With Mozarta's ATK now at 3600, it was time for Zuzu to unleash her Battle Phase; after everything that has happened, it felt so nice to start dueling again. Now, which monster should attack who? After some quick thinking, she made up her mind and proceeded to let her monsters bring out their attacks.
"Ancient Sacred Wyvern, attack Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon!" Zuzu declared. "Heavenly Judgement!"
Her golden yellow mane and side tails began to illuminate and she soared to the other side of the field where Meteorburst Dragon was. Instead of charging at him, she rose up into the air, stopping at a good distance above him before rotating in a perfect circular motion that resulted in gold halos raining down above him. Zuzu's plan was to have her Synchro monster pour down these halos, which will then trap Meteorburst Dragon and inflict 600 points of damage.
"Not so fast!" Yuya countered as he quickly snatched an Action Card off the ground. "I activate the Action Spell Miracle to save Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon!"
The halos stacked on top of each other until it has passed Meteorburst Dragon's head and then quickly grasped onto him, resulting in an explosion from where he stood. As the patches of smoke cleared, Zuzu's first target was still standing and completely unfazed from the attack as he let out his trademark roar and Yuya's Life Points decreased to only 3700. Now that his Life Points are less than Zuzu's by 300, that meant Ancient Sacred Wyvern increased her ATK up to 3400. Even though it didn't turn out the way she wanted to, at least she can still attack Sora with Mozarta.
"Then I'll have to change targets," Zuzu decided. "Mozarta, attack Frightfur Sheep with Graceful Wave!"
With a conductor's bow in her hands, Mozarta raised it up to the sky and expanded her light green wings encrusted with a gold base. The wings lit up a brighter tint of green as piano keys faded onto them and played notes from highest to lowest. She moved her arms around until her right arm that had the bow in her hand was still pointing up and her left arm extended to her left, leading to two rings of air to form, which then transformed to wind gusts that formed a cyclonic missle aimed straight for Frightfur Sheep. Upon impact, his Fusion monster disintegrated from the field and Sora was sent flying away from her and crashing back first on some grass as his Life Points decreased to 1400. As a result, the difference between his and Zuzu's Life Points was now 1600, making Wyvern's ATK a whopping 5000!
Sora kicked his legs up and jumped back into a standing position, surprisingly not fazed from the immense destruction of Frightfur Sheep. Why? Let's just say he has a trick up his sleeve.
"Whoa…" Yuya said, completely in awe. "Is this your new strategy?"
"It is," Zuzu confirmed. "The more Life Points I have, the stronger she gets. Hopefully I'll be able to finish you off by my next turn."
"Don't worry, bro," Sora said as he drew a card to indicate the start of his turn. "I'll take it from here. I'll show off my two cards as well by activating Frightfur Edge Imp Cotton Eater and Fluffal Angel: my two new Pendulum cards courtesy of Declan Akaba! Time to swing this duel in my favor!"
Edge Imp Cotton Eater is a Level 7 Scale 1 DARK Fiend-Type Pendulum monster with 2400 ATK and 1600 DEF. Its Pendulum effects grant all Fusion monsters Sora controls 300 additional ATK and lets him draw a card after Fusion Summoning a Frightfur Fusion monster once per turn. Its monster effect—after it is special summoned—enables it to inflict 200 damage points to the opponent for every Frightfur monster in the Graveyard, but this can only be done once per turn.
Fluffal Angel is a Level 2 Scale 8 LIGHT Fairy-Type Pendulum monster with 600 ATK and 1200 DEF. His Pendulum effect allows Sora to target and special summon a Fluffal or an Edge Imp monster from the Graveyard at the cost of not special summoning monsters, except for Fusion monsters, from the Extra Deck for the rest of the turn; this effect can only be done once per turn. By using his monster effect once per turn, he can be tributed in order for a Frightfur Fusion monster to be targeted and special summoned from the Graveyard.
