Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

They stopped and looked closer, and realized that it wasn't a large bird at all, but clearly a Duel Monster, the Harpy!

"Oh my god, that's not a rescue mission!"

Seeing his old colleague standing there dumbfounded, Professor Chronos quickly reminded him, but Coach Napoleon hesitated for a moment: "But, it's just a projection of a Duel Monster, aru. Although we don't know who released the virtual image, it's not enough to make us run away—"

"Wow—!"

The harpy in the sky howled with a cold laugh. The oppressive aura that did not resemble an illusion even stirred up the dust on the ground. Seeing this, Napoleon dared not gamble on whether the other party was an image or not and quickly ran backward, but it seemed that he could not escape the pursuit of the harpy that had begun to dive down and attack from the sky.

At this moment, it would take at least another minute for Judai and the others to arrive, but no matter how you looked at it, Napoleon's short legs could never outrun the Harpy swooping down from the sky at the speed of a bullet.

To make matters worse, at that very moment, Napoleon, the coach, slipped and fell on the sand!

"【Ancient Mechanical Knight】!"

"Clang!"

A gear-shaped mechanical warrior wielding a small round shield appeared instantly, precisely blocking the Harpy's attack before deflecting it with his shield, forcing the Harpy back. Napoleon looked up and saw Professor Chronos holding a card in his hand, a card that was none other than the Ancient Mechanical Knight who had just appeared.

"Use the shield-poke tactic to hold them off!" Professor Chronos commanded, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. He looked at Coach Napoleon and said, "Although I didn't bring my Professor's Duel Disk when I came out, I didn't expect that just taking out the cards would project Duel Monsters. No way!"

"That was really close, Coach Gene."

"Wait, Professor Chronos, why can you summon Duel Monsters so easily?" Coach Napoleon frowned, looking at Professor Chronos with a strange expression. "And, you accepted this setting so readily, huh?"

"Heh heh, because I guess this might be a world similar to 'Duel-Links'... ah, I forgot, Coach Gene, you were away on a business trip back then. Anyway, it's a virtual game world. In that world, all the participants can summon almost physical Duel Monsters like this using Duel Monster cards."

After a pause, Professor Chronos continued, "Although we don't know exactly what we just experienced, the surrounding environment was so strange that it's obvious we're no longer where we were, and we might even have crossed over into the game world, no way."

"When I saw the Harpy, I was reminded of the 'Duel-Links' world, so I tried to summon it using a Duel Monster Card, and it actually worked."

"Then I'll give it a try too!" Upon hearing Professor Chronos's words, Coach Napoleon also randomly pulled out a card from his deck and, imitating Professor Chronos, raised the card to try and summon it without a Duel Disk. "Manifest, [ Plush Animal - Penguin]!"

However, instead of the quacking penguins appearing before Napoleon, there was only the Ancient Mechanical Knight on the ground, repeating the tug-of-war with the Harpy in the sky, constantly canceling the recovery animation of the forward thrust with a block and repeating the attack, forcing the Harpy to stay away from the ground.

"Strange, why can't I summon Aru? I did it exactly the same way."

"Putting aside what you were thinking, Professor Gene, summoning penguins in the desert..." Professor Chronos grumbled, then frankly advised, "The key is to believe, believe that you can summon monsters, you know. I tried this for a long time in the 'Duel-Links' world... no, I mean, I succeeded on my first try, just like my students!"

Professor Chronos didn't want to tell Napoleon that perhaps because adults' worldviews are almost solidified, he spent a long time trying in the "Duel-Links" world before successfully summoning his most trusted ace monster, the Ancient Mechanical Giant, while the students, under Kagurazaka's guidance, summoned their respective ace monsters extremely smoothly on almost only one try.

Chapter 1757 The Pot Demon and the Toy Emperor (Not)

"Anyway, we're saved, aru..." Although Coach Napoleon didn't summon his own monster to help in the battle, he breathed a sigh of relief seeing the Ancient Mechanical Knight and the Harpy fighting evenly. He cheered for Professor Chronos, "Go Professor Chronos, take down that annoying guy, aru!"

