Chapter 106: Kaiba Chiaki Enters the Battle
Eve: "w(°A°)w This thing is fake! How can it possibly be this big! It's all an illusion, can't fool me!"
Sprite-form Eve stared at the Dark Magician Girl card preserved in a transparent card brick, wearing an expression like her entire worldview had just collapsed.
Crushed in every sense.
Oh wait, not entirely. At least your 2100 DEF steel plate is hard enough that even Dark Magician Girl's 2000 ATK can't break through.
Along with the transparent storage brick, Amano solemnly accepted the bingo duel victory reward from the host's hands.
Immediately after, enthusiastic applause erupted throughout the entire banquet hall.
Despite everyone standing below being Eden Tower's elite wealthy merchants, any one of whom had financial power sufficient to crush Amano.
Yet after this duel concluded, Amano instantly became a hot commodity in all the merchants' eyes.
So young, yet possessing such shocking strength.
Simultaneously, youth also represented greater potential, easier control, and easier satisfaction (cheaper).
The scheming family elites had already begun planning how to recruit Amano to their camp.
However, the next moment, these people's schemes all fell through.
A burly staff member dressed in black, wearing sunglasses, approached Amano and bowed respectfully.
"Mr. Amano, our president requests your presence."
The staff member's chest displayed a prominent KC nameplate -- naturally a Kaiba Corporation employee.
Then the president publicly inviting Amano was undoubtedly Kaiba Corporation President Kaiba Chiaki.
Seeing this scene, everyone below simultaneously sighed.
No helping it -- sure enough, Kaiba Corporation had their eye on him.
Competing with Kaiba Corporation for people required weighing whether you had the strength, knew your limits.
As for the inexplicably invited Amano, he was caught in a dilemma.
When the duel ended, Amano's first thought wasn't joy at receiving the reward card.
But rather the disaster zone waiting ahead.
Even during the duel, Amano could occasionally feel the two young ladies' burning gazes.
He really wanted to leave immediately after the duel, but couldn't find a reason or method.
However, Kaiba Chiaki had timely extended a lifeline to Amano.
Though whether this lifeline's end held sugar or a knife, Amano currently couldn't determine.
After all, in that last duel, he'd both fused Blue-Eyes and Xyz'd Galaxy-Eyes. Practically constantly provoking right in front of the Kaiba sisters.
Plus this time it wasn't that little brat Kaiba Chiha looking for him, but Kaiba Corporation's real boss, President Kaiba Chiaki.
She wouldn't do indescribable things to the fourth Blue-Eyes White Dragon's holder like Kaiba Seto in the anime, right?
Honestly, Amano was somewhat afraid.
But ultimately, Amano still followed the staff member's steps to Kaiba Corporation's exclusive second-floor lounge.
No helping it -- compared to unknown terror, the known disaster zone was more frightening.
En route, Amano also tossed aside the transparent brick storing Dark Magician Girl, only removing the card itself and placing it in his deck.
Though a world-unique rare card with collection value far exceeding combat value.
Amano still felt that as a Duel Monsters card, being permanently stored in a brick was too pitiful. Cards should have meaning through duelist use.
Moreover, given his current deck's strength level, he couldn't even look down on Dark Magician Girl's strength.
Single Tribute with 2000 ATK already counted as quite high in his deck.
On the way to the lounge, Amano seemed to also see Kaiba Chiha.
The little brat didn't approach confrontationally, but her eyes remained obviously unfriendly.
However, this time there was surprisingly no direct affection drop. Considering the 10 affection points just gained, probably the sister-dragon Fusion from the duel was still taking effect.
The innermost room was the president's exclusive lounge. After the staff member brought Amano there, he withdrew first, leaving Amano alone to push the door and enter.
Walking into the lounge, the first person he saw was Kaiba Chiaki seated in the boss chair.
Her presence was too strong -- hard not to notice her first glance.
Almost simultaneously, the system notification sounded.
[AVAILABLE TARGET] [KAIBA CHIHA] [AFFECTION: 51]
Honestly, the instant he saw this number, Amano breathed a sigh of relief.
51 affection points -- though only slightly more than a stranger, at least it was positive. At minimum, it indicated Kaiba Chiaki held no malice toward him.
Just seeing Kaiba Chiaki also appear in the system's available target list made Amano start wondering what Kaiba's skill would be.
