"Teacher! You're here! Did you sleep well on the ship last night?" Anzu waved as she approached, a hint of fatigue in her eyes.
"Last night?" Tetsuhiro couldn't help smiling, his voice growing noticeably brighter. "Heh, I slept wonderfully. What about you?"
"Don't even ask! The ship kept rocking. I barely got any proper sleep." Anzu's face fell in frustration.
Tetsuhiro said nothing more. He turned and walked over to the beautiful blonde, looking her over. "You're Mai Valentine?"
"That's me." Mai Valentine raised an eyebrow. She was just about to ask how this older guy knew her when her eyes suddenly lit up and her voice rose. "Ah! You're the champion of the last qualifying tournament—Li Tetsuhiro?!"
"That's right." Tetsuhiro nodded, his tone even. "I've done some research on the elite duelists in the circuit. Your skills and determination are both quite impressive."
"Thanks for the compliment." Mai Valentine studied his calm expression, feeling a little suspicious, but smoothly continued probing. "Those wildly imaginative tactics of yours gave me plenty of inspiration. Would you mind giving me some pointers?"
"Oh?" Tetsuhiro raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected the normally proud Mai Valentine to ask for advice. Was she testing him?
"Heh, every duelist follows a different path. At most, I could suggest a direction or two. Besides, I'm competing too. I can't just go looking through your deck~"
"What's the problem?" Mai Valentine smiled, sounding utterly certain. "Duels are recorded. Anyone willing to do a little research could find out what deck I use. I don't believe you haven't watched mine."
"Heh." Tetsuhiro offered no answer, only a dry chuckle, a knowing look hidden in his eyes.
Seeing this, Mai Valentine stepped closer and deliberately pressed her arm firmly against his, softening her voice. "Come on, big