“Even if you say that, I still don’t have a way to attack air units.” Professor Chronos looked at the cards in his hand with some distress. “Without the Duel Disk, it seems that summoning one monster is already the limit for me. I can’t just summon a monster of the level of [Ancient Gear Giant] so easily.”

"Even equipment cards can't be equipped to [Ancient Mechanical Knight]."

Although Professor Chronos had cards like "Ancient Mechanical Chariot" and "Ancient Mechanical Giant" ready, the way these cards were used in this world was different from the "Duel-Links" world that Professor Chronos had imagined. Without the Duel Disk as a "weapon," it was impossible to easily summon powerful beings or equip them.

But the Harpy in the air was different. As a Duel Monster, she saw that she couldn't defeat the Ancient Gear Rider on the ground, whose attack power was far superior to her own. So she retreated to the air, where the opponent couldn't reach her, and then enhanced herself—a whip appeared in her hand, which she swung at the Ancient Gear Rider from afar.

"So, what about the [Electric Whip]?" Professor Chronos raised an eyebrow. "Why can a card that should only be equipped by a Thunder-Type monster be used by the [Harpie]?"

"Probably because someone did this back in the Duel Kingdom days, huh?" Coach Napoleon looked confident; if you didn't know better, you'd think he was the one commanding the Ancient Mechanical Knight. "However, the Harpy is only a monster with 1300 attack power, and even with the Electric Whip, it only has 1600 attack power. It's no match for the Ancient Mechanical Knight."

"Watch out, teachers!" Just then, John, who had almost arrived nearby, saw Professor Chronos and the others looking very confident and guessed what they were thinking. He quickly warned them, "This doesn't seem to be an ordinary environment. It's inside the Field Spell Card [Harpy Hunting Grounds]!"

"Huh?" x2

Before the two could even recall the effect of "Harpie's Hunting Grounds," the Harpie had already attacked. The scenario Professor Chronos and Coach Napoleon had expected—that the Harpie would be repelled again by the Ancient Mechanical Knight, whose attack power was superior—did not occur. Instead, the Harpie and the Ancient Mechanical Knight's thrusting lances collided, resulting in a stalemate!

Two monsters with comparable attack power, neither of them managed to destroy the other? No, actually, it was the Harpy who, taking advantage of the Ancient Mechanical Knight's inability to repel her, used her claws to grip the lance, preventing the Ancient Mechanical Knight from retracting it, and then lashed out with her Electric Whip, destroying the Gear Knight!

"W-why, aru? Even with the [Harpie's Hunting Grounds] bonus, the attack power is the same." Coach Napoleon was a bit confused, but Professor Chronos realized, "It must be because the [Ancient Mechanical Knight]'s defense is too low, only 500 points?"

"Teachers, I'm here to help you!" John leaped from the tusk of the [Jewel Beast - Amber Mammoth], using the momentum to trace a long arc in the air, and unfolded the Duel Disk he wore in mid-air. "Not only do you need sufficient attack power, but your defense can't be too low either, and most importantly, you need the ability to fly. So, Sapphire!"

The Jade Beast - Azure Jade Pegasus was about to appear at John's call, but at that moment, John suddenly heard a light voice: "There's no need for that!"

As the background music of "Sword and Spear Raging Waves" suddenly started playing from nowhere, Hayato, riding the [Dragon Rider - Dragon Carrier], suddenly descended from the sky and stood between Professor Chronos, who had lost the protection of the [Ancient Mechanical Knight], and Coach Napoleon, as well as the [Harp] who wanted to take advantage of the opponent's inability to summon a new Duel Monster to launch an attack!

As Hayato landed, a powerful shockwave erupted, sending both combatants flying.

In mid-air, the Harpy, whose whereabouts were unknown after being blasted away by the [Electric Whip], exclaimed in disbelief, "What kind of projectile is that!?"

