Chapter Summaries

Aster Phoenix challenged Jiang He to test his strength, and the two began a duel in front of their classmates. After Aster opened with Elemental HERO Avian and three set cards, Jiang He prepared to answer with his Reversal Quiz Deck.

• Aster Phoenix visited Jiang He and challenged him to a duel, while both hid their ulterior motives behind polite smiles.
• Jiang He and Aster began their duel outside the Slifer Red dormitory as their friends gathered to watch.
• Aster went first, summoned Elemental HERO Avian, set three cards, and ended his turn.
• Jiang He drew a card and smiled, prompting Alexis Rhodes to suspect he had drawn an underworld card.

Jiang He used a second copy of [Heavy Storm] to destroy Aster Phoenix's remaining set cards, then activated [Chicken Race] and explained its effects. Aster understood it as a contest over paying Life Points, but Jiang He prepared to show him otherwise.

• Aster Phoenix negated Jiang He's first [Heavy Storm] with [Magic Jammer], discarding [Elemental HERO Necroshade] to protect his other set cards.
• Jiang He revealed a second [Heavy Storm] and destroyed Aster Phoenix's remaining set cards, including [Trap Jammer] and [Holy Barrier - Mirror Force].
• Jiang He taunted Aster Phoenix and activated the Field Spell [Chicken Race], whose dramatic cliff illusion frightened Syrus, Chumley, Tyranno Hassleberry, Professor Banner, and Chazz.
• Jiang He explained that [Chicken Race] let either player pay 1,000 LP to draw a card, destroy the field, or restore 1,000 LP to the opponent, while preventing damage to the player with lower LP.
• Aster Phoenix guessed that the Field Spell would become a contest over who dared to pay more Life Points, but Jiang He was about to prove him wrong.

Jiang He used Chicken Race, Spellbinding Circle, and Upstart Goblin to manipulate life points before activating Reversal Quiz. After correctly guessing that his deck’s top card was a Spell Card, he exchanged life points with Aster, leaving Aster at 500 LP as the duel continued.

• Jiang He paid life points to activate and destroy Chicken Race, then activated Spellbinding Circle to make each player pay 500 LP when playing a card from their hand.
• Jiang He activated Upstart Goblin, drew a card, and gave Aster 1000 LP, while Spellbinding Circle reduced Jiang He’s life points.
• Jiang He paid another 1000 LP, set a card, and activated Reversal Quiz, which sent his hand and field cards to the graveyard before he guessed the top card type.
• Jiang He guessed Spell Card and revealed Pot of Greed, successfully activating Reversal Quiz and swapping his 500 LP with Aster’s 5000 LP.
• Aster was left with 500 LP and resolved to win the duel, while Jiang He still had not completed his promised one-turn kill.

Jiang He defeated Aster Phoenix with Black Pendant, then tormented him with two more underworld decks while Aster sought guidance and left without a goodbye. The next morning, Jiang He found his friends had taken over his cabin, while his plans to spend the day at the beach with Alexis Rhodes and Rei Saotome were put on hold.

• Jiang He used Black Pendant’s effect to reduce Aster Phoenix’s remaining 500 LP to zero and win their duel.
• Aster asked Jiang He to show him more decks, and Jiang He agreed to keep dueling him as the others watched.
• Jiang He used his Iai Draw and Lava Golem decks against Aster, who left in silence after enduring the duels.
• Jiang He checked his system and saw that his Emotion Points had risen to 9,000, with most of the gains coming from Aster.
• Jaden Yuki, Chazz Princeton, Bastion Misawa, Tyranno Hassleberry, and others showed up at Jiang He’s cabin to watch professional duels, interrupting his beach plans.
• Alexis Rhodes discreetly placed her hand on Jiang He’s, and the others noticed.

Jaden and the others discovered that the new student Aster was the professional dueling prodigy Aster Phoenix after watching him win on television. Aster revealed that the Elemental HERO Deck he had used was not his hidden main deck, leaving everyone wondering what deck he truly relied on.

