The arena lights dimmed a notch.
Hiraoka stepped up to the referee's stand and opened the electronic document in his hand.
"Quiet, please."
The chatter in the stands gradually died down.
"For the first punishment duel, Fujiwara Yūki and Alexis Rhodes will form the student team."
"They will face the Punishment Executors specially invited by the academy."
Hiraoka's gaze swept across Yūki's face, his smile carrying a measure of long-awaited satisfaction.
"These two executors have competed across the dueling world for years and specialize in tag-team duels."
"They once faced Yugi Muto at Duelist Kingdom and are legendary duelists worthy of a place in dueling history."
Gasps immediately rose from the stands.
"They've faced the King of Games?"
"Did the academy actually invite professional duelists?"
"Do they need a lineup like that against two first-year students?"
Jaden was already leaning halfway over the railing.
"A tag duel against Yugi Muto? I think I've heard about that!"
Yūki looked up toward the entrance.
"So it really is them."
Asuka caught the resignation in his voice.
"You know them?"
"I've seen footage of their match."
Yūki rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"It left quite an impression, mostly because of their entrance. Normal people couldn't pull it off."
Hiraoka raised his right hand.
"Please welcome the legendary tag-team duelists."
"The Paradox Brothers!"
The arena doors thundered open.
Two gleaming bald heads emerged from behind the doors first.
A moment later, two tall men kicked off the arena's side walls and leaped into the air, performing several consecutive somersaults before landing on opposite sides of the Central Arena.
They looked remarkably alike, both dressed in loose Chinese kung fu outfits, one orange and the other green.
The older brother had a conspicuous "Mei" inscribed on his forehead, while the younger brother had "Gong"