"Wait, that sound, could it be—"

"Everyone, put down your weapons and stand before the King!" Hayato declared, holding the Holy Sword of Light - Daniel aloft. "We are not enemies, but soldiers under my command. I will not, and will not allow, any casualties among you here due to infighting!"

“It’s definitely not because of internal strife that the casualties occurred…” Professor Chronos struggled to push away the instructor Napoleon who was pressing down on him, his face covered in sand. “I feel like my bones are about to break… But, how did we end up here, Principal Hayato!”

"It really is Lord Hayato!" [Harpy] pointed to herself and said, "It's me, [Harpy 2]. I met you before when I was patrolling with my sister."

"So those two over there weren't the newly appeared 'Pot of Greed' spirits or 'Pot Demons' monsters, but your subordinates? I'm so sorry, I almost killed them."

The Harpy, who had been so ferocious when hunting Professor Chronos and Coach Napoleon, now looked incredibly docile and humble as she landed on the ground upon seeing Hayato, not daring to show any disrespect to him.

When Hayato first arrived in this world of the Great Forest of Birds and Beasts, he also landed in the desert and used the life force of [Disruption Yellow] to lure the patrolling [Harpy Sisters]. After subduing them, Hayato only allowed the eldest of the [Harpy Sisters], [Harpy 1], to lead him into the Great Forest of Birds and Beasts, while [Harpy 2] and [Harpy 3] continued to patrol and hunt in this [Harpy Hunting Ground].

However, what was unexpected was that it was Harpy 2 that discovered the Duel Academy that had suddenly descended into this world and mistook Professor Chronos and his companions, who were standing in front of the academy's entrance, for Duel Monsters that could be hunted.

"I'm not [Pot Demon] at all!" Professor Chronos patted the sand and protested vehemently to [Harpie 2], "What do I have that makes me resemble a Duel Monster?!"

Napoleon, standing nearby, gloated, "Hehehe, don't push yourself, Professor Chronos. The Harpy's eyesight is definitely not bad, even she thinks you look like the Pot Demon, so it's reasonable for others to mistake you for the Pot of Greed, isn't it?"

"Yeah, right. I don't have those kinds of abnormal muscles or a penchant for streaking, do you?"

Hearing Professor Chronos's words, Harpy 2 seriously considered it: "Indeed, I didn't observe carefully enough. I only saw someone with a Pot of Greed on their head and assumed it was the Pot Demon, but actually, the short guy over there looks a lot like the Toy Emperor..."

As it turns out, smiles don't disappear, they just shift. At least, the smile on Napoleon's face vanished instantly and teleported to Professor Chronos's face, while Napoleon's face turned red from holding his breath.

"Oh dear, Coach Napoleon, don't push yourself too hard! The Harpy's eyesight is excellent; you really do look like the Toy Emperor." Professor Chronos deliberately repeated Coach Napoleon's words, even using the nickname his students had given him instead of his real name, saying sarcastically, "Not only the height, but the face is practically identical! You're the same too!"

"Does Professor Chronos, who looks like the Pot of Greed, have the right to make such a comment about me, aru!"

"At least I only resemble her in face, not in body!"

"How dare you slander me! I'm going to correct you, you idiot!"

"Too narrow-minded, Napoleon the Instructor!"

Just moments ago, when their lives were in danger, Professor Chronos and Coach Napoleon were able to get along peacefully, with the former readily saving the latter's life. However, once the crisis was over, the two quickly clashed over a few words and started fighting on the spot. It was completely unbelievable that the two were actually senior professors at the Duel Academy.

"You're really energetic, Professor Chronos." Seeing that the two still had the energy to fight, Jaden got out of Jim's car quite pleased. "But were the teachers transferred with us too?"

"Judai-kun, do you know what's going on here, aru?" Sensing something unusual in Judai's words, Napoleon, who had been using his height advantage to strike Professor Chronos's toes and knees, seized the opportunity to ask, "We were perfectly fine at the school gate, and suddenly we were transported to this world that's so similar to the game Professor Chronos was talking about, aru. Is this some kind of brand-new virtual projection technology?"

