"I won!" Yuzu cried, jumping up in the air.

"She won!" Yuya shouted, grabbing Asuka to his right and Allen to his left and accidentally choking them.

"She won! She won!" Shuzo joined in, jumping around the control booth. "I'm fired up! My blood's boiling!"

"Okay, that's enough, Dad," Yuzu called. "Dad? DAD!"

"Uh..." Shuzo stopped mid leap at his daughter's outburst. He nervously looked down at her tapping her fan into her palm.

"...Right. Anyway, you've all had a taste of the intense dueling to expect against our colleague schools. The Leo School and Gongenzaka Dojo agreed to this tournament to promote goodwill across our branches, but don't expect any mercy because of that! You'll need to be at the top of your game if you want to enter! Therefore, please assemble in the arena to begin practice." Shuzo returned to the ground floor and assessed his students as he approached the senior duelists.

"Yuzu, Yuya, Asuka, while Sora and I oversee the training I'd like you to head over to LDS and greet the new students there. Introduce them to some of the You Show charm!"

"And not just scope out the competition, Dad?" Yuzu asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not! Run along now!" Shuzo replied.


The Leo Corporation dominated the skyline as the trio approached the Leo Duel School. The company and its elite dueling institute remained the dominant power in the city, although its reputation had taken a hit as its namesake, former owner and father of the current CEO became known as a warmongering mad scientist. All three of them grew silent as they approached; although they held no ill will toward anyone associated, it had become impossible to look at the place without thinking of Leo Akaba.

"Welcome!" Sawatari approached them. "Couldn't resist coming to see our new duelists?" he grinned. "I shouldn't give away any information before the tournament... but it's just too exciting. Take a look over there!" He pointed across the courtyard where some unfamiliar students were milling.

"That kid, with the blue hair and glasses? That's Sho Marufuji."

"Marufuji?" Asuka gasped. "You mean-"

"Yep," Sawatari replied, "that's the Hell Kaiser's little brother."

"What kind of person is called 'Hell Kaiser'?" Yuya asked.

"Ryo Marufuji was one of the top duelists at Academia," Asuka explained. "They say he was a one-man army and that he fought every battle completely cold and emotionless. That only Yuri was more feared."

"So what's his brother like?" asked Yuzu.

"I can't really say," Asuka went on. "I know he was red rank and a lot of people said he was only admitted because of his brother's reputation."

"I can't help either," Sawatari added. "He's been pretty withdrawn all the time he's been here."

"Well..." Yuzu looked for a change of subject. "Who's that other boy with him, with the pink fringe and funny pants?"

"He's from Xyz," Sawatari explained. "To my understanding he caused a stir at the Heartland Duel Carnival before all... well, before all the craziness started."

"So he was a high scorer?" Yuya asked.

"Oh no, he was actually one of the lowest performing participants," Sawatari replied. "He only got any attention because he was caught cheating.

"What's his name again? He's another 'Yu-something'. Yu... mmm... Yuma... Tsukumo?"


They decided to approach the two boys and talk to them.

"Hello... Sho?" Asuka asked.

"Is it about my brother?" he asked back with a weary look.

"Uh, no!" Asuka said quickly. "We wanted to know what brought you out to the Pendulum Dimension and LDS."

"Well," Sho replied, "I want to make up for my terrible record at Academia... and for getting involved in that place to begin with. I was such a weak duelist that I never finished my training - but I guess that turned out to be a good thing. But now I'm all new - a new outlook, new skills, everything."

"How long have you been hanging around Shingo?" Yuzu asked, earning a dirty look.

"He's right though," Yuma spoke. "Academia treated its own low-level duelists like trash, not only people from the other dimensions. I know what it's like to be a stranger in your own home."

"Oh you mean because you-" Yuya blurted out.

"...got disqualified for cheating, yes," Yuma chorused. Yuzu jabbed Yuya in the side with her elbow.

"No need to defend me, I know I was a lousy duelist and I got desperate instead of improving," Yuma said. "Sho and I are both here to atone; to show how much we've learned and be taken seriously."

"Plus, our voices broke," Sho cut in. "That probably helps."

"I suppose that's true," Yuma laughed. "You should have heard how ridiculous I used to sound..."

"So," Yuzu asked, "what decks do you play?" Sho smiled for the first time.

"No need to ruin the surprise... anyway, by tomorrow we'll be against each other." He looked over the group as they stared back awkwardly.

"I'll see you at the tournament tomorrow. I'm going to practice."

"I'll make myself scarce too," added Yuma. Sho stopped and let him pass him, staring ahead with his back to the others.

"The Marufuji name was tarnished by Academia. Now's our chance to redeem ourselves."

"Wait... what do mean 'our'?" Asuka asked. Sho turned and nodded his head behind them. Staring off into the distance was a figure with sea-green hair and a black coat.

"He's here?!" Asuka cried.


Sawatari walked them back down the street.

"Now you as much as I do," he said.

"I guess we'll have to wait for the tournament to see how they duel," Yuya said. Yuzu turned to look at him, then suddenly looked past him.

"Hey... who's that?" They all followed her gaze to a teenage boy leaning against a building, with spiky black hair and a blue jacket.

"I have no idea," Sawatari said. "He didn't come with the others." The three of them heard a growl and turned to see Asuka glaring past them.

"I forgot to mention," she explained. "Before I came here a new school opened up in Fusion... Barrett Academy."

"Did you say Barrett?!" Yuya gaped. He, Yuzu and Sawatari reared back at the mention of the old Academia commander. Asuka nodded.

"He founded it with a bunch of other Academia staff, and the students are almost entirely former Obelisk Force soldiers. And he's one of the worst of the whole bunch: a slimy, stuck-up creep by the name of Jun Manjoume."