Arc-V: Cultivating Future

Surprises, One After Another Part 3

I was immediately on alert when a sudden attack that cause me to being split apart from Yuto. And no. It was not attack. Just ordinary earthquake. Japan is often hit by these. Had the city was anything like Maiami, it would be alright. Just be careful for aftershock. But in ruined city of Heartland?

The only thing that made me still retain my calmness is the fact Yuto contact me. Saying he will found another way since the debris was too much for him to remove manually and trying to use his monster is just asking for trouble. He was alright and know the way. Worst case scenario, he will summon Dark Rebellion and split up the earth to escape—and we're hoping that was not the case. As for me... I just had to go down the path we originally decided to. There's landmark where we agreed to meet and regrouped back.

He warned me to be careful since I am on my own.

(It was sweet of him to not hovers around me protectively. To trust me that I am capable duelist just like the rest of us, not mere damsel in distress just because some creepy old guy with weird and freaky collection issue is after me—

—Euterpe, why are you facepalming?)

At least I have surprise element in case I'm about to get overwhelmed.

It was not too long before I encounter an Obelisk Force soldier.

Yes. An Soldier. As in, just one soldier. Not multiple.

Either this one split off from the group, or powerful (or cocky) enough to go off alone.

There was a beat of silence as the soldier notice my presence. As if gazing intently at me.

"So it was true." The Soldier hummed.

There's something nagging me. Something about the presence (music) was muffled.

"...veiled."  What? "The presence is veiled. Maybe an amulet or something. Powerful enough to block me from peering deeper. Trust me, I try. Something about this one bug my mind but I can't explain why."

Someone from Academia can do magic? Has same ability as I do? Only stronger?

Not good.

Not good at all.

The Soldier finally finished with internal debate and look at me. "What do you know about Ante rules?"

"Quite good." I replied. Tense. "I mean, isn't Duels with Academia is always Ante Duel? The loser become card, after all."

Well. I don't carded people. Yuya would be severely disappointed at me if I sunk that low.

(I wonder what he would say if he knows I let others carded defeated soldiers. I hope he understand my reasoning. This is warzone I am in.)

"...change the bet." Muffled as it was, I can hear the aura around my opponent-to-be become frigid. The kind I heard from Kurosaki when he was angry about something but forced to hold it back. "I win, do me a favor."

In other words, going to Academia.

Yeah. No.

"I got your back."

I know and thank you.

"Then." I raised my hand. "Shall we dance?"

My opponent take out something. A coin? No. An Othello disk.

"Black, I go first. White, you do."

The coin then thrown into the sky. Spun, before land.

Black.