Save me Kuriboh! - 15

A/N: It's a bit long of a chapter, but not really that long. Apologies for the slow update. Might not be able to update for a while. Was going through the birth of my day and just turned a quarter of a century old. ANNDDDD I'm quite busy these days—dealing with a lot of responsibilities like figuring out my health insurance and tackling benefits that my job offers, so currently I have no idea how to make use of company benefits. To summarize the reality situation I'm in, I'm a dumbass and I'm not ready for all this very important stuff, but here I am.

Thanks for your patience! -> Regarding this chapter I could have continued the chapter where I left off, but editing got me so frustrated, to the point I even stumbled a writer's block. I've got about 1k words for the other fanfic and Arifteria is stuck at 600. Just wanted to update you on the other progress. (IF you guys were curious), Again Apologies for these delays, it can't be helped.

 I might needa work on the last section of this chapter here. But I'm just going to upload as it is and fix/continue it in the next chapter :^). 

Words: 7500+, Happy reading.

Prepping for the 5Ds arc slowly. Currently watching the anime and on episode 1. 😊 Will probably maybe start this after half a year or a year.

***

Gojo raised an eyebrow, his interest peaked. "A duel against me? Heh. I don't think you can offer me anything to get me into this duel."

The boys erupted in a mix of excitement and confusion. "Bruh, being partnered up with Alexis—"

"I'm happily fucking married," Gojo quickly responded nonchalantly to the outcry.

Atticus nodded at Gojo's answer and responded with confidence. "If I win, you agree to be Alexis's boyfriend—Of course you will be compensated accordingly."

Gojo's eyebrow arched as he heard the absurdity of changes spilling from Atticus's mouth. "What's with that? Why did this suddenly change to becoming her boyfriend?" Gojo frowned. Alexis wanted to say the same thing out loud, but Gojo beat her to it. At least he could see that Atticus was being straightforward.

"It's just a formality," Atticus explained smoothly. "You won't actually be her boyfriend. The idea is that, by being her boyfriend in name and on paper, you'll scare off almost all the suitors desperate for Alexis's hand in marriage. With your fame and Kaiba's backing, you're the perfect person for this role. This will naturally solve the problem Alexis has been dealing with and help our parents too." Atticus mixed lies with truth effortlessly. Never in Atticius' life had he perfectly lied as naturally as breathing. This lie was so convincing that even Alexis believed it.

"See, with this idol duo going on, it will further solidify the proof and effectively shoo away all those who are after Alexis's hand in marriage. And of course, again, it's just a formality—" he added.

"But—If you win, you can continue living your carefree life and receive a monthly allowance from our family. All we ask for are two things: that you let my family use your name and fill out a simple paper form upon winning. We can address the details further once you win," Atticus offered. "And whether you win or lose in this duel, you'll be offered at least $100,000 USD every year."

Gojo's eyes widened slightly. The idea of playing pretend and doing practically nothing for easy money was hard to ignore. Perhaps it was his previous life experience that made a six-digit salary, something many only dreamed of, appealing. He too had once been one of those people, struggling to make ends meet. The offer was tempting, and the prospect of a comfortable life with minimal effort was undeniably attractive.

A/N: There will be a bit more of the story explanation for that below.

All in all, dis was but free money~ Gojo happily chirped in his mind.

Gojo didn't fully think it through, trusting his friends blindly. In this world, they were all 'good people' who would jump into danger to save a friend and even the world. So, it's natural for him that he believed in his friends and that Alexis's family wouldn't misuse his name; after all, what benefit would there be in using it? He was going to be at Duel Academy for the next three years and he had no money. The only valuable asset he had was his network of connections, which were meant solely for his benefit. However, those benefits were 'exhausted' and using them for anything now was out of the question. In practical terms, Gojo saw himself as nearly useless.

However, not entirely everything in this world revolves around dueling. Business still plays a crucial role. While dueling is paramount, the world doesn't truly operate solely on it. The world Gojo is in still retains its core functions similar to his previous life. At present, Gojo's role is comparable to that of a professional gamer or sports player, but within the context of being a duelist. Yes, dueling can decide the fate of the world. Only an extremely small fraction of people are professional duelists compared to the billions in the world. Despite its significance, dueling is just one of the many highly respected and important careers in this world.

Understanding this balance is extremely important. Yet, Gojo had been thrust into the world of GX with limited understanding of its broader societal context. Lacking a comprehensive view of the world outside dueling, even though he has Kaiba Corp support, he never bothered to explore society beyond the confines of dueling, assuming that the fantasy elements of Yu-Gi-Oh! would seamlessly dictate the world's functionality.

Because of that, Gojo didn't realize that Atticus was attempting a politically arranged marriage, intended to benefit the Rhodes family and secure his sister's future. While Atticus might seem really dumb in his conversations with Alexis, he is, in fact, meticulous and sharp when it comes to matters only involving her.

The real trap is literally accepting the duel, Gojo. Atticus thought, smiling. In Duel Academy, we are all very close friends, but love is war. And this is all for my sister.

