The nurse skillfully removed the old IV bottle, replaced it with a bag of pale yellow nutrient solution, adjusted the drip rate, and pushed the cart out of the room.
The effects of the medicine, mixed with the exhaustion lingering in his soul, spread rapidly. Raku lay flat again, that familiar sinking sensation of being dragged and wrapped in heavy water enveloping him once more.
But this time, the expected smell of ale and roasted meat from Mark's tavern did not appear.
What came into view was a dark crimson velvet curtain.
Raku lowered his head; there were no hands, no feet, not even the sensation of the floor beneath him. He shifted his gaze.
In the room stood a four-poster bed draped with black curtains, a classical standing clock in the corner ticking dully, and in front of a large oval full-length mirror at the center stood a person.
Long, pure white hair cascaded loosely down her back. The girl wore a black-and-white Gothic Lolita dress, layers upon layers of lace wrapping around her slender body, with white silk stockings on her legs.
The mirror reflected her crimson eyes, slightly reddened around the rims.
"Phila, you can do it. Believe in yourself… You have to get into Duel Academy!"
The girl raised her small fist toward the mirror, encouraging herself in a soft, sweet voice that clearly lacked confidence.
Raku froze in midair.
"What's going on? Shouldn't this be the Spirit World?"
His voice echoed through the room, but the girl named Phila, standing before the mirror, couldn't hear him at all.
"Logically speaking, since part of your soul filled the rift of the Spirit World, even if your spirit drifted, it should have gone there."
Aleister's voice came from behind him. He was still floating as usual, the hem of his green robe moving without wind.
"But apparently, this girl possesses an item capable of attracting and containing souls, and its pull is even stronger than your incomplete soul."
That was absurd.
Raku couldn't help but rant inwardly. The other half of his soul was literally wedged into the rift at the gate of the Spirit World… what kind of thing could have a stronger pull than his original half-soul?
"What could possibly have a stronger pull than my other half?"
Aleister didn't answer. He simply extended a finger and pointed toward the girl in the mirror.
Following his direction, Raku's gaze landed on Phila's pale neck. There was a thin black cord there, and at the end of it hung a golden metal object shaped like an inverted pyramid.
On the surface of the object was an engraved closed eye, surrounded by intricate geometric patterns.
Raku's phantom form visibly trembled, his voice lowering.
"The Millennium Puzzle?"
"Partner, you never fail to display your astonishing knowledge," Aleister raised an eyebrow. "It seems this little item is within your understanding as well."
"Forget knowledge for now," Raku looked at the unfamiliar girl adjusting her black skirt. "How do I get back?"
As a modern person with normal values, becoming a lingering spirit watching a girl about to head out for an exam was a development that made him deeply uncomfortable.
"You'll return naturally once your body has rested enough," Aleister didn't seem concerned at all. He even drifted to the other side of Phila with interest, observing her. "For now, we can only take things step by step. Watching the girl's exam might not be such a bad form of entertainment, don't you think?"
"I don't think spying on others is particularly entertaining," Raku sighed. "More importantly… how does she have the Millennium Puzzle?"
"That, I do not know." Aleister's gaze remained fixed on the golden inverted pyramid. "But it should be similar to the Super Polymerization I gave you earlier: a replica.
"Therefore, it does not contain the Pharaoh's soul."
No Pharaoh's soul?
"You mean it's just a model?" Raku found it somewhat absurd. "A model can pull me in, too?"
Aleister turned his head, his emerald eyes devoid of any hint of joking.
"No, no. A replica does not mean an inferior product. Just like my replica of Super Polymerization, it was crafted using the same method as the original, so it can achieve a similar effect."
He drifted back beside Raku and continued speaking in a flat tone, as if stating experimental data.
"This Millennium Puzzle is the same. Without a doubt, this replica of the Millennium Puzzle was crafted with techniques completely identical to the original, but the number of lives sacrificed is far fewer than the original."
Phila picked up the red-and-white academy-standard Duel Disk from the chair and struggled to fasten it onto her slender left arm.
"Mom said as long as I carry this talisman, I'll be safe…"
The private car moved smoothly along the wide streets of New Domino City. This black luxury sedan had excellent sound insulation, keeping all the outside noise beyond its bulletproof glass.
Phila sat in the spacious back seat, her back held perfectly straight. Her hands gripped the hem of her skirt, her knuckles turning slightly pale from the force. The inverted pyramid she called a talisman, hung against her chest, swaying with the car's subtle motion.
Raku and Aleister followed along inside the car in a manner that defied all laws of physics.
They passed through several bustling districts before finally stopping in front of a massive complex of buildings.
Raku drifted out through the roof of the car and looked down from above.
New Domino City.
This was a city almost inseparable from Duel Monsters. At its center, Kaiba Corporation's headquarters towered into the sky like a blade.
Beneath its shadow lay an enormous integrated entertainment complex stretching across a vast area.
Normally, this place would be packed with tourists and duelists from all over the world, neon lights and holographic projections illuminating it like daylight.
But today was different.
This absurdly large commercial district had all its shops and entertainment facilities shut down. Security lines were set up at the entrance, and Kaiba Corporation security personnel in trench coats stood every few meters, expressionlessly verifying the identity of each entrant.
Just for an academy entrance examination, the city's most central commercial district had been halted.
Raku looked at the scene.
"Quite the spectacle. Back then, I would've been really excited to see this."
Aleister hovered in midair and tapped his staff against the massive Blue-Eyes White Dragon emblem glowing with a cold light.
"A display of power," Aleister said calmly. "Using the most direct allocation of resources to instill a concept into these underage duelists: entering the academy means gaining access to this level of privilege."
Raku fell silent for a moment.
"What? Are you envious?"
Raku didn't avoid the question. "It's impossible not to be. There's definitely some longing. After all, most duelists dream of the world championship stage."
"This isn't the world championship; just an exam. The real world championship is the Duel King tournament," Aleister corrected him.
"Are you drawn to it, too?"
"Well, I don't have many thoughts about it, but as a Duel Spirit, it's instinctive.
"I can tell you for certain: every Duel Spirit longs for victory in duels, even the most vicious ones."
Raku glanced down at Phila below.
The young girl stepped out of the car. Standing before the grand buildings and the dense crowd of examinees, she appeared even smaller.
Most of the candidates gathered in groups, chatting and laughing, their ambitions for the future evident. Only she stood alone, her crimson eyes filled with unease.
Phila took a deep breath, her hand unconsciously gripping the pendant at her chest. The cold touch of the metal seemed to give her some comfort.
She stepped forward, following the flow of people toward the identity verification gates.
A massive holographic screen floated beneath the dome of the mall, displaying the battle information for this placement ceremony.
Red, yellow, and blue lights intertwined, illuminating the entire suspended complex, as mechanical announcement tones sounded every few seconds.
"Next candidate, please proceed to Examination Room D-4 for Soul Power assessment and practical combat evaluation."
...
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