• Syrus recognized the new student Aster as professional duelist Aster Phoenix when the group saw him duel on television.
• Aster defeated his opponent in two turns, prompting Chazz, Bastion, Syrus, and Tyranno to jokingly claim they were as strong as him because Jiang He had defeated them too.
• Alexis and Rei argued over Jiang He while the others watched Aster's duel.
• A reporter asked Aster whether his Elemental HERO Deck was his hidden main deck, and Aster said his real hidden deck was a different HERO Deck.
• Professor Banner speculated that Aster's true strength might come from another HERO series, while Rei suspected he was making excuses after losing to Jiang He.

Aster Phoenix publicly revealed his Destiny HERO deck and challenged Jiang He, prompting Jiang He to prepare an upgraded Dark HERO deck for their duel. During class, Jiang He obtained the final Mark of the Crimson Dragon and considered the dangers posed by Sartorius and the Light of Destruction.

• Aster Phoenix announced that he would duel Jiang He at Duel Academy the next morning to prove who deserved to use a HERO Deck, then added that he would duel Jaden Yuki afterward.
• Jiang He browsed the system shop during alchemy class and found the Dragon Foot Mark, the final Mark of the Crimson Dragon.
• Jiang He exchanged for the Dragon Foot Mark and reflected that the complete Crimson Dragon's power could protect him from hidden abilities, including those connected to Sartorius and the Light of Destruction.
• Jiang He considered the Evil-Minded Dark HERO Deck and exchanged for it, deciding it would suit his duel against Aster Phoenix.
• Jiang He spent half of his 9,000 Emotion Points on the new skill and deck, leaving himself with 4,500 points.

Jiang He’s complete Mark of the Crimson Dragon strengthened his abilities, but he admitted it still could not retrieve Camula’s clan from the underworld. As he prepared to face Aster Phoenix at Duel Academy, Aster revealed his suspicion about Jiang He and the stolen Destiny HERO card, while Sartorius used the Light of Destruction to examine Aster’s deck.

• Jiang He manifested the complete Crimson Dragon mark on his back, and Camula asked whether he could now revive her clanspeople.
• Jiang He told Camula the mark’s power still fell short, then changed the subject by asking her to bring him juice.
• Alexis Rhodes warned Jiang He that Aster had not previously used his strongest deck and offered to help him prepare; Jiang He’s suggestion that they stay up together made her bite his wrist and leave.
• Aster told Sartorius that Jiang He might be connected to his father’s murder and the theft of the ultimate Destiny HERO card, then gave Sartorius his hidden deck to examine.
• Sartorius returned Aster’s deck and said its fate seemed favorable, while Professor Crowler and Vice Chancellor Bonaparte worried about Aster’s arrival at Duel Academy.

Jiang He arrived at Duel Academy to face professional duelist Aster Phoenix in a duel over who was more worthy of a HERO Deck. Aster revealed his Destiny HERO strategy, while Jiang He summoned a new Elemental HERO and set five cards before Aster activated Royal Decree.

• Aster Phoenix waited for Jiang He, who arrived with Alexis Rhodes and the others and traded sarcastic remarks with Aster.
• Jiang He and Aster began their duel with 4000 LP each, and Aster took the first turn.
• Aster summoned Destiny HERO - Diamond Dude, sent Graceful Charity to the graveyard with its effect, and set two cards.
• Jiang He summoned Elemental HERO Stratos and used its effect to add a HERO monster from his deck to his hand.
• Jiang He set five cards and ended his turn, prompting Aster to activate his face-down Continuous Trap, Royal Decree.

Aster Phoenix countered Jiang He's traps with Royal Decree, then used Mausoleum of the Emperor and Graceful Charity to summon Destiny HERO - Dreadmaster with two revived allies. As Dreadmaster attacked Elemental HERO Stratos, Jiang He remained calm and prepared to show Aster how an “underworld HERO” fought.