Atticus shook his head with a helpless sigh. Even if Alexis isn't ready to accept it. We can't let our family competitors get him either. Pa and Ma have kept stressing how Gojo doesn't even realize his own importance. But are they really, right? I think Gojo is really smart. 100,000$ a year isn't even enough to tie him to the Rhodes family. But Dark Magician Girl said Gojo is so poor that he even hesitates calling Kaiba for money—

***

A little flashback reveals Dark Magician Girl telling the story of how Gojo called Kaiba ONCE for money.

Dark Magician Girl giggled as she recounted the story to Atticus. "So, there was this one-time Gojo actually went to call Kaiba for money. You know, because despite all his skills, he was still penniless. He wanted to help Alexis so badly that he asked Kaiba for money to buy those Mikanko cards on the dark web for her."

Gojo, in the flashback, nervously dialed Kaiba's number. As the call connected, Kaiba's face appeared on the screen, looking as stern as ever. Hell, he doesn't even look like he has changed.

"Kaiba, it's Gojo. I, uh, kind of need some cash," Gojo stammered, scratching the back of his head. It was his first virtual meeting with Kaiba, and to his surprise, the connection automatically switched to a face cam, something Gojo did not expect at all.

Kaiba raised an eyebrow, an amused smirk creeping onto his face. "Let me get this straight. You mean to tell me that the 'Greatest Duelist' of this era can't even manage his own finances? How pathetic," he scoffed. "You're not just broke, you've have also become a beggar. Just like the day I found you."

Gojo winced but managed to keep his composure. "Yeah, well, life happens, and I don't even have any money to begin with." He muttered the last line silently, trying to keep it together. Wait a second, I don't recall any moments of living like a beggar, though? What the hell, R.O.B?

Kaiba continued, not missing a beat. "Honestly, Gojo, it's embarrassing. You're lucky I'm in a very good mood. I'd hate for Kaiba Corp reputation to be tarnished by having someone like you asking me for money."

Just as Gojo was about to respond, his phone pinged with a notification. He checked it and saw that a whopping $50,000 USD worth of currency had been deposited into his Kaiba Corp bank account.

Kaiba smirked even wider, clearly enjoying himself. "There, you're officially less poor now. Consider it an allowance—you'll owe me one. And don't go spending it all in one go, you amateur."

Gojo could only nod, a mixture of happiness and irritation on his face. As the call ended, he couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Kaiba had thoroughly insulted him, but he still got the money. He wasn't sure what to feel because this was Seto Kaiba.

Dark Magician Girl finished her story with a hearty laugh. "And that's how Gojo became slightly less broke, thanks to Kaiba's… generosity and insults."

"Oh, and he did spend it all in one go, by the way," Dark Magician Girl added with a wink.

***

"Fine, getting paid to do nothing either way sounds like a great deal," Gojo said with a smirk, his old memories of bad spending habits from his previous life surfacing. "Let's have a short duel then. Since, I already know I'm going to win."

—Oh my god, they're all right. Atticus barely restrained a sigh. I can't believe he did not think it through and do it for money. He paused, considering the thought. Wait, now that I think about it, aren't there a lot of other rich folks here at the academy? Did no one ever consider this? Atticus didn't know that Gojo rarely connects with other people because he is that hard to find in the academy and talk to.

Atticus managed to maintain a composed smile, but inside, he was reveling in his insight. Holy crap, he thought, barely containing a small, hearty laugh. Alexis is going to be happy!

More importantly, he fell for it! Atticus and Dark Magician Girl thought in unison. Both were relieved and a bit sad that their elaborate backup plans were now unnecessary.

"That's great! Let's shake on it." Atticus walked up to Gojo, offering a handshake.

Gojo hesitated for a moment but then accepted. As their hands clasped, Dark Magician Girl, in her spirit form, smiled before fading back into Gojo's body.

Meanwhile Alexis was sighing, feeling really annoyed. She knew her brother was persistent, but she wasn't sure this was the right way to handle things. Honestly, she would have preferred to settle things with a duel herself against both of them.

And these idiots are making decisions without even asking for my stance, Alexis thought, forcing a tired smile despite the situation. But I've got to watch this duel—my brother versus Gojo!

The crowd stood in stunned silence, marveling at how the day had turned so unexpectedly.

~

A little flashback between Dark Magician Girl and Atticus, the story of how all of this began.

Their collaboration had begun when Dark Magician Girl stumbled upon Atticus while playing with Arahime around Academy Island a while back. During one of her outings, she found Atticus in a hospital bed, he was lying in a hospital bed, talking to himself in a daze about how to find a suitable man for his sister.

Curious, Dark Magician Girl, overhearing this while playing hide and seek, decided to materialize in front of him and introduced herself as Gojo's wife. She knew Atticus was Alexis's brother. Luckily, both of them were extroverts and found it easy to talk to each other. She then explained the special connection between Gojo and Alexis—their initial meeting and their current involvement.

Inspired by this revelation, Atticus and Dark Magician Girl both crafted a daring plan. They knew Gojo was a fundamentally good person, and from Atticus's perspective, he thinks Gojo had genuine feelings for Alexis.