He placed his two new Pendulum cards on the opposite ends of his Duel Disk and the word "PENDULUM" flashed one letter at a time in a rainbow of colors. The two monsters ascended in their separate columns of light, and once they stopped after appearing on the field, their respective Scale numbers, 1 and 8, appeared below them.
"Time to bring out a new furry flurry!" Sora declared. "I Pendulum Summon Fluffals Dog, Penguin, and Leo!"
A portal opened up between Fluffal Angel and Edge Imp Cotton three trails of pink, purple, and yellow energetic aura shot out from the exposed gap. They all landed on the field to reveal themselves to be Fluffals Dog, Penguin, and Leo.
Fluffal Dog depicts a light peach puppy with brown spots and angel wings; he is also a Level 4 EARTH Fairy-Type monster with 1700 ATK and 1000 DEF. When he is normal or special summoned, a Fluffal monster—except Fluffal Dog—or an Edge Imp Sabres can be added from the deck to Sora's hand, but this effect can only be done once per turn.
Fluffal Penguin is shown to be a young chick with a pair of earmuffs on his head and two angel wings stylized to be a bowtie. His card information states he is a Level 4 WATER Fairy-Type monster with 1600 ATK and 1000 DEF. During Sora's Main Phase, he can special summon one other Fluffal monster from his hand, but this can be done once if Fluffal Penguin is face-up on the field. If he was sent to the Graveyard as a Fusion Material to Fusion Summon a Frightfur Fusion monster, two cards are drawn and once is discarded; this effect can be done once per turn.
Even though Sora hasn't gotten a chance to use Dog or Penguin, it was his first time using Leo since the Arc League Championship Battle Royale. He is a yellow lion with silver gauntlets on his legs and also has angel wings on his back; additionally, he is a Level 4 EARTH Fairy-Type monster with 1600 ATK and 1200 DEF. His effect allows him to gain 500 ATK until the end of the Battle Phase when he is used to declare an attack.
Wait, hold on… Three Fluffals with the same Level… Three Level 4 monsters… Was he going to…? No, it can't be! He doesn't even own any XYZ monsters! Was this part of this trick he has or was he actually going to XYZ Summon? Well, one things for certain: Yuya and Zuzu both know how the Pendulum Summoned monsters all share the same Level and are also unsure if Sora was going to bring out his own XYZ monster.
"Now I activate Fluffal Dog's special ability!" Sora announced. "He'll fetch a Fuffal monster straight from my deck! And thanks to Fluffal Penguin's special ability, I can bring a furry little feline out on the field! So show us your fluff, Fluffal Cat!"
A light purple kitten with a bushy tail, a pink bowtie, and angel wings on her back lept out from a glowing light from the Monster Zone she was summoned onto and headed to her owner to help him provide transportation. The special summoned Fluffal Cat is a Level 1 EARTH Fairy-Type monster with 700 ATK and 300 DEF. If she was used as a Fusion Material for a Fusion Summon and sent to the Graveyard, a Polymerization in the Graveyard can be targeted and added to the hand, but it can only be done once per turn.
"Now for the main event!" Sora declared. "Time to Overlay my three Level 4 Fluffals! King of the jungle, man's best friend, breezy delight… When the three get together, you'll soon see great might! I XYZ Summon Frightfur Phoenix!"
Its scissor-bladed wings popped out with the light reflecting off the blades, a stuffed bird foot sewn together on the limb of a leg stomped down on the ground, the face appeared from the shadows, carrying the trademark, demonic Frightfur eyes, and unleashed its mighty roar. Without a doubt, this monster was Sora's newest, and first, XYZ monster: Frightfur Phoenix, a Rank 4 DARK Fiend-Type XYZ monster with 1650 ATK and 1100 DEF. It requires 3 Level 4 Fluffal monsters to be used for an XYZ Summon. Once per turn, by detaching one XYZ Material, it can target a face-up monster an opponent controls and gains ATK equal to its original ATK, which is basically similar to one of Raidraptor - Rise Falcon's effects.