• Aster activated Royal Decree, prompting the spectators to blame Chazz for introducing the trap and worry that Jiang He's five set cards would be negated.
• Aster drew for his turn, used Graceful Charity to draw three cards and discard Destiny HERO - Defender and Destiny HERO - Drilldark, then activated Mausoleum of the Emperor.
• Aster paid 1,000 Life Points to summon Destiny HERO - Dreadmaster and used its effect to revive Defender and Drilldark from the graveyard.
• Dreadmaster's ATK rose to 3,800, and Aster ordered it to attack Jiang He's Elemental HERO Stratos.
• Jiang He stayed calm as Dreadmaster struck and told Aster he would show him how an “underworld HERO” fought.

Jiang He turned the duel against Aster Phoenix by negating Dreadmaster and boosting Stratos with Honest Neos, leaving Aster with only 600 LP. Aster destroyed his own Royal Decree to escape its trap lockdown, but Jiang He refilled both hands and ended the chapter summoning Vision HERO Vyon.

• Jiang He activated Forbidden Droplet, sending a face-down card to the Graveyard to negate Dreadmaster’s effects and halve its attack.
• Jiang He discarded Honest Neos to raise Stratos’s attack to 4,300, allowing it to destroy Dreadmaster and reduce Aster to 600 LP.
• Aster activated Mystical Space Typhoon from his hand to destroy his own Royal Decree, removing the trap lockdown, then set a card and ended his turn.
• Jiang He activated Card of Sanctity, letting both duelists draw until they had six cards in hand.
• Jiang He summoned Vision HERO Vyon in defense position.

Jiang He overwhelmed Aster Phoenix with Evil HERO Dark Gaia, which destroyed Aster’s three Destiny HERO monsters before Aster stopped its direct attack with Negate Attack. Aster began his next turn by summoning Destiny HERO - Doom Lord, confident that destiny had given him the card he needed.

• Jiang He used Vision HERO Vyon to send Evil HERO Sinister Necrom from his Deck to the Graveyard.
• Jiang He activated Dark Calling, banished two Evil HERO Sinister Necrom monsters, and summoned Evil HERO Dark Gaia.
• Jiang He used Dark Gaia to destroy Aster Phoenix’s three Destiny HERO monsters, raising Dark Gaia’s ATK to 3600.
• Aster Phoenix activated Negate Attack to stop Dark Gaia’s direct attack and end the Battle Phase.
• Jiang He set two cards and ended his turn with five face-down cards on his field.
• Aster Phoenix drew a card and summoned Destiny HERO - Doom Lord in attack position.

Jiang He repeatedly thwarted Aster Phoenix’s attempts to keep Destiny HERO - Dasher on the field, then used Aster’s Graveyard as Fusion Material to summon Destiny HERO - Dominance. Aster was left shocked that Jiang He had summoned a Destiny HERO he did not know.

• Aster Phoenix revived Destiny HERO - Dasher with Destiny Mirage after Evil HERO Dark Gaia destroyed it.
• Jiang He banished Dasher face-down with Network Trap Hole when it returned from the Graveyard.
• Jiang He activated Scrap Polymerization and banished three of Aster’s Destiny HERO monsters, including Dreadmaster and Defender, as Fusion Material.
• Jiang He Fusion Summoned Destiny HERO - Dominance, leaving Aster Phoenix astonished.

Jiang He used Destiny HERO - Dominance to reorder Aster Phoenix’s next five draws and keep him from reaching his key cards, while Aster tried to stop Jiang He’s attacks and break the lockdown. Aster then summoned Destiny HERO - Dogma as his strongest attempt to turn the duel around.