Recently, the system's given skills were increasingly dropping pretenses.
Had that gacha game vibe where new character skills crushed old character skills.
Could it be [Aspiring to Become Kaiba Seto]?
This was different from Rin Seiya's internal admiration.
Because they were truly too similar -- whether the iconic silver trench coat outfit, hair color, or temperament.
If Kaiba Seto had a gender-swapped alternate world domineering female president version, Amano would unhesitatingly confirm it looked exactly like Kaiba Chiaki before him.
"You're Amano Rei, correct?" Kaiba Chiaki spoke first. "Sit."
Kaiba Chiaki's voice didn't differ much from Amano's imagined domineering female president. But perhaps due to relative youth, it lacked some mature onee-san depth while gaining some girlish clarity.
"President Kaiba, you summoned me for?"
"I heard about your situation from Chiha. My sister's foolish actions caused you considerable trouble. As her older sister, I apologize on her behalf."
This development exceeded Amano's expectations. Sister paying sister's debts? No wait, Amano just hadn't expected someone of Kaiba Chiaki's status to personally apologize to him.
Completely different from Kaiba Seto's personality in the anime.
Amano had thought this world's Kaiba was also that type who'd never bow their head until death.
Or perhaps because his current status was too insignificant, there was simply no need to act tsundere toward him.
As for the apology.
"I accept your apology."
Kaiba Chiha hadn't really caused him major trouble. Rather, through various coincidences, Amano might have actually benefited more.
Moreover, when even someone of Kaiba Chiaki's status personally apologized for her sister, continuing to be unforgiving would easily offend the entire Kaiba Corporation together.
Given his current strength and background, it wasn't yet time to act out urban face-slapping power fantasies.
Kaiba Chiaki smiled and stood, walking toward the display cabinet behind her filled with various premium liquors.
"What would you like to drink? Red wine, whiskey, or green tea, juice, soda?"
"Soda is fine..."
"Hehe, same taste as mine. Drink up."
Behavior that left Amano confused -- President Kaiba suddenly personally poured him drinks.
Dense bubbles churned and jumped inside the high-class transparent glass.
Since President Kaiba personally poured it, seemed improper not to drink.
Kaiba Chiaki watched the position where Amano's lips contacted the glass, revealing an imperceptible mysterious smile.
"Amano Rei, I saw tonight's duel... I'm very interested in you now."
Not angry, but very interested?
Seemed Kaiba Chiaki didn't have that intense-to-abnormal possessiveness that forbade others from using Blue-Eyes White Dragon or anything.
"Blue-Eyes Tyrant Dragon -- even though I've used Blue-Eyes White Dragon for so long, I never envisioned that fusion method. Yet the duelist who masters such powerful Fusion is a Synchro Academy student. Truly a waste of talent."
Indeed, based on Amano's performance in tonight's duel, both his Xyz and Fusion demonstrated understanding worthy of admiration.
Only the initial Junk Synchro seemed ordinary.
"I want to invite you, Amano Rei, to transfer to Fusion Academy."
Once one month since enrollment passed, transfer channels between academies opened. This gave students who chose wrong academies chances to switch to their desired summoning methods.
"Synchro Summoning doesn't suit you. Synchro Academy's rigid teaching atmosphere also doesn't suit your dueling style."
Transfer?
True, initially Amano's first choice had indeed been Fusion Academy. Familiar companions -- dormmates Kikawayu and Finesse were also Fusion Academy students.
And after temporarily joining Synchro Academy, Amano had thought to endure one month before transferring to Fusion.
Kaiba Chiaki added: "Speaking frankly, Amano Rei, continuing to stay at Synchro Academy will only delay yourself. As long as you nod agreement, you don't need to wait the full month -- Kaiba Corporation can handle transfer procedures for you."
However, when the opportunity to truly leave Synchro Academy and transfer to first-choice Fusion Academy was placed before Amano.
Many people and events surfaced in Amano's mind.
Nanki'in Sakuya pulling on him for leverage during running exercises; E-Class classmates desperately begging him to save them during exams; Kozuka Kyoka teasing about the class rep and committee member's relationship during breaks; Senior Seiya's eyes lighting up watching Synchro Summoning in anime at the club room.
Though Synchro Academy's teaching pace like his previous life's high school was harder to endure compared to the other two academies. But being together with classmates and friends somehow didn't seem so difficult.