Yuya and Zuzu were absolutely surprised. "When did you get that?!" Yuya asked.
"Frightfur Phoenix?" Sora cheekily asked. "Oh, he's custom I ordered from Huffington Creations. They specialize in creating personalized cards of every type. It's a famous company in the Fusion Dimension."
Huffington Creations has an interesting story on how it became what it is today. In the earlier years, its founder and CEO Chumley was once a student at Duel Academy prior to Leo taking over. As a former Slifer Red student, his dueling skills weren't exactly the best, but his art skills were remarkably extraordinary. By the time he had reached his midteens, Duel Academy was dramatically changing into something more sinisterly militaristic, training the students to be future duel soldiers in order to aid the newfound Professor into completing his ultimate plan by turning the dimensional populace into cards, a goal he calls the Arc Project. What's worse was how widespread the influence was growing, claiming the minds of almost every student and staff member, warping them into following these cult-like extravagant beliefs, and even going as far as erasing their memories prior to joining in order for them to not think about their friends and families when being molded into the ruthless duel soldiers.
What should Chumley do? Everywhere he went, the place he called home after finishing elementary school was no longer making him feel like home. Besides, what good would a Slifer Red like him be in accomplishing such a massive mission? At that point, it looked like he had no other option; was it escaping? No, who knows how strict the faculty would become where they prohibit breaches? It was something he never thought he would do: rebel against the system in the subtlest way possible. Throughout the remainder of the year, he deliberately duped the teachers into believing his dueling skills were not strong enough to embark on the required tasks necessary for the Arc Project to succeed. However, his scheme was fulfilled faster than he thought, mainly due to the frustration he caused in the process. The last sights he ever saw of Duel Academy were a young Yuri sitting on the bench, a long-haired, dark blonde, 13-year-old girl walking past him as he approached the parked boat.
With him finally returned to Domino City, he could now use what he feels like he is actually an expert at doing and hone his art talents to form a better career. After opening up his own membership platform account to help support himself for his work, creating an efficient business plan and structure, brainstorming his finances, earning his licenses and permits, setting up accounting systems, constructing the initial building for his own job, and hiring a team of loyal employees, Huffington Creations went from a small business into a popular company across the Fusion Dimension and now the Fusion quadrant of the resurrected Original Dimension. Citizens and future students were amazed at all the custom cards being produced not long after the grand opening and it greatly boosted marketing and promotional strategies during the next couple years. Heck, last year, Cyber Girl Ritual and Fusion anti-support cards were made and distributed to a teenage girl shortly after co-founding You Show Duel School because of the enmity with Duel Academy she obtained during her escape.
"Now to activate Frightfur Phoenix's special ability!" Sora declared. "By using an Overlay Unit, he'll gain all of Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon's attack! Burning Absorption!"
An Overlay Unit dissipated as it struck the center of Phoenix's chest and a reddish-orange aura surrounded Meteorburst Dragon's body. The aura then shot upwards and dashed to the XYZ Frightfur monster, leading to combusting flames forming in the shape of a phoenix as his ATK dramatically increased to 4150. Thanks to this effect, he was currently the strongest monster out of all of them in this Action Duel.
"Now to take case of that oversized fairy," Sora said. "Frightfur Phoenix, attack Mozarta! Ragged Scissor Slash!"
Coated in a fiery shield from the ATK boost, Frightfur Phoenix rose up to the sky and changed his trajectory so that he was facing directly at Mozarta. He took a sharp nosedive downward to where she was to destroy her, expanding his rough, jagged scissor-bladed wings as he made swift slashes and deep gashes on her. Going out with a huge bang, the force of the explosion crept up to Zuzu to deal 550 damage, bringing her Life Points down to 3450 while bracing herself; however, despite the small drop, a roar came out from Ancient Sacred Wyvern and her ATK increased to 6800.
