Leaving the principal's office, Jaden Yuki walked down the hallway towards his classroom.
It was currently class time, and the hallway was eerily silent.
From the classroom windows, he could see students in the surrounding classrooms attending their lessons.
Jaden Yuki didn't have many memories worth cherishing from his time at the academy.
While characters from the original story appeared in his life to some extent, he didn't have much interaction with them, so he didn't develop any "bonds" with them.
Perhaps this was the real him.
Loner, solitary, and cold.
He didn't have any attachments when he left, and didn't need any goodbyes.
Jaden Yuki smiled.
"After the tournament, should I continue studying at Duel Academy's upper division... "
"Jaden, someone's dueling outside."
He was lost in thought.
Yubel's voice echoed in Jaden Yuki's ears.
Beside him, Yubel's figure slowly emerged.
She crossed her arms and looked towards the field outside the window.
Jaden Yuki followed her gaze.
He noticed a young man, dressed in black and with a hairstyle almost identical to his own, standing on the field, dueling a girl in a blue uniform.
"That guy, he must be from the so-called 'Shadow Duel Society', right? He's dressed exactly like you. What poor taste..."
Yubel commented sarcastically.
"..." Jaden Yuki glanced at Yubel and pursed his lips, not saying anything.
It seemed that after spending so much time together, Yubel, while not as morbid or insane as in the original story, had picked up a bit of a sarcastic and cynical personality.
"Hmph... even with bad taste, it's still better than yours."
Jaden Yuki retorted without hesitation.
"You..."
Yubel gritted her teeth and glared at Jaden Yuki.
They both fell silent, staring at the field.
"I set a monster in Defense Position: 'Elemental HERO Winged-Man'!"
"I set three cards and end my turn!"
The young man, who looked almost like Jaden, ended his first turn with a smile.
"Oh? A horizontal and three sets on the first turn, a T-shaped formation? Very Jaden of you."
Yubel chuckled.
"Hmph, I haven't played like that for six years." Jaden Yuki crossed his arms and said coolly.
"Oh really? Didn't you do that just recently?"
Yubel looked into the distance, seeing the young man activate his face-down card, 'bottomless trap hole', and couldn't help but sneer. "It looks like that kid has learned a lot from you."
"..."
Jaden Yuki watched the young man silently, a name vaguely appearing in his mind.
"I think I remember..."
Jaden Yuki thought of something.
In the original story, there was someone who excelled in imitating others' appearance, dueling styles, and deck configurations.
He even stole Yugi Muto's deck at Duel Academy and dueled Jaden Yuki for two episodes.
"Kogorou."
Jaden Yuki mumbled softly.
"However, I remember he was a student of the Sun God's before his first appearance."
"Logically, he should be an external examiner who passed the exam to enter the upper division..."
"It seems that the timeline isn't completely fixed..."
Jaden Yuki chuckled lightly.
"What? You seem happy about this." Seeing the smile on Jaden Yuki's face, Yubel also smiled slightly.
"Yeah, even if it's just a little bit, I've changed the world, haven't I?"
Jaden Yuki smiled and turned to leave.
"Changing the world..." Yubel fell silent.
Did Jaden have this kind of ambition?
...
Back in the classroom.
Jaden Yuki walked into the classroom and gave a report under the surprised gazes of the teacher and classmates.
"Report, I'm sorry, I was delayed earlier."
Jaden Yuki stood up straight and addressed the teacher.
"Uh... you're Jaden Yuki, right? Hurry, hurry, get back to your seat, class has already started." The teacher wiped the sweat from his forehead, not expecting Jaden Yuki to be in his class.
This was the first time he had seen Jaden Yuki since the beginning of the semester.
Jaden Yuki is actually in my class, my youth is over, woohoo...
Jaden Yuki returned to his seat, and he could still feel many curious eyes looking at him.
"That's amazing, Jaden Yuki skipped class, right? Why is he back in class?" Asuka, with a surprised expression, couldn't help but talk to the girl beside her, Blair.
"Yeah, it's like the sun rising from the west..." Blair muttered, glancing at the girl behind her who was diligently listening to the lesson, Alexis, "Alexis, aren't you curious at all?"
"What's there to be curious about? Maybe he didn't come back for class." Alexis said with a wry smile.
Sure enough, Jaden Yuki had just sat down and took out his deck, beginning to build it on the table.
"Wow~ Alexis knows him well." Blair exclaimed, "It seems like your secret observation of Jaden Yuki wasn't in vain."
"You..."
Alexis was taken aback for a moment, then glared at Blair with some anger.
After all.
He was the one who defeated her...
She just wanted to observe him and find his weaknesses in dueling.
But after a while, Alexis learned some of Jaden Yuki's habits.
However.
Alexis still believed that they were just ordinary classmates.
Well... the kind that barely spoke once a month.