7. Yu-Gi-Oh Arc-V: A New Story of Pendulum (Fusion Arc)

Chapter 21 Win Mr. Satou's Duel

The classroom was silent — its rows of duel disks collecting dust, the screens cracked from battles long since forgotten. A single man stood at the front, his shadow stretched thin across the shattered floor. His voice echoed against the empty walls.

"And now," he said softly, closing the grade book that once decided fates. "I have an announcement."

His tone was steady, almost ceremonial, as he gazed toward the vacant desks where his students once sat. "As of today, I have resigned from Academia." He paused, letting the weight of those words sink into the still air. "If anyone cares to know why..." His lips twisted into a faint smile. "It's simple. I've grown disgusted."

He turned toward the cracked window, watching the storm clouds roll over. "You duel without conviction. You obey without thought. You follow commands, yet none of you understand the true meaning of victory. Hollow duels. Empty hearts. That's all you've become."

The man slowly set the grade book down upon the desk, its spine splitting as it hit the wood. "Your devotion to the system... your blind faith in the Academia's glory..." He exhaled, trembling with restrained fury. "It makes me sick."

A faint breeze swept through the open door, scattering old exam papers across the floor like fallen leaves. His coat flared as he lifted his gaze to the ghostly classroom — an audience of memories that would never answer.

"That is why I've decided..." His eyes narrowed, and the lights flickered above him, one by one. "...to take revenge."

He snapped the book shut, the sound reverberating through the empty hall like a gunshot. For a brief moment, the shadow of his Duel Disk glimmered red against the wall — then faded into darkness.

The glass building rose like a mirror against the afternoon sky, its walls fractured with faint cracks from past attacks. Inside, the air felt sterile — a cold reflection of the world outside.

Lisa brushed a hand against the wall, her voice low. "So far there aren't any Academia members around here..."

Jean adjusted his duel disk, glancing toward the faint light ahead. "What is this place actually? It looks like some kind of lab..."

Aera stepped closer to a metal plaque half-buried in dust. "Super Animal Training Lab..." she read aloud, her brow tightening. "I have to guess this was meant for... experiments."

Ruri hesitated near the doorway, her reflection wavering across the glass. "Are we really going to go inside here?"

Shun crossed his arms. "We won't know anything if we don't." His tone was flat, but the tension in his stance betrayed his unease.

They advanced down the hall, their footsteps echoing against metal tiles. The corridors split into branching halls lined with shattered cages and flickering screens. After minutes of silent searching, the group reconvened.

"We searched every corner of the building..." Shun muttered, jaw tightening. "Don't tell me there are no Academia members here."

A flicker of light caught Ruri's eye. "Guys! That seems to be working." She pointed toward an elevator at the far end of the hall. Its doors were half open, faintly humming with power.

"Where does this elevator go?" Lisa asked, peering into the shaft.

"Maybe it leads to the Academia duelists," Jean suggested. "But it could just as easily be a trap."

Ruri turned toward them, her expression steady. "Trap or not, it doesn't matter. We can't just stay here while everyone else is fighting their own battles."