A flabbergasted Sora couldn't understand the surge in her ATK. How was that even possible? She was supposed to gain or lose ATK based on the difference between Zuzu and her opponent's Life Points. Something then popped into his mind that made remember he was not her only opponent. While it was true the difference between their Life Points is 2050 and it would make her ATK 7050, her effects also affect her battles against Yuya; she now has less Life Points than him, making their difference -250, so factoring it into the overall duel, it lowered it down to 6800. Who would have ever thought applying mathematics in a Battle Royale when Ancient Sacred Wyvern is involved would be so complex?
"Fluffal Cat, you better switch to defense mode," Sora said as he petted her back. "Can you take things from here, Yuya?"
"Sure thing, Sora," Yuya replied. "Time to start my turn!" He drew a card and his eyes widened. "Sorry Performapals Uni and Corn, but you've done a good job. It's now time to bring in my main star! Come on out, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"
Uni and Corn's entire physical appearances altered themselves and became two light blue glowing aura. They both disintegrated from the ground up as the two Performapals were sent to the Graveyard and a third glowing light manifested itself on the field. A flash of red and green heterochronic eyes penetrated through the glow and a head shifted upwards to unleash his roar; the volume packed in the roar burst through the illumination that confided his figure, shattering it into miniscule sparks to uncloak himself as Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon.
"Sorry Yuya, but I don't think your ace can help you out," Zuzu pointed out.
"I can at least try," Yuya insisted.
"Well it's my turn now," Zuzu said as she drew a card. "I equip Ancient Sacred Wyvern with Cestus of Dagla, allowing me to gain Life Points every time she attacks!"
Not only does her Life Points increase by the same number of the inflicted damage, the equipped monster gains 500 ATK; however, these effects only work if the monster is a Fairy-Type. Although she doesn't have any arms, her hands are attached to her wings, so she was able to get a grip on the Equip Spell, making her ATK a total of 7300.
Allie was in awe. "Wow… There's no way Yuya and Sora can beat Zuzu now! She's unstoppable!"
It may be admirable for her, but it didn't spell good news for Yuya or Sora. Because this is a Battle Royale, it was going to be more challenging to make sure Wyvern's ATK decrease. Destroying Mozarta hardly helped, so what are they going to do now? It seems like they're best bet was to find Action Cards; at this point, they need to find any of them if they were going to delay the inevitable or turn the tables on Zuzu and gain the advantage. Yuya quickly climbed up Odd-Eyes' back and hopped onto his head in order to see if there were any up in the trees; as for Sora, with Fluffal Cat in defense position, he'll have to run to scan the lower regions while his adoptive brothers searches the upper areas.
Unfortunately Zuzu was thinking the same thing. As soon as she climbed onto Ancient Sacred Wyvern's back. "Not so fast!" she exclaimed after zooming past the two brothers. "I activate the Action Spell Double Stri-"
"Yuya! I have something important to tell you!"
Up in the projection room, Skip had just ran in right as the door opened and reached an empty space next to Gong and the kids. Zuzu halted her Main Phase and put the entire Battle Royale on an intermission to see what her father had to say to Yuya. Speaking of him, he slid down Odd-Eyes' back all the way to his tail and leapt off it before turning to face where the window to the projection room was to see Skip.
"What is it, Principal Boyle?" Yuya asked.
"Declan Akaba just called," Skip explained. "He has some important news for you. It's about your status as a pro Duelist."
"Funny you should mention that…" Yuya sadly muttered as he scratched the back of his head. "I've been meaning to talk to him about that…"
"So you already know about the Leo Institute internship?" Skip asked.
Yuya looked surprised. "An internship…?" he repeated.
"He'll explain everything to you once you get there," Skip explained.
Yuya swallowed some saliva forming in his mouth as a gulp pierced through his shut lips. He was already aware of his new status as a Pro Duelist after his and Zuzu's revival, but since when did he have to take part in an internship? Does that mean he was going to get a job? But what about his classes at Paradise Prep? The duel sessions at You Show? Most importantly, what about Zuzu and Gong? They all have been close to each other ever since they were kids; his strategies have greatly improved and expanded throughout his time at the other three dimensions, already setting him apart from them, so where does his status fit in all of this? Is it there to only wedge that gap between them farther apart?