"This isn't a virtual world, you know. I think you, Coach Napoleon, probably didn't notice the sun in the sky, did you? Just like the 'Valley of Royal Slumber' we submitted before about the back mountain of the academy, there are three suns in the sky here too." Asuka shook her head and pointed to the sky. But she wasn't pointing to the sky for a line or a pose like her brother, Fubuki Tenjouin; she was explaining the current situation.

"This isn't some virtual world where you can get hurt and nothing will happen; it's a real world where you bleed when you're injured and you really die when you're killed." Although the [Jewel Beast - Amber Mammoth] arrived a little earlier than Jim's [Cenozoic Fossil Vehicle - Skull ATV], Manjoume arrived later than Jaden because he had to be dragged down little by little by grabbing the mammoth's fur.

He still looked terrified, as if he was still shaken by the experience of riding the monster, but he seemed to be wary of this dangerous world, especially when he deliberately threatened Professor Chronos and Coach Napoleon with his words, "I even suspect that the damage I take from controlling the Duel Monsters in this world will become real damage."

"What?!" The moment Napoleon was distracted, Professor Chronos seized the opportunity and shoved his head into the sand. The soft sand quickly reached Napoleon's thighs, and Professor Chronos took the opportunity to say, "Don't mind! Teacher, I wasn't injured in the battle just now—even if I was, it wasn't as bad as the damage that the inherently evil Napoleon caused me!"

“We weren’t really concerned about you, teacher…” John complained, wiping his sweat. “But, not only us, but the Duel Academy was also moved here? The area is really big.”

“And it’s predictable that other students on campus might have been transferred here as well. It’s really annoying,” Jim said, raising his arm to look at his right wrist. “It just so happens that this is happening before Amon Garlem succeeds.”

Everyone present knew what Jim was talking about. After all, apart from Coach Napoleon, who wasn't required to wear the "death glove" and was not at school at the time, everyone else present was wearing the "death glove" and hadn't taken it off yet. Even Professor Chronos was wearing it because he had previously tested the danger of the "death glove" with Professor Ayukawa Megumi. By the time Professor Cobra revealed his ambition and turned the "death glove" to its maximum power, it was too late to take it off.

"Junior, have you found a way to remove the 'Death Bracelet' and stop the 'Exposé Duel'?" Professor Chronos, who was very concerned about this issue, remembered this matter after seeing Jim's actions and hurriedly asked, "Also, Professor Klaus Wallis, he..."

“He’s dead.” Unlike the others who were reluctant to talk about death, O’Brien stated directly the fate of Professor Cobra and the truth behind their failure to complete their mission. “Although some of us found a device that seemed to be able to control the power of the ‘Death Gloves’ and shut it down, we were teleported here before we could remove them.”

"Moreover, it was precisely the underground part where that device was located that wasn't moved along with it," John said helplessly. "Although this is why Professor Sato and Amon were lucky enough not to get involved, it also means that we've lost the means to shut down the 'Death Gloves'."

"Is that so... No, you've done very well, no way." Professor Chronos didn't show his regret and disappointment, but encouraged the students, "You must have had a tough journey, after all, you've been wearing the 'Death Gauntlets,' haven't you? So go back to school and rest for a bit."

"Professor Cobra is dead after all." Hayato, who had been listening in for a long time, watched as Professor Chronos calmed down and reassured Jaden and the others, telling them to rest. He nodded in approval and greatly admired Professor Chronos's abilities.

After learning about the situation from Jaden and the others, Professor Chronos turned to Hayato and asked the question that had been bothering him since earlier: "Speaking of which, Principal Hayato, why are you in this so-called 'Card Monster' world? And why do you seem to know the Harpies here?"

"But more importantly—Principal Hayato, do you know a way to return us to our original world?"

