Duelist who pursue Fusion

To be honest, before seeing this girl, Hikaru never thought he'd get to see her appear.

"Celina," one of Yuzu's counterparts from Arc-V, the "heroine" of the Fusion Dimension, and the one representing the "Moon."

In cannon, she was a straightforward, bold duelist girl.

Of course, that personality wasn't entirely natural, it was largely the result of being "imprisoned" by Leo Akaba for three years.

What Hikaru remembered most about her was how, in "Duel Links," she had an enormous number of voiced lines all relating to "Fusion." Practically every card with "Fusion" in its name had a unique voice line, truly fitting her title as the "Fusion Dimension" heroine.

On the duel field, Celina looked at her hand, unable to find a solution, and reluctantly ended her turn.

"Hee~~ Then it's my turn~~" Dark Magician Girl waved to the audience as she began her turn.

Her advantage was already overwhelming, and even if Celina didn't want to give up, without Jaden's uncanny "heart of the cards" draws, she couldn't turn the tide and was forced into defeat.

"Darn it!" Celina slammed the ground in frustration after losing to Dark Magician Girl's direct attack.

"Ah, so jealous, getting directly attacked by Dark Magician Girl," a perverted student muttered.

"Oh, ohhhh! Everyone, Dark Magician Girl has attacked directly and won! Victory goes to Dark Magician Girl!" Syrus shouted enthusiastically into the mic. "Let's all cheer for Dark Magician Girl!"

"Woahhh!!"

All the students, boys and girls alike, cheered madly.

It was terrifying.

Dark Magician Girl's popularity was simply too overwhelming!

"Are you okay, little girl?" After greeting her fans, Dark Magician Girl slung her staff behind her back and prepared to approach.

However, before she could get close, a large group of purple-uniformed students rushed in, surrounding Celina to block her from the crowd.

Some even grabbed Celina's hand, trying to drag her away.

"Miss Celina, how could you be here!"

"Come with us! Professor has been looking for you!"

"Let go of me!!" Celina struggled fiercely.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing!" Before anyone else could react, even before Hikaru or Professor Crowler could move, someone dashed forward, pointing angrily at the purple-uniformed students.

"How can you treat such a delicate girl like that!?"

"Atticus?" 

"Brother?"

Zane and Alexis stared blankly as Atticus rushed forward.

"Eh? So Atticus-senpai had this personality?" Bastion was baffled.

Previously, after Bastion had lost to the Amazoness Duel Spirit, Atticus had encouraged him to steal others' keys to challenge her again, a suggestion Bastion, in a moment of hotheadedness, agreed to, though later deeply regretted.

He had thought Atticus was totally unreliable!

But today, was he actually a brave righteous man?

"You guys, can't you see this lovely girl doesn't want to go with you?"

Atticus, out of nowhere, pulled out a guitar, lightly strummed a few strings, and sang softly, "You have to be gentle with girls!"

"Ahem. Also, she doesn't seem to be a high schooler." Alexis elbowed her brother to stop his antics. "She's probably a middle schooler. The teachers should send her back."

Indeed. 

Hikaru tilted his head, trying to judge her.

Celina looked too petite, probably just a second-year middle schooler?

"Yeah, I don't think you should force her either!" Dark Magician Girl, delighting in the commotion, raised her staff cheerfully.

With her backing them up, the students who normally feared the "Polymerization Club lunatics" suddenly found courage or rather, with her support, they feared nothing!

"Yeah, don't bully little kids!"

"Especially little girls!"

"Tch..." The purple-uniformed students exchanged irritated glances.

Yet, even so, they unquestionably had no intention of letting go.

"Enough! That's enough!" Abruptly, Hikaru strode out from the crowd with big steps.

"I thought you guys would've learned something by now. And yet here you are, even kidnapping little girls!?

How much further will you disgrace Fusion, the Academy, and all duelists? Let her go immediately!"

Hikaru shouted for everyone to hear.

"A-Amaki Hikaru..." The lead student had been acting tough, but the instant Hikaru approached, he shrank back instinctively.

"Ha, look at that guy. Just seeing Hikaru made him look shorter," Chazz laughed, shaking his head. "With that kind of aura difference, he'll never beat Hikaru in his entire life."

The Polymerization Club rep's face flushed with shame and anger. He heard Chazz's mockery, yet didn't dare to retort.

In the end, in every encounter between their Fusion Army and Hikaru, whether internal or external, official or unofficial, they had never won even once.

Not losing miserably was already considered good!

Even their Club head was no match for Hikaru. How could he dare harbor any hope of winning?

"Hmph. Amaki Hikaru, just because you won once doesn't mean you'll keep winning! Besides, this has nothing to do with you anymore since you've left the Fusion, no, Polymerization Club!"

"Nonsense! Seeing self-proclaimed Fusion duelists bullying a little girl is very much my business!"

"Ugh…" It was as if he was punched in the gut, left speechless.

Every action, every word from Hikaru was like a blade, slicing down his dignity.

One masked purple-uniformed student sighed and spoke up, "Former Head, Hikaru, Miss Celina is Professor Leo Akaba's daughter. This has nothing to do with you!"

They slowly stepped aside, revealing Celina to everyone.

"Eh?!" Almost everyone gasped in shock.

"That bald old man, cough cough..."

"Professor Akaba got married?!"

"Eh, ehhh, ehhhh?! And he has such a cute daughter?!" Atticus was dumbfounded.

Even Hikaru was stunned.

'Wait, in this world, Leo Akaba openly acknowledged Celina as his daughter?? That's insane!'

While thinking that, Hikaru continued to act and speak without pause. 

"So what if she's Professor Akaba's daughter? That doesn't justify what you're doing!"

He pointed firmly at Celina, speaking even more resolutely.

"You're dragging her by force, even leaving red marks on her arm, what kind of justification is that? At the very least, she should be allowed to choose for herself!"

"Hmph, what's there to ask? Of course," The Fusion Army leader started talking confidently.

"Ah! You're that Ultimate Fusion Duelist!" Celina spotted Hikaru among the students, immediately recalling what she had seen in the lab earlier. 

Ignoring the Fusion Army's darkening expressions, she beamed brightly.

"Can I learn Fusion from you!?"

"..."

Silence.

A deathly silence fell over the area, all around.

Faintly, snickering could be heard among the students.

"Hahahaha," Chazz was the first to burst out laughing. "Looks like even Professor Akaba's daughter doesn't believe in his nonsense!"

"Hahahahaha!"

Thunderous laughter erupted all around.