Dark Magician Girl, who had a soft spot for Alexis, didn't mind having her into their daily lives. Alexis can somehow make Gojo do things she wouldn't be able to make Gojo do! However, she also knew that eventually, Alexis would have to step back or move on to other things in the future. To maintain a semblance of the status quo, she needed to ensure Alexis was tied to Gojo in some permanent way.

For Atticus, he was deeply concerned about his sister's single-minded focus on being the best female duelist and her reluctance to pursue romance; after meeting Dark Magician Girl he saw this as a potential chance. Naturally, Atticus believed he knew his sister best (self-proclaimed). Alexis was beautiful, diligent, and intelligent and if she chose a career outside of dueling, she would undoubtedly excel. However, finding suitable suitors for someone of her caliber was extremely challenging. Even their parents usually try to settle for some odd suitors due to their generous offers from them.

That was when Atticus met Gojo. Not only had Gojo saved Alexis's life and his life, but he had also made a lasting impression on their family. To Atticus, no other suitor could compare to Gojo. He was determined not to settle for anyone else, convinced that Gojo was the perfect match for his sister. However, he was married!!!

And so, Atticus and Dark Magician Girl devised a plan to bring Gojo into the Rhodes family. Their plan grew more extensive when Crowler sought Atticus out, adding another layer to their scheme. Everything was set in motion for this very day.

~

Seeing that Atticus and Gojo had reached an agreement, Crowler suggested they should settle the matter with a duel at the stadium.

Crowler had also meticulously prepared for this moment today. As the time approached, the entire group gathered at the duel stadium within the academy building.

"Welcome and thank you for attending the Academy's Got Talent Duel. Please wait for the duel to begin," the female host announced with enthusiasm. Apparently, there was an ongoing event happening which happened to be convenient for the group.

Gojo was speechless. He was dressed in a formal black tuxedo, arranged by Atticus, and had been instructed to make an extravagant entrance. As it was all part of the ongoing Academy Got Talent event, an unfortunate coincidence to do a lot of things. Since Gojo had agreed to Crowler's idea, he found himself caught up in these strange demands.

The stadium was packed with a large crowd of students, all cheering excitedly. Even the teachers were present, clad in cheering uniforms and waving pom-poms. They seemed just as excited, if not more so, for this duel between Gojo and Atticus.

What the hell? Everyone was practically gone during the duel between me vs Aster and Jaden vs Aster. Now all of yall show up for something miscellaneous like this shit. The fuck is wrong with y'all? Gojo thought.

"Up next! We have Gojo and Atticus dueling each other for this round!"

Gojo blinked, momentarily confused. …We were in queue number twenty-four. How did we skip the line— he thought, turning his gaze toward Crowler. The headmaster wore a devious grin so infuriating that it almost made Gojo want to punch him in the face.

Both duelists prepared their entrance to make way to the center of the duel stadium. The crowd of students chanted their names in a frenzy.

Suddenly, the stadium lights turned off, leaving the arena in darkness. A spotlight then illuminated Atticus, who was seen flying around the stadium with something attached to his shoulder.

Gojo glanced at Atticus momentarily, who seemed completely unfazed by the attention. Ah, right— The Rhodes family is also incredibly popular. As he heard the many female students fawning over him.

Sneaking a glance at Alexis, Gojo noticed she was showing a myriad of emotions: excitement, sadness, frustration, anger, and happiness all at once.

Then it was Gojo's turn as the spotlights turned to him at the entrance. When the spotlight turned to Gojo at the entrance, he found himself at a loss. Although he had been told he had plenty of time to prepare an entrance, it turned out to be a lie, leaving him with no clear idea of what to do. Deciding to improvise, he lifted one leg slightly and channeled a little bit of curse energy into it. With a swift kick, he slammed his foot down, causing a very short earthquake that shook the ground and startled everyone in the room.

As the dust settled, Gojo slowly made his way to the center of the duel stadium. The only sounds were his footsteps echoing in the silence, the spotlight still fixed on him.

The lights in the duel stadium turned back on, illuminating the entire arena.

"A—Alright, everyone watching today!" the host's voice boomed through the speakers. "Since we all know who they are, we'll skip the introductions. BUT TODAY'S DUEL IS SPECIAL—"

Gojo winced internally. Oh. My. Me. Why does the PR team know about this? He facepalmed, dreading what was coming next.

"If Gojo wins," the host declared, "he'll get the chance to leech off the Rhodes family!"

A wave of confusion rippled through the crowd. Whispers and murmurs filled the stands as the audience tried to make sense of the bizarre choice of words.

"Leech? Like a parasite?" one person muttered, clearly puzzled. "So…he's getting something from winning?"

The host continued, "But if Atticus wins, Alexis must fully embrace her role as an idol and become a popstar!"

An immediate effect, the crowd erupted in a frenzy of excitement, the stakes now crystal clear to everyone. Cheers and chants echoed from every corner of the stadium, drowning out any lingering confusion.

"GO FUCKING LOSE, GOJO!" a passionate male fan screamed from the stands, his voice cutting through the noise. His sentiment was quickly picked up by others, and soon, the entire section of male fans joined in the chant. Even Chazz was in it. The idea of Alexis becoming a pop star, or an idol had seized their imaginations, and now, every male in the crowd seemed synchronized, all locked in on a singular desire. They didn't bother trying to make sense of the stakes; the mere thought of Alexis as an idol was enough to send them into a frenzy.