• Jiang He used Destiny HERO - Dominance to inspect and rearrange the top five cards of Aster Phoenix’s Deck, pushing Pot of Greed, Clock Tower Prison, and Compulsory Evacuation Device out of reach.
• Aster Phoenix activated D - Fortune to banish a Destiny HERO from his Graveyard and negate Evil HERO Dark Gaia’s attack, ending Jiang He’s Battle Phase.
• Aster drew Destiny HERO - Defender and summoned it in attack position, hoping to destroy Destiny HERO - Dominance.
• Aster activated Double Summon, summoned D - Cubed, and revealed another copy to count as two Tributes.
• Aster Tributed Destiny HERO - Defender and D - Cubed to Special Summon Destiny HERO - Dogma.

Jiang He defeated Aster Phoenix by using Bottomless Trap Hole to destroy and banish Destiny HERO - Dogma, leaving Aster shaken and the onlookers wary of facing him. After Alexis Rhodes publicly linked arms with Jiang He, he went to the rooftop to relax, where Ojama Yellow, Ojama Green, and Little Black asked him for physical bodies.

• Jiang He activated Bottomless Trap Hole after Aster Phoenix Special Summoned Destiny HERO - Dogma, destroying and banishing it.
• Aster Phoenix surrendered and left the arena, and Jiang He offered Jaden Yuki a duel that made Jaden step back in fear.
• Alexis Rhodes stopped Rei Saotome from hugging Jiang He, then linked arms with him as the Duel Academy students reacted.
• Atticus Rhodes learned of Jiang He and Alexis’s relationship, called Jiang He his brother-in-law, and hurried away; Kaiser Zane Truesdale left planning to challenge Jiang He after graduation.
• Jiang He sunbathed on the rooftop with Sphere Kuriboh while Ojama Yellow, Ojama Green, and Little Black asked him to give them physical bodies.

After defeating Aster Phoenix, Jiang He suspected Sartorius would come to Duel Academy and plot to use Aster against him, so he considered turning Aster against Sartorius with Chazz as an inside man. That evening, Tyranno Hassleberry, Syrus Truesdale, and Chumley arrived at Jiang He's cabin, leaving their reason for visiting unknown.

• Jiang He checked his system and found that his duel with Aster had earned him 5,500 Emotion Points, which he linked to the Light of Destruction attached to Aster's deck.
• Sartorius visited Aster at the Obelisk Blue dorms, revealed that a godlike power had interfered with his prophecy, and urged Aster to focus on defeating Jaden Yuki.
• Aster agreed to duel Jaden and pursue his revenge, while Sartorius secretly planned to exploit him and Jaden to take over Duel Academy and destroy the world.
• Jiang He considered sending Chazz to Sartorius as an inside man and planned to expose Sartorius to Aster if the opportunity arose.
• That evening, Tyranno Hassleberry arrived at Jiang He's cabin with Syrus Truesdale and Chumley.

Jiang He and the others searched for Jaden Yuki and found him dueling Aster Phoenix near Aunt Dorothy’s shop, while Chazz Princeton had already become Sartorius’s brainwashed follower. Chazz revealed Sartorius’s ability to influence people through duels, leaving Sartorius’s plans exposed as he introduced himself to Jiang He.

• Tyranno Hassleberry told Jiang He that Jaden Yuki had gone missing after heading out to sunbathe and had not returned for the Slifer Red dorm’s fried shrimp dinner.
• Jiang He inferred that Aster Phoenix might have found Jaden and led Alexis Rhodes, Syrus Truesdale, Chumley, Tyranno Hassleberry, and Rei Saotome toward Aunt Dorothy’s shop.
• Sphere Kuriboh alerted Jiang He to a duel nearby, and Tyranno Hassleberry sensed a dangerous presence as the group approached the grove.
• Alexis Rhodes spotted Jaden Yuki dueling Aster Phoenix and saw Chazz Princeton watching beside Sartorius.
• Chazz, dressed in white, announced that Jaden would soon be transformed by Sartorius’s power and become his companion, accidentally revealing Sartorius’s brainwashing plans.
• Sartorius introduced himself to Jiang He as Aster Phoenix’s manager in the professional dueling world.

