Dueling Really Can Bring Happiness

Chronos de Medici, of Italian descent.

A professor at Duel Academy, he was also a rather distinctive teacher. He was known for ending every sentence with "Nonē" and constantly saying "Mama Mia," as well as for looking as though he were cosplaying Pot of Greed.

But he was also the Highest Authority of the Practical Dueling Department at Duel Academy.

In other words, he was basically the strongest fighter among Duel Academy's teachers.

In the early part of the anime, he was essentially portrayed as an antagonist—a petty teacher who targeted Judai at every turn. But later on, it became clear that the mindset of elite education had simply sunk deep into his bones. He found underperforming students unbearable, yet fiercely protected outstanding ones.

As the story progressed, he grew and changed alongside the students, revealing that he was, at heart, still a good teacher.

At this moment, Professor Chronos sat in the Chief Examiner's seat in the stands. After watching Kira's assessment duel, he fell into deep thought.

Over the years, First Place had always been the freshman Chronos paid the most attention to. Every year, he would begin observing that student's deck and tactics from the Entrance Exam onward, then tailor a training plan specifically for them to help them improve as quickly as possible.

But this year's First Place... how should he put it?

It wasn't that he wasn't strong. It was just that he had his own unique understanding of dueling.

"Professor, as requested, we've retrieved the information on the deck used by that examinee," an examiner beside him said.

Chronos nodded slightly and opened the terminal reserved for Duel Academy faculty to look up the deck information.

Let's see what kind of deck this is.

The moment it loaded, the long rows of red Traps nearly blinded him.

"Mama Mia!" Chronos cried in alarm.

What was this thing?

For this assessment, Kira had used a deck centered around Spellcaster-Type monsters. Including the ones he had summoned during the duel, there were only a pitiful few monsters in total.

What was all the rest?

A large number of draw-accelerating cards like Pot of Greed and Graceful Charity, followed by Mind Killers like the Mischievous Twins, Confiscation, and The Forceful Sentry that he had used in the duel just now.

More than half of the remaining cards were red. Just looking at them through the screen sent a chill down one's spine.

"Th-this-this..." The examiner beside him was dumbfounded. "What the hell is this?"

Teacher Emi, who had registered students at the entrance earlier, also curiously leaned over. The moment she saw the deck build, she was startled as well.

Then she recalled the polite, well-mannered young man from the registration desk, someone who had seemed so bright and sunny at first glance...

Was this really his deck?

It wasn't that she had any prejudice against the deck build itself.

But anyone's first reaction upon seeing this deck might have been that this person hadn't come to win at all—he had come because he had a grudge against his opponent.

Chronos, too, fell silent.

According to their basic understanding and theoretical knowledge of dueling, this was undoubtedly a deck build that failed to meet textbook standards. If a Duel Academy student submitted such a build as a course project, he would probably give it a failing grade without hesitation.

But then he looked again at the Sunglasses Examiner, who had returned to the examiner's table looking dusty and disheveled, with bulging veins faintly visible on his forehead...

Well, had he won or not?

Chronos pondered for a moment.

Well, the examiners used decks specifically prepared for the test. It was inevitable that they would not handle them as smoothly as their own decks, and their strength was limited as well.

It wasn't that this student lacked ideas. Or rather, his unconventional creativity actually displayed a rather unique talent.

But in the eyes of academy teachers who had long since formed a complete dueling system, this clearly counted as an Unorthodox Path. It wasn't that he could achieve nothing by training this way, but compared to the orthodox path, he was taking a crooked road. His future accomplishments would be limited, and when he encountered truly powerful opponents, things probably would not go so easily for him.

Still, for a new student entering the academy, Chronos was extremely satisfied with the performance of this student named Kira.

Not bad, not bad. Having ideas and the courage to innovate was a good thing. With his many years of teaching experience, he could tell at a glance that this boy was extraordinary and destined for greatness.

Chronos silently made up his mind and added Kira's name to this year's group of seed students for focused cultivation. Once the term began, he would apply to the academy for a place in the Top Talent Program. Students selected for the program would not only receive additional subsidies to upgrade their decks every quarter, but would also receive greater priority than ordinary students of the same year when Rare Card opportunities arose.

He would use Duel Academy's orthodox, positive teaching principles and philosophy to guide this genius student who had strayed onto the wrong path back onto the right one. And he was confident he could do it.

Next, he observed the exam of this year's Second Place, a student named Daichi Misawa. After watching it, Chronos nodded in satisfaction.