Gojo's eye twitched a bit from that.

At that moment, Crowler, who had been closely listening to the host, leaned in and whispered something urgently.

"Wait, so it's actually with? I thought that was a joke…" the host asked in a hushed, confused tone. Crowler nodded rapidly in confirmation.

The atmosphere shifted abruptly. The audience murmured, trying to make sense of the new information they had overheard.

"With Gojo," the host clarified, her voice hesitant. "Ah! If Atticus wins, Alexis will also be paired with Gojo as an idol duo. They'll both become the academy's next big idols… With the support of Chancellor Crowler and…"

The crowd's initial excitement quickly turned into an outcry. Tongues clicked and murmurs of discontent spread through the audience, with both male and female students expressing their displeasure.

"Why her?" one female student grumbled, clearly unhappy with the idea of Alexis being paired with Gojo.

"Don't you know? Atticus is trying to set up Alexis with Gojo," another student whispered, irritation in her voice. The revelation only fueled the crowd's dissatisfaction.

***

"Wow, and just like that, my reputation is ruined. Way to word it like that," Gojo muttered under his breath.

If his friends had heard him, they'd likely have retorted, "What reputation, you lazy bastard?"

"Hit! The! Music!" the female host shouted, trying to regain control of the crowd's mood. She spoke with a heated expression and a passionate voice, her words echoing through the stadium's speakers. As a seasoned professional, she knew how to manage the crowd's energy and refocus their attention.

The arena was suddenly filled with lively music, trying to drown out the growing boos and discontent.

Gojo blinked in surprise as the music blared through the speakers. Normally, it was a straightforward routine: walk into the duel stadium, greet and wave, and then get right down to dueling. So, what was all this?

The unexpected theatrics threw him off a bit. What is going on? Not only that but he couldn't help but feel slightly out of his element today. (That was the feeling of Dark Magician Girl discreetly casting a shadow game inside him).

So, Gojo stood there, listening with a calm expression as the music played for nearly a minute. The duel seemed overly hyped for some strange reason.

Atticus, grinning with satisfaction, said, "This is my favorite song, you know? Cool, right?"

Cool. Gojo thought sarcastically. "That means we can start now—"

"Now let's hit Gojo's music!" the host announced with continued enthusiasm.

"I have one?!" Gojo's voice was drowned out as the speakers blasted music over the stadium.

The song, "Tuca Donka," blasted through the stadium. The beat was catchy, even though most of the audience couldn't understand the lyrics.

H—How did they get this? Gojo frowned, knowing it was heavily encrypted in Kaiba Corp technology. No one at the academy should have been able to extract this music, let alone use it.

[Oh, that was me!] Dark Magician Girl confessed, her voice echoing cutely telepathically. [When I saw you dancing half-naked in front of a mirror to this song, I thought it must have been your favorite, so I copied it and submitted it to the event organizer anonymously.] She popped out in front of Gojo from thin air, dancing in her spirit form and mimicking the moves she had seen Gojo perform.

Gojo's jaw dropped as he clutched his head, his face turning a deep shade of red. He was mortified and a bit irked at Dark Magician Girl. [You saw that?! No... Wait, when did you learn how to use Kaiba Corp technology?]

Speechless, Gojo was speechless. For a moment, Gojo was utterly speechless. Everything was happening so fast, one bizarre revelation after another, leaving him completely dazed. He didn't even know how to process it all.

"Hey! I'm starting!" Atticus called out with a cheeky smile, activating his duel disk. He knew Gojo was thoroughly confused. The plan was to keep Gojo's mind racing, keep distracting him until the crucial moment arrived. The duel result didn't even matter to them.

Because Dark Magician Girl was subtly ensuring the shadow game was taking place without Gojo noticing, discreetly working the magic inside him.

***

Syrus arrived at the duel stadium and made his way to the group where Chazz and the others were watching.

Bastion noticed Syrus's arrival and asked, "Jaden's not coming?"

Syrus shook his head, looking concerned. "This is the first time Jaden refused to come see a duel."

Chazz squinted his eyes, not liking the news at all. "That doesn't sound like him," he remarked

***

The duel quickly began without haste.

4000LP X2

Gojo, still somewhat dazed, readied his duel disk, his sunglasses concealing his expression. He was blinking a few times, seemingly lost in thought. Despite this, there was still an unmistakable air of confidence about him.

Atticus was determined to give it his all. He wouldn't dare lose on purpose without giving it his all first. More importantly, he planned to go all out on this one turn, showcasing his new cards against the academy's best duelist.

On second thoughts…with a starting hand like this. I might be able to win! Atticus looking at his cards.

"I promise I won't disappoint ya!" Atticus said with a sneaky smile as he drew his card to start off. "I play Red-Eyes Fusion and I will be fusing my Red-eyes Black Dragon and Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Impact from my deck!"

