"Believe in the power of friendship!"
Jounouchi Katsuya (Joey Wheeler) called out to You Feng with a wide grin.
When You Feng heard this, his expression darkened.
"Me? Rely on that? Sounds like a recipe for disaster."
"If that's the case, I'll just set myself up to lose," You Feng muttered with a smirk.
"Hah! You're way too modest, You Feng! With your skills, you could easily make it into the upper ranks," Honda Hiroto (Tristan Taylor) joked as he patted You Feng on the back.
"He's right," Yugi Muto nodded seriously. "If anyone here can take on the top five duelists on the Duel King's Gold List, it's probably you."
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," You Feng waved them off. "You guys wouldn't understand what I'm really after."
But deep down, he had a clear goal—dominate the list. One name at a time.
All for the one who bears the title "Creator of Light."
"There it is! We're landing!" Honda shouted, gripping the helicopter controls tightly.
"Whoa! Slow down, dude! It feels like we're about to crash!" Jounouchi yelled, hanging on for dear life.
"Idiot! Don't cling to me!" Honda barked back.
"Waaaah!!"
Everyone screamed as the chopper made a chaotic descent.
---
Osiris Red Dormitory – Duel Academy
"These top five rewards… they're just insane!" Marufuji Sho (Syrus Truesdale) stared at the monitor, overwhelmed.
"If this continues, the strong are only going to get stronger. How can we even compete?" he added nervously.
"The stage belongs to the elites now," Maeda Hayato sighed, rubbing his temple. "Unless someone from below rises up… but that's easier said than done."
"Heh! I'm not worried. I'll be the one to beat 'em!" Judai Yuki (Jaden Yuki) grinned and rubbed his nose confidently.
"Huh? Did you hear that?" Judai suddenly perked up at a strange noise.
"Up there! In the sky!"
"It's… a helicopter?!"
"No wait—it's coming in too fast! It's going to crash!"
Asuka Tenjoin (Alexis Rhodes) shielded her eyes from the dust and wind as the aircraft made its rough landing.
---
Southern Battle Academy – Principal's Office
Morning sunlight streamed through the windows as Principal Samejima (Sheppard) stared at the new arrivals.
"These students came from Domino City," Professor Chronos de Medici explained. "They flew here in a helicopter—nearly crashed on landing, but somehow made it."
"What should we do with them, Principal?" Chronos asked, clearly unimpressed.
"Wait—these are the students from Domino City?!" Samejima's eyes widened. He rose from his chair, visibly excited.
"Well, well! Our long-awaited exchange students! Welcome, all of you! Please, introduce yourselves!"
You Feng muttered under his breath, "Next time I die, it won't be on a helicopter…"
He crossed his arms, still shaken by the near-death experience.
"I'm Jounouchi Katsuya from Domino High!" Joey stepped forward with a grin.
"Oh! So you are Jounouchi—ranked 50th on the Duel King Gold List. Passionate and full of fire!"
"How about I place you in Obelisk Blue? That's the highest honor here at Southern Battle Academy!"
Jounouchi's jaw dropped. "Obelisk Blue?! Whoa—thank you, Principal!"
He had almost forgotten this was supposed to be a test, not a promotion.
Anzu Mazaki (Téa Gardner) and Honda Hiroto also introduced themselves, though their dueling levels placed them in Osiris Red.
"I'm Yugi Muto, also from Domino High," Yugi said calmly.
Chronos gasped, slapping his forehead. "Mamma mia! The 41st ranked duelist on the Duel King Gold List?!"
"We've hit the jackpot!" he whispered.
Samejima nodded approvingly. "Excellent! You'll also be placed in Obelisk Blue alongside Jounouchi."
Then he turned to You Feng.
"You Feng… I understand you're not a formal student from Domino High?"
You Feng gave a simple nod. "Correct."
Samejima frowned slightly. "I see… Typically, non-students don't qualify for placements. Osiris Red would be the default."
Chronos smirked. "A dropout, I suppose? In that case, Red Dorm is generous already."
"Hold on!" Jounouchi cut in. "You Feng might not be from Domino, but he defeated the 47th-ranked duelist on the Gold List—fair and square!"
"Is that so?" Samejima raised an eyebrow. "That's quite a claim."
Chronos leaned in and whispered, "The Gold List was just released yesterday. Are we really supposed to believe he coincidentally beat someone on it before it was even public?"
"It reeks of a setup," he added with a smug grin.
"But… if we deny him outright, it might offend the group," Samejima muttered, thinking aloud.
"Then let's test him!" Chronos's eyes lit up. "Have him duel a confirmed elite! If he wins, then he can join Obelisk Blue!"
Samejima clapped his hands. "Brilliant idea! But who?"
"I propose Asuka Tenjoin—the 48th-ranked duelist. She's perfect for verifying his strength."
The two quickly turned back to the group.
"Mr. You Feng," Samejima said, "we'd like to assess your ability through a duel."
"If you can defeat the opponent we select—currently ranked on the Gold List—you will be eligible for Obelisk Blue, like your companions."
"Is that so?" You Feng cracked his neck lazily. "Fine."
"But make sure it's someone from the list—anything less wouldn't be worth my time."