Yu-Gi-Oh! The 3rd Generation

Duel 5: Fein

Junior, Shujinkō, and Mia ran halfway across Duel Academy until they reached a crowd of students and faculty surrounding the infiltrated chambers. Those halls held a dark secret. Deep underground was a tomb where a gate to another world was said to be. This world was so evil, the gate to it had to be sealed away, and now it is forbidden to even enter the tomb. The vault was initially closed and heavily guarded by adults working at the school, but somehow Professor Fein had gotten in, even still. Shujinkō could feel a great evil emitting from it that was seemingly dangerous. Soon, Rusty and Snow had also arrived at the scene.

"Shujinkō!" Snow spotted Shujinkō in the crowd and joined him.

"What's going on?!" Rusty wondered, as he also came to Shujinkō and his party.

"Professor Fein broke into a forbidden place after stealin' da most powerful deck on da island," Junior explained what Rusty and Snow missed of the situation. Shujinkō noticed Hakumai in the distance, looking quite worried. He ran toward her.

"Hakumai, where's Airon?" Shujinkō asked with seriousness.

"He already went inside after Professor Fein..." Hakumai replied with tears trying to jerk from her eyes, as she held Airon's fedora in her grasp tightly.

Shujinko gazed back at the chambers ahead and began walking toward them. "Don't worry, Hakumai, I'm going in to bring him back."

"Wait, what are you doing?! Don't be a hero, Shujinko! Fein has a deck down there that contains Exodia and who knows what else! A single wrong move will cost everyone on this island including you!"

Shujinkō completely ignored Hakumai's warnings and continued on. He was very aware of what was coming, but he was not afraid. He was determined to get Airon back and stop Fein. Just before he began entering the tomb, arms were wrapped around him that belonged to Mia.

"I know you can do this, my Shujinkō... I know you'll win...just be careful," Mia told him sincerely, as he hugged her back tightly to ease her worries.

"I'll be right back for you, Mia. I promise." He let her go and continued on into the chambers leading underground.

The panic of the crowd outside was silenced at the sight of Shujinkō facing this threat, head-on. Out of the complete silence, Snow could be heard yelling with a big smile, "Stop that thief, Shujinkō!" Shujinkō threw his hand in the air, just as he did the day they met as if he was saying, "Right!" as he vanished into the darkness of the chambers.

Torches were lined on each wall around Shujinkō as he traveled down the tunnel. A more bright room could be seen coming as he walked further. He entered this big room, and he took a good look around at the new sights. The dark feeling he had before was at its strongest level in this room. In the center of the room was a giant stone tablet, with Egyptian hieroglyphics, and it looked like a doorway of sorts, and before it, the traitor holding the stolen cards. Laying on the dusty floor beside him was an unconscious Airon. The old man with long, white hair and a scar going over his right eye and behind his glasses, noticed the presence of the lone duelist preventing his escape. Shujinkō stood firm and ready.

"Put the cards down, Fein," Shujinko commanded with bravery. The old man chuckled in response.

"You're "the Invincible Duelist" everyone is always talking about, aren't you? Shujinkō, am I correct? Fufu... Your name is Japanese for 'hero.' How ironic. Well, Shujinkō, do you honestly think you can stop me now?" The thief spoke without hesitation.

"I KNOW I can stop you, Fein." Shujinkō threw his arm into the air as his Academy Duel Disk locked into place, signaling a challenge. The old man grinned and loaded the stolen deck into his own Duel Disk and his also prepared for a duel.