Oh? Gojo's eyes widened slightly as he realized this might not be the same Red-Eyes deck he had seen from Atticus before. So, he managed to get some other Red-Eyes cards.

"Meteor Black Comet Dragon!" Atticus called out his new ace monster.

A vortex of dark energy swirled on the field as the iconic Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Impact fused together. From the swirling chaos emerged Meteor Black Comet Dragon, towering majestically on Atticus's side of the field. The dragon has its body cloaked in fiery, molten scales that shimmered with intense heat. With a roar, it opened its massive jaws, already preparing to unleash a torrent of destructive flames.

"Meteor Black Comet Dragon's effect activates! When he is summoned, I can send 1 Red-Eyes monster from my hand or deck to the graveyard and inflict damage equal to half the original attack!" Atticus announced.

He took out a normal Red-Eyes Black Dragon card from his deck and placed it in the graveyard. With its original ATK of 2400, half of that is 1200.

Meteor Black Comet Dragon unleashed a blazing fire dragon blast towards Gojo, causing his life points to drop from 4000 to 2800 as the intense heat scorched the arena. Gojo waved his hands to shoo away the thick dust and smoke that lingered in the air. Naturally, he didn't feel anything—yet he sensed a strange warmth from the inferno blast, which was odd since it was coming off from a projection.

The crowd roared with excitement as the duel began. Atticus made the first move, landing a solid hit, which only fueled the audience's enthusiasm further.

***

"Hey… Gojo isn't going to lose, right? He couldn't prevent his life points from dropping," Syrus asked his friends, frowning.

"Huh? Why would he lose? Him losing? He isn't going to lose to anyone except me." Chazz snorted.

"It can't be helped. Even on the first turn, Gojo won't be able to act until his opponent finishes his turn," Bastion noted with a neutral expression, his arms crossed.

Brother... Alexis watched with both her hands clasped together.

***

"Next, I play Pot of Greed!" Atticus continued; his voice full of excitement.

As the iconic green pot with a grinning face materialized on the field, it let out a mischievous laugh before shattering into pieces. Atticus quickly drew his two new cards, momentarily glancing at them before a wide grin spread across his face. I can win! he thought, feeling the thrill of victory within his grasp.

"From here, I will end this game in one turn!" Atticus played his second Spell Card. "Inferno Fire Blast!" Hahhh, I never get tired of seeing this, he was satisfied.

"The way this works," Atticus explained, "is that I target one 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon' on my side of the field and inflict damage to your life points equal to my monster's original ATK points. And thanks to Red-Eyes Fusion spell card special ability, my fusion monster is treated as a Red-Eyes Black Dragon. Not only that, but its attack point is also 3500. Now, Meteor Black Comet Dragon! Inferno Fire Blast!"

Gojo was blatantly surprised. An OTK? He hadn't anticipated being taken out in a single turn. He never expected any of his friends to pull off an OTK against him, nor did he believe they were capable of such a feat.

The crowd erupted in shock, the stadium echoing with gasps and exclamations. It seemed to be an unprecedented turn of events.

"What The Fuck?!" Gojo yelled in panic. He scrambled to figure out how to avoid the impending attack. An image flashed in his mind—he willed a blank card similar to the one he had envisioned.

Luckily his voice was drowned out by the deafening roar.

The inferno's molten blast engulfed Gojo's platform, sending a cloud of dust and debris into the air. The audience held their breath, and Alexis stared in shock, unsure of the outcome. It seemed her brother might have just defeated Gojo Satoru. The stadium fell silent as everyone anxiously awaited the result.

As the dust began to settle, the outline of Gojo became visible. To the astonishment of everyone present, against all odds, Gojo was still standing with his life points the same.

Alexis and the audience were stunned, unable to comprehend how Gojo was still standing. Even Gojo himself momentarily panicked, but the only thing that could save him; Kuriboh. Specifically, the card Clear Kuriboh. This quick-effect monster could negate effect damage by discarding it, and Gojo had just used it to survive this turn. As the molten fireball was about to land on him, Gojo discarded Clear Kuriboh just in time to negate the damage.

Gojo: 2800 LP

Atticus 4000 LP

Atticus's eyes widened in disbelief, showing a hint of frustration. "Ah… I was hoping to catch you off guard with that." he admitted. "But it's not like I only have one copy." With a sly grin, he slowly revealed a second Inferno Fire Blast and slid it into his duel disk.

He managed to survive against my perfect OTK! I need to end this now before he even gets a chance to start his turn! Atticus thought, grinning as he prepared his next devastating move.

Meanwhile, Gojo was inwardly reeling from the revelation. He completely reworked his deck? A red-eyes burn deck? Fuck! I never thought I would be seeing one here, Hell, I would have lost right there if I was using a regular deck. Gojo thought, his mind racing. He willed another blank card into Clear Kuriboh and used it again. As the second Inferno Fire Blast from Meteor Black Comet Dragon approached, it was blocked by his clear Kuriboh, taking the attack and saving him once more. This time it was seen by everyone.

"Hoh! So, it was Kuriboh variant." Atticus now understands why Gojo's life point isn't dropping now and smiles happily.

***

"This is your bro?" Tyrannos compliments Alexis's brother with a serious glance of awe. "He hits hard."

