The group headed down the corridor.
Jaden pushed open a half-closed door, and a battered broom immediately fell from behind it.
The broom handle struck the floor with a sharp crack.
Syrus grabbed Jaden's arm.
"It's here!"
Jaden looked at the broom on the floor and blinked.
"It's just a broom."
"Why would a broom fall over by itself?"
"Maybe it wants to duel too."
Hayato crouched down, tucking his bread closer to his chest.
"If a broom could duel, it should get an Equip Spell first."
Yūki raised a hand and rubbed his brow.
He suddenly understood a little of why Professor Crowler was always shouting "Mamma mia!"
Bringing these guys along to investigate a shadow duelist really did require a certain level of mental fortitude.
When they reached the end of the corridor, Summoned Skull pointed to the right.
Yūki followed the direction.
Black mist faintly seeped out from beneath a damaged floorboard.
The surrounding boards had been moved, leaving fresh scrape marks along their edges.
Yūki crouched down and knocked on the floor.
"Right underneath us."
Asuka stepped closer and looked into the opening.
"Was this originally part of the floor?"
"Judging by the marks, someone took it apart recently."
Yūki grabbed a raised board beside him and lifted it aside.
The board landed on the floor, sending dust into the air.
A flight of stone steps leading downward appeared below. Dark vines covered the stone walls, and a faint red glow shone from the depths.
Syrus stood before the steps, his foot hovering without coming down.
"Yūki, shouldn't we notify the academy first? This place is clearly beyond what students can handle."
"By the time academy security gets here, whoever's inside will be long gone."
"But they look dangerous."
"All the more reason to meet him