Is this the poker world?Ada thief!

Chapter 1833 Untitled
"It's true, brother, but could you please stop shaking me? I'm feeling a little dizzy."

After Judai let go, Marufuji Sho leaned against the wall. He felt nauseous and dizzy because Judai had acted without any restraint in his excitement.

Although Jaden had already heard Marufuji Sho confirm the news's authenticity, he still looked at the others for further confirmation: "When? How can we go to the Pokémon world?"

"It will probably be in about three hours." Wan Zhangmu glanced at the time and said casually, "The specific location of that singularity, 'Because You're Too Beautiful,' seems to be near the entrance of the 'Valley of Royal Sleep' ruins in the back mountain."

"It's not 'Because You're Too Beautiful,' it's Dr. Bein Stein!" Misawa glared at Manjoume. "It's one thing to misremember my name, but how could you even misremember the doctor's name!"

“Two hours later I understood.” A resolute glint flashed in Judai’s previously gloomy eyes, as if he had made up his mind. “John was left there because of me, so I will go over there and bring John back!”

“But that’s too dangerous, Judai?” Misawa advised rationally. “We’re telling you this just to cheer you up. You don’t need to take any risks. Hayato-sensei will personally go and bring John Anderson back.”

“This isn’t about ‘taking risks,’ I’m taking responsibility!” Jaden refused without hesitation. “As for Yubel, Manjoume, she knows about my past with her, right? The fact that she’s become like this is all my fault, so I have to correct the mistakes she made!”

"In that case, I'll go too!" Asuka stepped forward decisively. "Jūdai, if you're going, I'll go with you!"

“Me too!” “I want to go too, big brother!” Xiang and Jianshan also volunteered.

Manjoume crossed his arms and said, "The opportunity to shine belongs to me, Mr. Manjoume. Do you think a mere tenth generation can monopolize it?"

Hearing their words, Jaden frowned: "No! This is a life-or-death adventure, and we shouldn't drag everyone into this!"

“But Jaden, didn’t you also risk your life to go to another world?” Jim adjusted his hat. “That kind of adventure doesn’t scare me away.”

“This isn’t the first time I’ve been on a dangerous mission like this,” O’Brien said, standing next to Jim, indicating his willingness to participate as well.

“This is different. My situation is different from everyone else’s.” Jaden still couldn’t accept the fact that everyone was going to another world together. “I have to go save John because I’m the one who created this problem!”

"But there's no reason for anyone else to go—"

"Hmph? Don't you understand, Judai?" A voice broke through the group. Judai, Sho, and the others looked over and saw Caesar and John standing at the dormitory door. The speaker was Caesar. "The consequences of your actions will inevitably bring you responsibility."

“No, it’s precisely because Judai knows his responsibility that he wants to use his own hands to save John, isn’t that right?” Edward disagreed with Caesar.

Upon hearing this, Caesar glanced at Edward and said, "Because you're still a child yourself."

"what?"

"Caesar, Edward," Judai looked at the two with suspicion, "Why are you two here too? Don't tell me you also want to—"

"Although Hayato-sensei satisfied my curiosity, in the end, I still haven't dueled with John Anderson." Caesar crossed his arms. "If my desire for victory isn't fulfilled, I'll be very unhappy."

"As for me, I haven't avenged my defeat against Caesar yet. So I won't miss the chance to compare myself to Caesar." Edward also gave a cool "Wink". "Besides, I'm a hero enthusiast too. Didn't you say, Jaden, that a hero can't desert his post?"

"And don't say anything like 'there's no reason'." O'Brien adjusted his gun-shaped duel disk to make sure it was working properly. "Not only you, Jaden, but John was also a comrade-in-arms we fought together in another world."

“Me too, I’m going to get revenge on that Yubel.” Amon seized the opportunity to join the conversation. “I heard everything. There’s a way back to the Elven world, right? The people of Garham don’t like owing favors. John Anderson saved us, so we should save him to repay the favor.”

"Everyone." Looking at the crowd in front of him, Jaden could no longer find the words to refuse.

“Me too. Even if it’s a journey that risks your life, I won’t just stand by and watch you die alone, Jaden,” Asuka said, taking a step forward and holding Jaden’s hands. “At least, I’ll stay by your side.”

