Kira, LP4000]
[Adrian, LP4000]
"I'll go first. Draw!"
Adrian took the first turn.
But he didn't rush to play his cards. Instead, he cautiously observed Kira.
The legendary Duel King… but he didn't seem domineering at all. There was no pressure coming from him, just a lazy, casual air.
Is this guy really the King? Or is he hiding something?
Although Adrian wasn't afraid of any opponent, facing this guy, he didn't dare be careless.
"I activate the Spell Card 'Lucky Cloud'," Adrian said. "During the turn this is activated, if I summon two or more monsters with the same name, I can draw two cards at the end phase." (Anime effect)
So Adrian is using his Cloudian deck for now.
In the later part of the anime, after gaining forbidden power in the other world, Adrian used the Exodia deck. He's also one of the only characters besides Atem and Grandpa Solomon to command the real Exodia spirit.
But after being made into a real card, Lucky Cloud became Cloudian-exclusive—you can only trigger the effect by summoning Cloudians with the same name. No such restriction in the anime.
"Next, I activate the Continuous Spell 'Summon Cloud'," Adrian continued. "This card allows me to Special Summon any Level 4 or lower 'Cloudian' monster from my hand."
He immediately revealed two cards from his hand.
"I Special Summon these two:
Two 'Cloudian – Sheep Cloud'!"
Two small white clouds appeared on the field, each with cartoonish eyes squinting into crescents.
[Cloudian – Sheep Cloud, DEF 0] x2
The real card has restrictions: you can only activate it if your field is empty, and only once per turn. But you can summon from hand or Graveyard (but the Spell destroys itself if you summon from the Graveyard). The anime has no such limits; you can spam as many as you want if you meet the condition.
"Then I Set one card face-down."
Adrian said.
"End Phase: 'Lucky Cloud' activates. Since I summoned monsters with the same name this turn, I draw two cards from my deck!"
Adrian drew two cards.
"Turn end!"
Kira: "My turn. Draw."
Kira drew his card and smiled lightly at his starting hand.
He muttered to himself, "Since you want to take the stage so badly, today I'll give you a chance. Don't disappoint me…"
He looked up.
"When my opponent controls more Spell/Trap cards than I do, I can Special Summon this card directly from my hand.
Special Summon 'Psychic Megacyber!'"
[Psychic Megacyber, ATK 2200]
"Then I tribute Psychic Megacyber to Tribute Summon—"
Kira raised his monster card.
"The king of psychics, nemesis of traps—
Jinzo, the Trap-Suppressor—
—Jinzo, Summon!"