"Yuya?" Gong asked. "You feelin' okay?"
Yuya looked at Skip. "Tell Declan…I have to decline," he said. "I can't leave my friends behind…"
"I don't think you can," Skip explained. "Declan seemed pretty insistent. He really needs to speak to you."
"I told you, I can't!" Yuya repeated, tears brimming from his eyes. "I-"
Zuzu interrupted Yuya by placing her hand on his shoulder. "If you're that upset, I'll come with you," she suggested.
"Gong will come too," Gong added. "Can't let ya face this on your own."
"Really?" Yuya asked. A small smile appeared on his face. "You guys…"
"We've grown up together," Gong said. "If Declan's got somethin' planned, we've got every right to know what's gonna happen to you, Yuya."
Yuya wiped the tears from his eyes. "Thanks…" he muttered.
With the Battle Royale now over despite having no outcome on who the victor was, the trio all departed You Show Duel School and made their way to Leo Corporation. Yuya was honestly glad to have his friends around alongside him; it was almost like they could tell why this was happening so suddenly or…maybe they're doing this out of reassurance. They probably chose to come along with him to help soothe this fear he has within him, but the only question is whether or not they do know about it. Could they tell there was something about this internship that's making him uneasy? Granted, he was never informed about it all until moments ago, but still. Whatever the case is, Zuzu and Gong both hoped they will get to the bottom of this and learn why Declan wants to offer it to Yuya.
Unfortunately Yuya was too scared to start walking. "It's okay, Yuya," Zuzu reassured. "No matter what happens in there, we'll support you?"
"Are you sure?" Yuya asked. "I'm already a pro. Doesn't that make me different from you two?"
"A title's a title, Yuya," Gong reassured. "Just 'cause your deck's currently better than ours, it doesn't mean it'll stay that way. That's why Gong was alright with teaching Zuzu about Synchro Summoning in the first place."
"I remember you mentioning that during the duel with Sora," Yuya told Zuzu. "Is that true?"
"It is," Zuzu confirmed. She playfully nudged Yuya in the arm with her elbow. "I gotta keep up with you so I can become a pro too."
Zuzu? A future pro? That was also why she pretended she was focusing on her career as a musician? To achieve new skills and learn other special summoning techniques and catch up with Yuya? This was all shocking to him yet it felt all too relieving. He was so caught up in comparing their decks and the fear of him leaving them in the dust all because of his pro status that he never thought about that. Guess it is a good thing modifying deck recipes exists because if it wasn't for the call and the trip to Card Craze, he wouldn't have found out about this revelation and would feel more anxious anout this internship.
"Does this mean you plan on learning XYZ Summoning next?" Yuya guessed.
"Once I get the hang of Synchros," Zuzu admitted. "Now let's see what this internship thing is about."
Although Leo Corporation wasn't far away from their Duel school, it definitely wasn't close. The three had already crossed one of the roads going over the river and walked past several blocks of buildings, but they didn't want to keep Declan waiting. Picking up the speed, they ran down the bustling downtown streets, running on the sidewalks and crossing any crosswalks that were permitting pedestrians to get across safely whenever the cars were at a red light. In only a matter of approximately ten minutes, they all arrived at Leo Corporation; no doubt Declan was waiting for them in his office.
Yuya placed his hand on the door and took a deep breath. "You ready, guys?" he asked.
"Sure thing," Gong answered.
"Time to begin a new chapter in our lives!" Zuzu cheered.
A rotation of Yuya's head from his friends back to the entrance had his eyes fixated back at the door, his palm still resting on the screen. The sound of an exhale escaped his mouth as he braced himself for what may lie ahead; a brand new era was going to begin for them and everything aside from the Interdimensional War may not be the same for them once he learns about the internship. His eyebrows furrowed downward to express his determination for his future to become a Pro Duelist alongside Zuzu, knowing they'll finally spend the rest of their lives with each other. Applying force to the hand, he pushed it forward to swing open the door enough for the trio to enter the building.
