Just as Yūki was happily taking stock of his spoils, a familiar cheer suddenly rose from below the stage.
"Yūki! That was so cool! That tactic of yours, taking out their big monster like it was a vanilla monster, was just unbelievable!"
Like a monkey with far too much energy, Jaden scrambled up onto the Dueling Arena from the competitors' passage in a few bounds, threw an arm around Yūki's shoulders, and grinned so broadly his eyes all but disappeared.
"And Silent Magician! She shot all the way up to five thousand attack points and blasted them away! Now that was a duel that really got the blood pumping! Hahahaha! Hayato really pulled his weight this time too. He actually didn't wet his pants!"
"Jaden! What do you mean, I didn't wet my pants?! I was really brave, okay?!"
Hayato protested from beside them, his face flushing red, but tears of excitement still clung to his eyes. He wiped his nose hard and bowed deeply to Yūki. "Yūki... thank you so much! If it hadn't been for you, I'd definitely have been packing my bags and getting kicked out of the academy today..."
"All right, Hayato. You're a duelist who's beaten professionals now. Don't make it sound like we're parting for life."
Yūki smiled and patted Hayato's round belly.
Just then, crisp footsteps approached from a distance.
Asuka stepped onto the Dueling Arena in her tall white boots, her long golden hair lifting gently in the breeze.
With her arms folded across her chest, she looked Yūki up and down, a hint of teasing amusement on her pretty, finely sculpted, spirited face.
"Congratulations, Yūki."
"Oh, wait. According to academy rules, should I start calling you 'my Obelisk Blue junior, Yūki' after this evening?"
"Don't tease me too, Asuka."
Yūki spread