Kevin's crushing defeat sent a deep wave of helplessness rippling through the entire first-year class.
Before Aisha's comeback, Kevin had maintained a 100% win rate and was widely acknowledged as the strongest first-year—essentially the ceiling of their power.
And yet, this top-tier, universally recognized powerhouse had been completely dismantled by Kaima Seth.
Like a random passerby being casually crushed—despite summoning Red-Eyes Black Dragon on turn one, Kevin still suffered a merciless, overwhelming loss.
Noticing the heavy air between the two girls, Irena flashed her trademark customer-service smile.
"Relax, this is totally normal."
"Totally normal?" Even Aisha's ahoge looked droopy with depression.
Irena explained, "The grade challenge matches are basically designed to show first-years their place. So even the year's strongest getting wrecked is par for the course."
"Even the strongest getting wrecked is normal? Wait a sec—"
Irene's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Irena-senpai, were you the one who got stomped last year? I mean, you were the first-year rep then, right?"
For the current batch of first-years, it was hard to imagine someone like Irena—the Gray Witch, one of the Academy's Twin Pillars—being thoroughly crushed in a Duel.
As if poked in an old wound, the usually confident Irena wore an uncharacteristically awkward expression. Her mouth even twitched a little.
"I really don't want to talk about last year… Anyway, just think of it as a Fusion Academy tradition."
"C'mon, senpai, you have to tell us! I'm dying to know!"
Irene wasn't letting this go.
"D-Don't be like that, Ren… I really don't want to remember."
"Hmph, last year's Irena wasn't any better than Kevin."
The rich, magnetic voice that had just echoed across the Duel Arena now came from behind them.
Irena and Aisha turned in sync.
It felt like a dream—Kaima, who had just demolished Kevin minutes ago, was now standing right behind them.
But thinking about it, they were all students of the same academy. Despite the grade difference, their identities were equal.
Especially with someone like Irena, who was just as powerful as Kaima in terms of Duelist tier.
And up close, Kaima's cool and beautiful appearance carried a magnetic charm that even made girls' hearts flutter.
"Kaima-senpai, so you do know what happened during Irena-senpai's challenge match?"
Irene didn't hesitate to redirect her curiosity.
Aisha had to admit—Ren was a natural at making social inroads.
Despite Kaima's charisma, Aisha still found her a little intimidating—mostly because she reminded her too much of her own sister.
Still, if Aisha's sister had been really like Kaima—cold, strict, and domineering—she probably wouldn't have survived to age sixteen.
"Of course I know. In fact, everyone besides you, first-years know."
Kaima stroked her smooth chin and cast a meaningful look toward Irena.
"It's just that thanks to someone's tyranny, no one dares to talk about it openly. Naturally, I'm not included in that 'no one.'"
Irena reached up to clamp Kaima's mouth shut—but their height difference made the effort mostly symbolic.
"You really ought to accept reality already, Irena. Losing to him isn't anything to be ashamed of."
It was a side of Kaima that felt so different from her in-duel persona—there was none of the harsh "big brother" aura she'd shown earlier.
"Him… You mean the current third-year senpai?" Irene leaned in.
Kaima nodded. "Yeah, the one they called a once-in-a-century genius at Fusion Academy."
Irena shook her head violently. "Genius? He was a madman! Terrifying. I still shiver thinking about him."
Even Aisha's curiosity was piqued.
"What kind of person could've left such a scar on Irena-senpai?"
"Third-year student—Alester-senpai." Even Kaima's tone changed when she said the name, growing more serious.
Miles thought, 'Alester… that name rings a bell. Wait—wasn't that a core archetype? There's a whole Invocation engine built around 'Aleister the Invoker'.'
Though he died before ever properly entering the game, Miles had done his research during prep—and knew that the 'Aleister the Invoker' engine was infamous for being splashed into all sorts of girl-themed archetypes. It was even nicknamed 'the Chad engine.'
But after some thought, Miles dismissed it.
'Probably just the same name. I mean, who would print themselves as a card? That's insane… Wait, insane?' ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by NovᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt
Just now, Irena had called him a madman.
"No way…" Miles suddenly began questioning the very logic of this world.
…Maybe Duel Spirits weren't confined to cards.
Kaima continued, "Back then, Irena was cocky, arrogant—even delusional. Alester-senpai beat that right out of her. Honestly, it did her a favor. Otherwise, the Irena you know now would've been an egotistical tyrant."
Irena huffed. "I am not egotistical! I'm a cute and cultured beauty. That's just the truth."
"Alester-senpai, the once-in-a-century genius who destroyed Irena-senpai… so cool!" Irene's awe had shifted to pure excitement. "Where can I meet someone that amazing?!"
"Now that you mention it," Aisha said, "half a semester's gone by, but the third-years have been pretty much invisible."
"It's because they're not around. Third-years only stay at Fusion Academy for three months. After that, they leave for graduation internships."
Miles said, "Internships? For card games?"
Aisha responded, "This is my first time hearing about it, too."
Seeing Aisha's adorably confused face, Irena couldn't resist squishing her cheeks as she clarified:
"The Sacred Ground of Spirits—located at the heart of the Spirit Continent, where the three nations converge—that's where third-years go for internships.
"Fusion Academy, Synchron Academy, and XYZ Academy all send their third-years there. They determine the strongest summoning style in an annual Duel tournament."
A war of Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz.
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