This student Misawa had also displayed considerable strength in his duel, and he was clearly the type who excelled at gaining advantages through calculations and setups.

Now this was much more normal.

Chronos felt that this year had gained another promising talent, and his mood greatly improved.

Just then, a staff member hurried over to his side, bent down, and whispered something into his ear.

Chronos raised an eyebrow. "Hm? Late for the exam? The train was delayed? Then what's that examinee's admission ticket number?"

"110," the staff member said.

One hundred something? Wasn't that near the bottom?

Chronos immediately lost interest and waved his hand. "If he can even be late for such an important exam, that means he never took it seriously in the first place. In the end, our school doesn't need underperforming students anyway."

A white-haired examiner beside him adjusted his reading glasses. "That's not good, is it, Professor? The exam isn't over yet. Shouldn't we still give him a chance?"

"No, we won't. NO, absolutely not." Chronos waved him off.

What a joke. He already had plenty of objections to students with admission ticket numbers in the hundreds and had no desire to admit them in the first place. Now that this one had been late, there was even less reason to let him off.

But then his phone rang.

Professor Chronos answered it. "Hm? Principal? Yes, go ahead."

He listened in silence for a while, his expression gradually turning ugly.

"Yes, that did happen. A candidate was late. But... mm. Fine, all right. Yes, Principal."

Professor Chronos hung up, his face dark.

Damn it. Not only was he last in the Written Test and late for the exam, he was even a Connected Student.

Who knew what kind of backing that student had to make the Principal personally call and put in a word for him?

As the saying went, a higher rank could crush those below. With the Principal's order, even he, the chief person in charge, did not dare disobey.

However, the Principal had only instructed him to give that student a chance to take the exam. He had not said the student had to pass.

With that in mind, Professor Chronos suddenly stood up and snorted.

"Fine, then. What is that student's name?"

"Judai... Judai Yuki," one of the examiners said.

"Good. I'll examine this student personally." Professor Chronos flicked his coattails, carrying himself like a true master.

"Ah?"

All the examiners were startled. It was rare for the chief examiner to personally step in.

"P-Please wait!" An examiner hurriedly handed over the suitcase used for the assessment. "Then please choose one of the examination Decks—"

"I don't need something like that."

Professor Chronos kept a grim face, ignored him, and turned to leave.

For this exam, he would use his own Deck—the Super Rare Deck Series famous throughout the academy, and his personal pride: Ancient Gear.

He would teach that underachiever, who did not know the immensity of heaven and earth, what the real world was like.

The Sunglasses Examiner returned to his seat.

More than ten minutes had already passed, yet the more he thought back on that Duel, the angrier he became.

Especially when he kept remembering how, before the Duel began, that student had asked whether an examiner going Red Temperature would affect the score. He had not thought much of it at the time, but the more he recalled it now, the more that seemingly polite face felt like it had been mocking him right to his face...

Lost in frustration, the Sunglasses Examiner unconsciously looked up and saw Professor Chronos dueling a Jellyfish-haired Underachiever in the field below.

"...With Skyscraper's effect, when my 'Elemental HERO Flame Wingman' faces a monster with higher ATK than its own, it gains 1000 ATK! That puts it above your 'Ancient Gear Golem,' Professor!

"And when Flame Wingman destroys an opponent's monster by battle, it inflicts damage equal to that destroyed monster's ATK!

"Go! Flame Shoot!"

Professor Chronos: "MAMA MIA!!!"

With an explosive boom, and amid the shock of the entire crowd, Professor Chronos clutched his head and sprawled on the ground as his collapsing Ancient Gear Golem came crashing down, burying him in rubble.

Professor Chronos, LP 0

The entire venue was stunned.

Professor Chronos, the academy's Chief Professor and highest authority in practical combat, had actually lost?

And he had used his legendary Ancient Gear Deck, only to lose to an underachiever ranked near the bottom?

And that was not even the end of it.

That jellyfish-haired underachiever even hopped forward and made a thoroughly mocking gesture at the teacher lying on the ground, saying with a cheerful grin.

"I won! That was a really fun Duel, Professor!"

Professor Chronos: "..."

For some reason, when the Sunglasses Examiner saw the Chief Examiner lying on the ground clutching his head after being beaten down, a smile returned to his lips.

He suddenly did not feel quite so angry anymore.

Judai was right after all.

Duels really could bring happiness.