"Wow, have you thought it through completely, Asuka-chan?" Following Caesar and the others, Fubuki arrived at the door of Jaden's room and happened to see her interaction with Jaden. She asked in her usual flippant tone, but her words were full of seriousness and earnestness.

“Of course, I made the choice based on my own will.” Asuka glanced at Judai and answered without hesitation.

"Dead or Alive, is this the trial we're about to face? But Karen and I are both prepared." Jim patted Karen, the crocodile behind him, and she responded with a low growl.

As everyone made up their minds, Hayato had already arrived at Duel Academy. On his way from the island to the academy’s main campus, he naturally saw a large group of people gathered on the second floor of the Red Dormitory. After instructing the school staff to help him transport the things he needed back, he jumped off the car.

"They've all gathered at Jaden's dorm. Is it because I told them I would open a 'singularity' and return to the Spirit World?" Hayato wondered, muttering to himself. "No, it's probably because of Jaden. They all gathered here because Jaden wants to go to the Spirit World, so they're following their 'leader'."

"Without realizing it, I've become a very influential person. Because of the Judai's actions, others will follow suit, and my own will will influence the decisions made by others."

Hayato paused for a moment, then said, "However, I hope that oblivious Jaden hasn't realized this yet. He's the only one who hasn't noticed it yet."

"It's like only you, Master, think your duel is pure love?" Alai chimed in.

“Whenever I want to show you some respect, Alai, just say the word.” Glancing at the elf beside him, Hayato grabbed the card and slapped it back. Thinking that his “expeditionary force” members were mostly gathered here, he decided not to return to school. Instead, he remotely notified Vice Principal Samejima, who had already returned to school and was assisting with overall school affairs, and headed straight for the Red Dormitory. However, he didn't go to the second floor where Jaden's dormitory was located, but went straight to the cafeteria, which served as a common area. Opening the door, he saw a large cat "perched" on a table—the orange tabby "Pharaoh."

Because Daitoku-ji lost its physical body, and no one stayed up late to keep the cat company during the day, the "Pharaoh's" routine quickly returned to "sleeping during the day and living like an immortal at night." Its afternoon nap was disturbed, and it was unclear whether it opened its eyes, which were basically just slits, to glance at Hayato. After yawning, it leaned back and fell into a deep sleep.

Hayato simply patted the orange cat, and "Pharaoh" didn't resist at all. As long as Hayato didn't disturb its sleep, it didn't even react when Hayato touched its belly. Instead, it slept even more soundly and started snoring.

However, Hayato wasn't there to pet the cat. Instead, he looked up at the roof beams—more for their architectural purpose than their function as cat trees for the "Pharaoh"—where a ball of light was leisurely swaying around.

"Hashley sori yo~ Kazeenno you. Zikomihana oh~ Padoro Padoro~"

"If we unfreeze this now, what will we listen to this Christmas, Daitoku-ji Temple?"

Hearing the voice, the ball of light trembled, then noticed Hayato's arrival. It floated down from the roof beam, revealing the spirit form of Daitokuji: "It's Principal Hayato! You suddenly called my name, which startled me—though I no longer have a heart that can stop from being startled, meow~"

"And I'm just practicing for this year's Christmas event."

"Christmas is coming soon, it's just around the corner." Hayato nodded. "But you didn't go to comfort Judai, which is strange. Isn't he the successor you value highly?"

"Although I no longer have a physical body, and very few people can see me after I return to the human world, I still think it's best for the dead to avoid appearing in front of the living, meow~" Daitokuji, though in spirit form, still retained his old verbal tic. "If Judai sees me and talks to me, his impression on others will become strange, right?"

"Before you, he was already out of place because he could see spirits. It's just that he's carefree, so he doesn't care about other people's strange looks." Hayato spread his hands. "Isn't this kind of 'spirit user' ability pretty much in line with your alchemists' aesthetic? You gain something, you lose something else."

"Having gained more elf friends, but also made it harder to gain human friends? That certainly fits the concept of an equal exchange." Daitokuji's soul nodded, and the light spot swayed up and down. "I see. That's why he's particularly concerned about John Anderson, who is just like himself."