Syrus in disbelief. "I don't remember seeing any of those cards before. It's so powerful."

"No kidding," Chazz added, clicking his tongue. He stared intently at both Atticus and Gojo, very awed.

"Atticus's strategy is just perfect, it has no flaw. His card synergy is remarkable," Bastion observing the match with his jaw dropped. "But unfortunately his opponent is Gojo, and that Gojo, somehow always pulls things out of his butt to get away from that."

Alexis, equally stunned by her brother's new cards, added, "I don't know what to say… After Gojo gave him a card or two, Atticus mentioned he was going to rebuild his entire deck. I didn't expect it to be this impressive," she muttered. And he still couldn't reach Gojo.

They watched as Atticus nearly scored an OTK (one-turn kill) against Gojo on his starting turn. It was a jaw-dropping moment, seeing someone who usually dishes out OTKs now on the receiving end.

***

"Almost." Gojo couldn't help but give a manic smile in response to Atticus's moves. I can see why he thinks he can win. But fuck, I could have lost right there.

"Well, I tried." Atticus replied, scratching the back of his head with both hands while flashing a goofy grin. Discreetly, he slid his last Inferno Blast into his duel disk with his other hand.

Gojo, seeing through that, rolled his eyes as he sent his last Clear Kuriboh from his hand to the graveyard to negate the Inferno Fire Blast.

"Aghhh. Why won't you let me win?!" Atticus complained, seeing another Clear Kuriboh shield Gojo from his monster's inferno blast. Gojo responded with a playful stick of his tongue.

Atticus groaned theatrically, as he finally saw Dark Magician Girl's hand briefly manifest with an "okay" sign before disappearing. Right, the duel doesn't matter, he reminded himself, glancing at his sister before continuing his turn.

"Alright then! I've got no choice!" Atticus declared dramatically. Using his remaining cards. "I activate the Cards of the Red Stone!" He quickly played the card on the field, discarding his last card, Red-Eyes Soul, to activate the spell's effect. This allowed him to draw two new cards from his deck and add them to his hand. As part of the effect, he also had to discard another Level 7 Red-Eyes monster from his deck to the graveyard.

With the Cards of the Red Stone, Atticus practically reshuffled his hand, hoping for a game-changing draw.

He drew the cards he needed, but as he glanced at Gojo's side of the field—particularly the cards in his hand—his confidence began to waver. He's got two cards left… and another one coming up when it's his turn. The odds are high that any one of those could negate my monster's abilities or cards. I have no choice but to pass the turn and hope my last cards will make a difference. I can already predict my loss here.

"I set my last two cards face down and end my turn," Atticus said with a forced smile, trying to act frustrated.

Gojo let out a sigh of relief as he drew his card, as it was his turn, but the moment was short-lived. Atticus quickly activated one of his set cards, forcing Gojo to lock in as the hidden third main phase began.

"Red-Eyes Spirit!" Atticus revealed the trap. "It allows me to bring back any Red-Eyes monster to the field, and I choose my Red-Eyes Soul!" he declared. The card shimmered as Red-Eyes Soul was summoned in defense mode, its 2000 defense points standing firm, though its attack points were a mere 900.

An iconic Red-Eyes Black Dragon, represented by Red-Eyes Soul, emerged on the field. Smoke curled off its dark scales, and its piercing gaze locked onto Gojo. The dragon's wide-open mouth glowed with a fierce red inferno blast, its heat palpable as it stared down Gojo.

"And I will be activating Red-Eyes Soul's monster special effect—" Atticus continued.

"No, you won't!" Gojo interrupted. "From my hand, I will be using Forbidden Chalice to negate your monster's effect for this turn!" Gojo quickly placed the quick-play spell card on his duel disk, determined to avoid taking any effect damage.

The chalice materialized, pouring its contents over Red-Eyes Soul, negating its special effect. The dragon's power surged, its attack points rising to 1300 thanks to forbidden chalice, but its intense flaming heat abilities were sealed. Gojo's move effectively neutralized the threat, keeping the duel firmly in his control now.

Atticus's optimism waned as he saw Gojo's card neutralize his Red-Eyes Soul. He forced a grin, masking his growing frustration. It's over. I've lost. But even in defeat, he found a twisted amusement in seeing Gojo's desperation.

"So is it finally my turn now?" Gojo asked with his eyes twitching as he looked at Atticus' final face down card.

Atticus, still wearing that goofy grin, nodded at Gojo's question. "You really don't want me to win?" His playful tone masked the genuine frustration of seeing his best efforts countered at every turn.

"Sorry, but you know how it is," Gojo replied with a grin. "I'd always win."

For the next 15 seconds, neither duelist made a move. It was a tense staredown. Gojo kept shifting his gaze from Atticus's face-down card to Atticus himself, then back again.

Gojo was waiting for Atticus to activate his last remaining set card, but seeing no movement, he speculated it might be a conditional trap—something like Mirror Force or Magical Cylinder, or another trap that would trigger after his monsters were attacked or destroyed.