Turns out bonds between people could be established so simply.
Yet these simply-established bonds, when Amano needed to choose whether to abandon them for so-called prospects and future, seemed far more solid than they appeared.
That day in the academy infirmary, Nanki'in Sakuya genuinely thought he'd collapsed from overwork and stayed with him two hours.
The E-Class classmates who subsequently rushed into the infirmary also wore expressions of genuine worry that he'd nearly heroically sacrificed himself in a Dark Game.
("Committee member, if something happened to you, I couldn't go on either!")
("We're planning to follow you for life, don't abandon us!")
"I'm sorry, President Kaiba. Please allow me to refuse."
"Why?" Kaiba Chiaki's brow flashed surprise, lightly furrowing. "Did I not explain clearly enough?"
"You've already explained very clearly. I also know Synchro Summoning might not be the most suitable summoning method for me."
Amano's deck severely lacked even the crucial Tuner monsters.
Compared to Fusion requiring only Spell Cards and Xyz requiring only same-level monsters, currently speaking, Synchro Summoning wasn't the most suitable summoning method for Amano.
"But I'm Synchro Academy First-Year Class E's Duel Committee member. If I abandoned the class's classmates, they'd definitely be very disappointed in me."
"What kind of inexplicable reason is that?" Kaiba Chiaki's frown deepened.
"It might seem inexplicable to you. But for me, this is more important than choosing what summoning method. It's the bond I've chosen to maintain."
"Interesting. Then can I understand it this way?" After being clearly rejected by Amano, Kaiba Chiaki's tone suddenly became several degrees more serious. "You want to oppose me, to oppose Fusion Academy."
Amano had previously known the three major academies' relationships ran deep and heated.
But he hadn't expected the three academies' relationship was severe enough that even someone at Kaiba Chiaki's level would care about academy and summoning method superiority.
Couldn't they be like him, mastering all three summonings simultaneously for harmonious development?
Or were there deeper underlying reasons?
"In one month's Academy Challenge Tournament, I'll be waiting for you at Fusion Academy's champion seat. If you think your choice wasn't wrong, then prove it to me in a duel."
Academy Challenge Tournament.
Amano had actually heard Rin Seiya mention this.
The annual Academy Challenge Tournament -- each of the three major academies would select their academy's three strongest duelists as defenders.
All other students would play challenger roles, attacking other academies' platforms.
Duration of three days. If successfully breaking through another academy's platform, the entire academy would receive extremely generous rewards.
But Amano had also heard from Rin Seiya that in all these years, not once had any academy's platform been broken through.
The reason was simple -- each academy's platform was defended by that academy's three strongest. This meant these three couldn't leave the platform to attack other academies.
Even letting all other students play challengers, in 1v1 duels, numbers couldn't compensate. Plus duels didn't demand high stamina, so attrition tactics meant little.
Facing absolute hard-strength gaps, the most likely scenario was the academy Bronze seat holder finally drawing poorly after consecutive matches, getting unexpectedly defeated by challengers.
But over the years, only Bronze seat defeats had occurred.
The Silver seat defended by academy runners-up had never been broken through.
Let alone the Gold seat defended by each academy's champion. Most situations, couldn't even see their face.
Waiting for him at the champion seat?
This Kaiba Chiaki actually made such an unreasonable demand of him, a first-year academy student.
Being valued so highly by the President Kaiba herself, Amano didn't know what feelings to have.
Kaiba Chiaki's eyes filled with pride. "You're also a duelist chosen by Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Amano Rei, if you can face me in a duel at the Gold seat..."
She didn't even say defeat her. Kaiba Chiaki's requirement was merely for Amano to duel her at the Gold seat.
"...as a reward!"
Sure enough, a reward.
This kind of challenge requiring utmost effort needed rewards for motivation. Kaiba, you really understand how things work.
"As a reward, I can let you join Kaiba Corporation."
Why are you still taking everything?
You really have nothing but yourself on your mind.
Amano had already refused transferring to Fusion Academy, yet worked so desperately at the Academy Challenge Tournament just to join your Kaiba Corporation as your subordinate employee?
"If you can accomplish it, I'll give you fifty million annual salary!"
But then again... fifty million annual salary placed in the upper district would be top-tier income level.
Just working ten years would earn income equivalent to giving Nanki'in Sakuya a child.
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