Arc-V: Cultivating Future

Into the Labyrinth Part I

WARNING: INJURY IN THIS CHAPTER. IF YOU FAMILIAR WITH EARLY OG YU-GI-OH AND GX, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT

~~~

"Do tell me just what are we dealing with."

Confused? Pardon. Do allow me to explain what happened.

I was tearing through Academia in searching for her. Apparently, she was not in the Infirmary. The nurse in charge said she left alongside someone else.

How infuriating.

I just cannot let her escape me, can I? After I patiently wait for my job to be over.

Hah! If I knew this would happen, I would've followed her straight off the bat!

Suddenly I get a message from a serial number that I don't know. It was a weird message. Asking for help.

Is this what they call a "Prank Call?"

How bold.

First time someone ever pranked me like so.

I ignore it. Why should I pay attention to small unnecessary detail like that when I have something more urgent to take care of?

Floren Briar was gone from Academia.

I've searched for her for the entire day and I haven't found a hair or hide of her. I even ask for someone who uses the only Deck with No Fusion Monster but none of these plebs know where is she.

Well. Except for the nurses who finally told me she was called somewhere.

Who could it be? the one who called for her?

Could it be the Professor?

Did he carded her? Because she's a thorn in his side? Because she can beat me?

That's... that's no good.

Professor won't uncard her just so I can settle the score between us.

It means I have to break into where Professor keeps the Carded people, the ARC-V machine. Which was in Professor's throne office. And the Professor seldom leaves. He only leaves for the monthly board meeting... which won't happen for another two-three days. His private room even is connected to the throne room.

How do I do it? How should I break in? Surely, he would notice if I loiter around for too long for seemingly no good reason. Or no reason at all.

And even then, how do I sort through the carded people? There are hundreds of them!

Suddenly I get another message.

This one has no serial number.

Come to the Doctor's Lab

The Doctor's Lab.

But... Why? Why must I entertain this prank.

Maybe the Doctor had her card? Or... or the doctor use "borrow" her.

That slimeball tends to borrow few students for a while. So... maybe she was here?

Guess I should check it. And if she's here... I should take her away. I don't like her being around him. I don't like him, actually.

The Doctor is a slimy greaseball, even when next to other useless officers. Something about that man unsettles me.

Then I saw it. A soldier. He was looking inside the lab and muttering. I cannot tell who it was—part because the helmet part because I don't bother to memorize any names unless they stood out like sore thumb—but maybe...