Once Professor Chronos finished speaking, Coach Napoleon understood why Professor Chronos had been talking to the students, including Jaden, to understand the situation and deliberately prevented them from paying attention to Hayato's communication with the Harpy II. He didn't want the students to place their hopes on Hayato.

It wasn't out of malice; on the contrary, Professor Chronos did it for the students' own good. If the students, based on their preconceived notions of Hayato Kobayashi as almost omnipotent in the human world, still harbored unrealistic fantasies about him after arriving in this other world, and then learned that even he had no way to return to the human world, they would only fall into despair due to the huge gap between excessive hope and excessive disappointment. Such emotions must be avoided in the current environment.

Even Professor Chronos himself suppressed his fantasies and made a point of arranging for Jaden and the others to rest before starting to discuss this crucial issue with Hayato after they entered the academy gates.

The two people in front of him were staring at him. Hayato rubbed his chin and said, "I know that although you are asking me this question, you have already mentally prepared yourselves for the possibility that 'I am powerless to help'."

"But what if I said I had a way to get back to the human world?"

Chapter 1758 Duel Academy Pokémon World Branch

When the Jadens and their friends entered the main building of the academy, they happened to run into Rei Saotome, who was running towards the outside of the school.

"Lord Judai?!" Saotome Rei looked at the person in front of her with surprise and relief. "Thank goodness you're alright. I was so worried when the communication suddenly went down."

Previously, when they were in the SAL underground research institute, Jaden and his friends had been communicating with Rei Saotome. However, after encountering Professor Cobra, it seems that he had some kind of signal jamming device on, which caused Jaden and his friends to lose contact with Rei Saotome and the school.

Even though Professor Cobra died in the fall, a spatial transfer occurred immediately afterward. When Jaden and his friends arrived in this world, they tried to restart their communication devices on the way, only to find that traditional communication tools seemed to be affected by the magnetic field of this world and could not work properly at all.

Therefore, it was only when they met in person that Saotome Rei was able to confirm that Jaden and the others were safe and sound. There were six of them when they set off, and they returned safely as well.

"As expected, not only Professor Chronos and the others, but Rei and you guys were teleported here too." Jaden, though somewhat prepared after seeing Duel Academy also teleported, couldn't help but feel a pang of regret upon seeing Rei. "Then I suppose Sho and Kenzan are also..."

Jaden remembered that they had just watched helplessly as the golden energy life form used spatial teleportation to send so many people to this dangerous place that seemed to be the spirit world, and they were powerless to stop it.

This gave Jaden, who had always aimed to be a "hero" who protected others, a great sense of frustration—in the end, what had he protected in his battles? Had he failed to protect anything at all?

He can't do anything...

Asuka sensed Judai's feelings and, before he could wallow in self-pity, she took his drooping hand and said, "Don't think too much, Judai. You've already done enough."

John patted Judai on the shoulder and said, "The culprit behind all this is that golden guy. Don't take responsibility for things that aren't yours, Judai."

"That's true, but that guy seems to know me..."

"So you think the other side is after you, and everyone else was dragged into it because of you, and therefore you feel guilty and ashamed about the death of everyone involved in the spatial transfer and even Professor Cobra?"

As Jaden's childhood friend (seriously), Manjoume guessed Jaden's thoughts perfectly: "Tch, what an overly self-conscious hero enthusiast. Stop dreaming all day about becoming a hero who can save everyone, okay?"

Jim laughed and said, "That's right, Brother. We're not those bystanders in the movies who drag us down. When we get a chance to get revenge on that flashy guy, I won't let you steal my share."

“Count me in,” O’Brien said succinctly, and Jim, who was standing nearby, bumped fists with him.

"Everyone..." Encouraged by everyone's words, Jaden also cheered up, his face full of emotion.

After finishing his speech, Wan Zhangmu recalled the "golden energy life form" he had seen and muttered to himself, "That's true, but I also have a strange sense of familiarity with that golden thing. But what exactly is it? Have I seen it somewhere before?"