Eventually the three Duelists arrived at Declan's office, where he was waiting for them. "Thank you for coming, Yuya," he said. "I'm sure Skip Boyle has informed you of the internship."
"He did," Yuya sadly confirmed. "But I'll have to turn it down. I'm only 14 years old." He sheepishly rubbed his arm. "This internship-"
"Is nothing more than an excellent opportunity," Declan interrupted. "A pro status guarantees success for life. If you agree to the internship, your future will be set in stone."
"But do I have to leave my old life behind?!" Yuya frantically asked. "The only reason I made it this far is because of all my friends, especially Zuzu!"
"What ever do you mean?" Declan asked. "The internship doesn't begin until you graduate."
Yuya was taken back. "…Huh?"
Declan explained how this internship of his was going to work. Yes, it was true that the academic education is important to Yuya, and seeing that he was going to two different schools in order to become a Dueltainer like Yusho, taking part in the offer would only add some pressure and stress to his busy annual schedule. It would make a lot more sense for him to continue doing what he normally does until he graduates from high school so that he could officially focus on honing his Dueltaining skills for his career.
This was a major relief for Yuya; his worries are proceeding to subside after learning this internship was going to take time. He still has plenty of time to adapt to the new chapter of his life before he could carry on to the following one, and he would have greatly adjusted to possessing his dual-colored eyes and his newfound ability to speak to Zarc by then, so there was no need to rush. He can still be with his friends and family while take the time he needs to prepare for what lies ahead down his dueling journey.
"I don't know what to say," Yuya admitted, feeling relieved. "But…I've been reconsidering the pro status. Do I really deserve it?"
"Of course," Declan answered. "Why would you consider otherwise."
Yuya took out his Extra Deck and fanned it out. "Because I only earned that because of the other dragons," he explained. "But after the separation procedure, they went back to their original owners. I don't think I deserve to be a pro afterwards…"
"That's crazy talk," Gong said. "Gong saw you defeat Declan fair and square."
"But it doesn't feel right," Yuya insisted. He put his Extra Deck back with his main deck. "How can I still be a pro when I'm missing most of the cards that earned me that title?"
"Yuya, do you know why I became so fond of you in the first place?" Declan asked.
"Because of the Pendulum cards?" Yuya assumed.
"Not quite," Declan corrected. He looked at Yuya straight in the eyes. "Because when I saw you duel the Sledgehammer, I detected untapped potential in you. You had the makings to be an amazing Duelist. I just needed to give you the right motivation. Granted a lot of what happened was unexpected, but nevertheless, it all worked out. That's why you deserve to be a pro."
"Then why doesn't it feel like that?" Yuya insisted. "Why do I feel weaker without the other dragons?"
Weaker? That's an absurd statement for him to say. Prior to the Arc League Championship, he has been making amazing progress as a Duelist, obtaining new variants of his Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon card and learning some new strategies to incorporate into his deck. Even the entirety of the Interdimensional War proves how much his dueling skills has matured; he has mastered all four special summoning techniques thanks to his encounters with the many denizens of the dimensional cities, especially his counterparts. While it was true Yuto, Yugo, and Yuri all assisted him in advancing his deck with their skills, perhaps the dragons returning to their respective owners was for the best because maybe it meant it was time for him to test what he knew from his revival and add unique twists to them that lets him remind himself how what he went through made him into a strong Duelist, not a weaker one. After a bit of quick thinking, Declan might have a solution in mind that can help ease Yuya's little crisis.
"If you still think you are weak, what if I was to arrange a rematch?" Declan suggested.
Yuya was surprised by the offer. "A rematch?" he echoed.