He knew he could destroy the face down card, but that might activate the trap, forcing him to use his last remaining card to negate it and leaving him unable to take further action. He weighed his options, holding two cards in hand, contemplating his next move carefully.

Then, Gojo's eyes widened in sudden realization. Wait a fucking second. I can just negate it with Red Reboot! The revelation hit him with startling clarity. He has forgotten a card like that.

Damn, what the hell was I hesitating for? he thought, mingling with excitement. Without wasting another moment, Gojo swiftly converted the blank card into Card of Demise, aiming to replenish his hand to five cards.

"I'm using Card of Demise to draw until I have 5 cards in my hand!" Gojo declared, playing the spell card into his duel disk.

Atticus's eyes widened as he quickly activated and revealed his final facedown card. "I activate my trap card, Ring of Destruction!"

Gojo's eyes widened for a split second before narrowing into a confident smirk. He swiftly played his final card from his hand, chaining it to Atticus's move.

The Ring of Destruction card that Atticus had revealed was immediately put back into its face-down position, nullified by Gojo's intervention.

"Red Reboot!" Gojo countered Atticus's trap with his own. The activation of Red Reboot cost him a significant amount of life points, dropping from 2800 to 1400. Meanwhile, Atticus's life points remained solid at 4000. In addition to the life point cost, Atticus now had the opportunity to grab any trap card from his deck and place it onto the field, though he couldn't use any trap cards for the rest of this turn.

Atticus's face showed a reluctant admiration. Is this what Alexis is trying to beat? He laughed to himself. He didn't mind losing, but the idea of losing despite giving his best was still a bitter pill to swallow. I can see why she's so obsessed with him now.

***

As the final moments of the duel unfolded, Gojo made a decisive shift in strategy, opting to utilize the Mikanko cards to secure his victory. He wasn't taking any chances—Atticus might have a hidden graveyard effects that Gojo wasn't aware of, and he wasn't about to let any surprises cost him the duel.

Gojo proceeded to use one of the four cards left in his hand, he willed a Mikanko Water Arabesque equip spell card and attached it to Atticus's Meteor Black Comet Dragon. With a satisfied grin, Gojo activated the effect of Water Arabesque, causing Meteor Black Comet Dragon to vanish from the field. The card shimmered as it was returned back into the Extra Deck, leaving Atticus in stunned disbelief.

"What—What is this?" Atticus stammered, his eyes widening as his ace monster disappeared. The arena fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the subtle sound of water and a breeze, signifying something monumental was about to happen.

As the ground seemed to flood with a glowing, shimmering water, the blue and green light grew brighter, enveloping the field in an enchanting spectacle. From this radiant scene emerged a Mikanko monster coming out from Gojo's deck. The Mikanko monster materialized, its presence ethereal and captivating, shimmering with green light.

"Hu-Li, The Jewel Mikanko!" Gojo announced with confidence. "By activating the effect of Mikanko Water Arabesque, my equip spell card, I can return the equipped monster to the Deck, Extra deck for your case, and Special Summon a Mikanko monster from my deck. Then, the equip spell card is re-equipped to my Mikanko monster."

This monster card… It looks just like the one my sister uses. Then isn't this the same Mikanko monster Alexis has? So Gojo got it too? Atticus thought, trying to piece together the significance. Though he had heard about the Mikanko cards from his sister, he had been too focused on reworking his Red-Eyes deck to fully understand their potential. And so, he was thinking, it has 0 attack points… What's the point?

With Hu-Li now on the field, Gojo gets to set a Mikanko trap card face down for free, taking advantage of Hu-Li's secondary ability. Not that he needs to explain it, because he won't be using it… However, Atticus seeing the silent setup, he began to understand.

The Mikanko cards aren't about their attack points… it's their unique effects, Atticus realized, his thought process finally coming to clarity. Gojo isn't planning to overpower my monsters. His strategy is clearer now.

Next, Gojo played a field spell and inserted it into his duel disk. The academy duel stadium was now adorned with a magnificent temple-like structure, bathed in an ethereal light. The surrounding area changed into a lush, natural environment, and at the center of this red shrine stood a grand, circular staircase of petals leading to a celestial realm.

"Field spell, Heavenly gate of the Mikanko." Gojo announced.

The crowd erupted in awe at the stunning visual transformation. Their excitement was palpable as they took in the breathtaking scenery. Even Alexis had rarely deployed this field spell in her matches. The spectacle was both mesmerizing and unprecedented to all the people watching.

"Hu-Li, attack his Red-Eyes Soul!" Gojo commanded.

The command left many in the audience bewildered. They couldn't fathom why Gojo would order an attack that seemed counterintuitive. With Hu-Li's 0 attack points, it made no sense for him to attack Red-Eyes Soul, which had 2000 defense points. It seemed like Gojo would be setting himself up for a loss.

But as the attack began, the crowd watched in silence, unable to tear their eyes away. As Hu-Li, The Jewel Mikanko, began to wield her fan, summoning powerful gusts of wind that spiraled toward Red-Eyes Soul. And for some reason, Red-Eyes soul seemed to be staying still. The winds swirled around the battlefield with such force that it seemed as though the entire arena was caught in a storm.