Jiang He turned down Sartorius’s offer to become a professional duelist, then watched Jaden Yuki duel Aster Phoenix. Aster destroyed Jaden’s Flame Wingman with Phoenix Enforcer, but Jaden used Hero Signal to summon Clayman.

• Sartorius explained away Chazz’s remark and offered Jiang He a place in his dueling agency, but Jiang He declined because he did not need money.
• Jaden appeared to hold the advantage over Aster, with Flame Wingman on the field and more Life Points, while Aster still had four cards in hand.
• Aster fused Avian and Burstinatrix to summon Elemental HERO Phoenix Enforcer, surprising Jaden, who had not known those materials could make different Fusion Monsters.
• Phoenix Enforcer attacked and destroyed Flame Wingman, using its effect to survive battle.
• Jaden activated Hero Signal after Flame Wingman’s destruction and Special Summoned Elemental HERO Clayman from his deck in Defense Position.

Jaden Yuki used [Philosopher's Stone] to recover from Aster Phoenix's pressure and assemble a Fusion Summon. After destroying Aster's set Trap, Jaden summoned [Elemental HERO Tempest], leaving the duel poised for his next move.

• Aster Phoenix destroyed Jaden Yuki's [Elemental HERO Clayman] with [Hammer Shot] and set a card before ending his turn.
• Jaden Yuki Special Summoned [Elemental HERO Bubbleman] and used its effect and [Pot of Greed] to draw four cards.
• Jaden Yuki activated [Philosopher's Stone], paid half his Life Points twice, and added [Mystical Space Typhoon] and [Polymerization Recovery] to his hand.
• Jaden Yuki used [Mystical Space Typhoon] to destroy Aster Phoenix's set [Draining Shield], then recovered [Polymerization] and [Elemental HERO Avian] from his Graveyard.
• Jaden Yuki fused [Elemental HERO Avian], [Elemental HERO Sparkman], and [Elemental HERO Bubbleman] to Special Summon [Elemental HERO Tempest].

Jaden Yuki defeated Aster Phoenix with Elemental HERO Tempest, while Sartorius recognized Jiang He as the variable disrupting his predictions. Jiang He warned Alexis about Sartorius, received her promised kiss, and noticed the next morning that no male Obelisk Blue students were attending class.

• Jaden Yuki boosted Elemental HERO Tempest with H - Heated Heart and defeated Aster Phoenix, reducing his life points to zero.
• The Philosopher's Stone vanished after the duel, and Sartorius saw that his tarot prediction had been reversed and suspected Jiang He was responsible.
• Jiang He warned Alexis Rhodes that Sartorius had special powers and might have brainwashed Chazz Princeton.
• Alexis kissed Jiang He to fulfill her promised reward, then returned to her room.
• The next morning, Jiang He noticed that every Obelisk Blue student in the lecture hall was a girl and suspected the absence of the boys was connected to Sartorius and Chazz.

Jiang He exchanged for the Earthbound Immortal Hummingbird Mark and an Eldlich deck, then investigated the Obelisk Blue dorm after its students were absent from class. He learned that Chazz had been dueling and brainwashing the dorm members under Sartorius's influence, leaving Jiang He to recognize the Light of Destruction as a spreading threat.

• Jiang He exchanged for the Mark of the Earthbound Immortal: Hummingbird Mark, intending to disrupt Sartorius's divinations, and chose the Eldlich the Golden Lord Deck.
• Tyranno Hassleberry noticed that the Obelisk Blue boys and Chazz were missing from class, so Jiang He suggested they visit the dorm.
• Jiang He and the others found the Obelisk Blue dorm painted entirely white and saw Kaiser Zane Truesdale and Atticus Rhodes forced out of it.
• Atticus told Alexis Rhodes that Chazz had challenged the dorm residents and that those who lost had changed into white-clad followers.
• Jiang He explained that Sartorius's Light of Destruction could spread through duels, turning the brainwashing into a kind of zombie virus.