"Precisely," Declan answered. "A rematch of the duel that gave you your pro status, but on different terms. If you defeat me using the very cards you now have, your status will remained unchanged. But if I win, you get to go back to being a regular Duelist. Does that seem fair?"
Yuya didn't respond. "Come on, Yuya," Zuzu encouraged. "I wasn't really there when you became a pro. Now I can see how it all began."
"Alright," Yuya told Declan. "But I want it to be a private duel."
"What do you mean by 'private'?" Declan asked.
"I only want Zuzu, Gong, my parents, and everyone from You Show to see us," Yuya explained.
That seemed fair enough; it would make sense for his loved ones to personally witness how far he has come rather than a public audience. Having everyone from all four dimensions watching Yuya's duels after his revival was all for the purpose of taming Zarc's soul and making him and Riley smile, which resulted in Zuzu getting revived; interestingly enough, it was also when he utilized everything he learned and adquired new monsters as each duel progressed. With the Odd-Eyes variants he obtained and recently bought, Yuya hoped what he has now truly was proof of how stronger he has become.
"What about Sora?" Gong asked.
"He counts as part of You Show," Yuya explained. "And he's my brother now. He deserves to see this private duel."
"Very well," Declan said. "I will contact Skip Boyle immediately to set up a duel for this afternoon. I advise you to prepare you deck wisely."
"Thanks, Declan," Yuya said with a bow. "I appreciate it."
Yuya, Zuzu, and Gong all turned around and headed for the door where they came in. A positive from this meeting was Yuya didn't have to worry about the internship until after high school; he had all the time he needs to adjust to these new changes, but he still wasn't sure if all the changes were going to be great. Now that his counterparts regained their physical bodies, are his connections with Odd-Eyes and the other Dimensional Dragons severed or reborn? He wouldn't know for certain unless he incorporates his newly obtained cards into his deck and hones them in his upcoming due later on. Hopefully, his friends, family, and even Zarc might have some input on this ordeal and give him just enough confidence to pull through.
Not long after the door closed behind the trio to signal the end of the meeting, Declan had already started making preparations for their rematch. He had notified Henrietta and Claude about how everything went and wanted to be sure this duel was arranged as privately as possible as per Yuya's wishes. With it being exclusive to only those who are closest to him, a plausible location to settle the Pro Duelist status would be at You Show; it was where their first duel took place after all.
"Very well, sir," Claude said. "I'll send out the invitations right away. Just send me the list of Duelists who should receive them."
"Certainly," Declan replied. He sent Claude a list. "Make sure they're all present. Yuya was very specific about who would attend this private duel."
"It doesn't matter what the outcome is," Henrietta said. "I was the one who suggested the internship for the young boy, so I wish he would rather take it gratefully. His contributions would be rather beneficial for the company."
"But mother, remember that I said he was still young," Declan pointed out. "And like I suspected, he feels unsure about this position being forced on him."
"Very well," Henrietta complied. "But if this duel ends with you winning, I'll have to step in. Yuya Sakaki must join the Leo Institute no matter what."
Despite feeling guilty regarding what she did to Riley and everything essentially going back to normal ever since the blood separation procedure, Henrietta Akaba is still the chairwoman of the Leo Institute of Dueling and Leo Corporation. Her son may be the CEO of the company, but she's the one who makes the calls at the Duel School; its reputation is what drives her to do whatever it takes to protect it and continue to flourish. Her strict demeanor combined with her collect, level-headed exterior makes her a remarkable strategist when it comes to the business industry, always planning and responding accordingly to make sure her formulas are executed successfully. They typically never failed her in the past before, so this particular duel wouldn't be much different; just don't be surprised if she goes to extreme lengths to make sure Yuya does become part of LID because she cannot fathom the thought of its standards being loss. Yuya not being victorious would deal a major blow to his dueling position and she won't stand by and let him lose it.
"I understand, mother," Declan spoke up. "But something tells me things won't be like what you expect. Who knows what's going on in Yuya's mind at the moment."