As the wind attack struck Red-Eyes Soul, something extraordinary happened. Hu-Li waved her fan gracefully, and a surge of green energy rippled through the air. The gusts were then redirected, blowing fiercely toward Atticus's side of the field. The force was so strong that Atticus had to shield himself.

Atticus's life points plummeted from 4000 to 2000, while Gojo's life points remained unchanged at 1400. If there were anything left to be said it was that both monsters stayed on the field, but the true impact of the Mikanko monster's effect was now clear. The crowd's jaws dropped as they grasped the power of Mikanko's unique abilities, realizing the full extent of what Mikanko's deck can do.

What kind of monster is this?! Atticus's eyes widened as he processed what had just happened. It can't be destroyed by battle and redirects all the damage back to me?! Despite the dire situation he was in, a smile slowly crept across his face. So strong!

However, Gojo wasn't done just yet. Atticus noticed that Gojo discarded a card from his hand and…

"Hu-Li attacked his red-eyes soul again." Gojo commanded again.

The audience watched in stunned silence as Hu-Li, despite her 0 attack points, continued her dance of powerful winds and attacked Atticus's monster again. Atticus's expression shifted to one of contentment and satisfaction as he saw that Gojo had methodically bypassed his monster's defenses, turning the very strength of his Red-Eyes deck against him.

As Hu-Li's attack landed, Atticus's life points dropped to 0, signaling the end of the duel. Instead of feeling defeated, Atticus was genuinely impressed. A wide grin spread across his face as he clapped his hands, congratulating Gojo on his victory.

"That was amazing, Gojo!" Atticus praised, his voice full of energy, and still clapping. "I didn't stand a chance!"

"Bullshit, you almost had me," Gojo admitted without missing a beat, scratching his head in annoyance. He wasn't shy about admitting it, and his words rang out clearly for the entire audience.

As the holograms faded and the duel disks powered down, the atmosphere in the arena shifted from silence to shock to excitement. The crowd erupted into cheers, the tension of the duel giving way to celebration. The host's voice boomed over the speakers, "What an exhilarating duel between Atticus Rhodes and Gojo Satoru! Thank you for participating, and congratulations to our victor, Gojo!"

"Can we get queue number 23? Please prepare," the host called out, moving on to the next segment of the event.

Gojo and Atticus left the duel podium together, making their way towards where the others were gathered.

"Good job, honey!" Dark Magician Girl cheered, appearing in her spirit form with a thumbs up. "You won!"

Gojo responded with a double thumbs up and a cheeky smirk, clearly pleased with himself. In his mind, he was already pondering what to do with the prize money he'd earned.

***

The whole setup was designed to ensure Gojo would accept the duel and let him win. The real challenge, however, was getting him to sign the papers. The goal was not to defeat Gojo in the duel—an outcome that was considered nearly impossible—but rather to have him accept and win the duel and agree to the terms. This strategy seemed much more achievable than actually winning against him.

To make this work, Dark Magician Girl cast a mini shadow game on the duel between Atticus and Gojo. This shadow game was to enforce the agreement on the outcome stated between the two duelists than the one with their life at stake. It was cleverly designed to bind Gojo to the terms of the conditions and agreement that he would be required to sign upon winning and presented in front of him by Atticus.

***

Fast-forwarding a bit, the private lounge room at the academy was tranquil and refined, with the table reflecting the soft light as Atticus, Gojo, and Alexis sat around it. They had bid farewell to their friends, with Atticus having informed them that the compensation and reward were confidential and financially sensitive, leaving Gojo alone with him and Alexis.

That was until Gojo's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the document before him, his expression contorting with disbelief. He turned to Atticus, pointing at the paper with a mix of confusion and incredulity.

"This is a fucking marriage contract." Gojo said, pointing at the form paper he was supposed to sign.

"I know. There isn't anything wrong with it, is there?" Atticus said, his expression shown to be innocent. He quickly scanned the document for any grammatical errors, then nodded in satisfaction. "It looks perfectly fine to me." he added with a smile.

In Gojo's mind…. Atticus = Dumb?

Alexis facepalmed, realizing that Atticus was likely working with her parents to push her marriage with Gojo. She could see how this could help them out if the contract went through. However, the thought of being married to Gojo made her heart race. She immediately dismissed the idea with a frustrated yell, surprising everyone in the room, including herself.

***

A/N: QnA: My view of Clear kuriboh's effect.

The text phrase "You can only use 'this' effect of 'Clear Kuriboh' once per turn" refers specifically to the second effect. Here's a breakdown on my view:

First Effect: When your opponent activates a monster effect that would inflict damage, you can discard Clear Kuriboh to negate the activation. This effect does not have a limit (3) on how many times it can be used per turn; it's just limited by how many Clear Kuribohs you have and whether you can discard them.Second Effect: When an opponent's monster declares a direct attack, you can banish Clear Kuriboh from your Graveyard to draw 1 card. If the drawn card is a monster, you can Special Summon it and change the attack target to it. This effect can only be used once per turn.

So, Gojo can use multiple Clear Kuribohs in one turn to block damage from monster effects, but he can only use the second effect of Clear Kuriboh once per turn.

***