"Among the people he knew in the past, although Manjoume was also a 'Spirit Master,' his relationship with the 'Dragon of Light and Darkness' was still mainly that of partners. Manjoume, who usually had a rich extracurricular life, would not regard the cards as his only family because of loneliness. But Judai and John are different. One of them has not had family companionship for many years, and the other has even lost both parents and only has a foster father who is also busy making money. The cards are their most valued partners and family."

"Should we say 'birds of a feather flock together' or 'birds of a feather flock together'? Judai will probably place John's importance in an extremely high position. I'm a little worried that he might be too impulsive after going to the spirit world and ignore everything around him, meow."

Hearing Daitokuji's words, Hayato raised an eyebrow: "You see things very clearly too, regarding Jaden's unusual mental state."

“It’s not just me, there are probably quite a few people in the school who have noticed it, right? Besides Principal Hayato, Professor Chronos and Mr. Sato probably noticed something as well, and even Kaiser Ryo and Fubuki probably have.” Daitokuji thought for a moment and said, “In the years since Judai entered the school, he has grown, but he hasn’t grown at all.”

"He likes heroes, so he does what heroes should do. He likes dueling, and it just so happens that saving others requires dueling. Thus, at least on the surface, Judai's purpose and means conform to popular values, making him seem like a very gentle and passionate person. However, Judai does not have a correct self-awareness, but actually thinks he is a gentle and kind 'hero'."

At this point, Daitokuji paused for a moment, "Sometimes I think that saying is right, it's the one 'Darkness' said about Jaden—'When you want to be a hero, you've already lost the right to be a hero.'"

"That's a really scathing review."

“Principal Hayato, aren’t you the same? Aren’t you still looking down on Judai as he continues down the wrong path, even though the mud ahead is about to swallow him up?” Daitokuji rarely asked Hayato a question in return. “Besides, don’t forget who I am—in the end, I am also an alchemist who disregards morality and human ethics and ignores life. For me, it is enough for Judai to survive and continue on the path of alchemy. I don’t really care about the path of ‘hero’ that he pursues and yearns for.”

Despite his cold words, Hayato immediately saw through Daitokuji's true thoughts: "Trying to provoke me into teaching the Judai a lesson?"

"Huh? How did you see through it so easily, meow?" Daitokuji's carefully constructed serious demeanor crumbled instantly. "I finally came up with this idea after a lot of effort. I'm just a dead alchemist, not a qualified teacher. You might be better at handling the students' psychological problems with Principal Hayato—that's what I thought, meow. But why did you see through it so easily, Principal Hayato?"

"Because you're a comedic character, it's really hard for me to be serious all of a sudden, especially since you didn't even use that 'meow' verbal tic, it felt like you were just reciting lines."

"That's so mean, meow! I'm not a comedian!"

"So you don't deny memorizing lines, right?" Hayato retorted, glancing at the ceiling above him as if looking at the situation on the second floor. "Jūdai's pursuit is too idealistic. He wants to be like a knight who descends from the sky, stepping forward to turn the tide when everyone expects a hero. But the reality is that even heroes can't solve all problems like in movies and TV shows."

"He wanted to be a hero too much. Such a strong desire would certainly give him considerable leadership charisma and make people admire him. However, being too obsessed would cause Jaden to subconsciously ignore the followers behind him and only care about himself and the goal ahead when he was moving forward."

"People who see trash but don't pick it up can be corrected by external forces, but what can correct Judai is not a strong enough obstacle that makes him bruise his head, but only to make him turn around and look at the scenery behind him. In other words, it is to make him, who 'cannot see the trash and does not pick it up,' able to see the trash."

"【Yubel】is a 'trial' from the past of the Tenth Generation, and it is also the whetstone I chose that is most suitable for the Tenth Generation. This trip to the Spirit World is to rescue John Anderson, and it is also a true 'Great Expedition'."

Hearing Hayato's words, Daitokuji understood everything: "I get it now, 'realistic' blood is shocking enough, meow? Then I'll lend you a hand, Principal Hayato—Pharaoh!?"

"I am Daitokuji, meow! Pharaoh, what are you doing, meow!"

Because Daitokuji shook his head and Hayato was talking to him, the "Pharaoh" who still couldn't sleep well felt the same way he used to be kept awake by Daitokuji during the day. He looked up at his head with a grumpy expression.

Having confirmed that Hayato was no match for him, "Pharaoh" roared and pounced on Daitoku-ji Temple.

No fluff today, just asking for votes!