The next morning I sat down and began eating breakfast with Jayden and Syrus, Blair taking the spot beside me a few minutes later. As we spoke of the practical Duels Jayden and I would be competing on, Chazz burst in through the door. “Rakki! What the hell did you do!?” Everyone in Slifer looked at him as he stomped his way over to our table, a piece of paper in his hand. He slammed it down in front of me, the table shivered from the sudden trauma. “Who the hell did you piss off?” Chazz asked while we all gathered around the paper to read it. It was a wanted poster with my picture on it. 

WANTED: Rakki Ichido. 5000 Dollars and Guaranteed Date with Alexis Rhodes for first person that beats him in a Duel. My jaw dropped, and I read the reward again and again to make sure my eyes were still working correctly. “That piece of shit!” I screamed, scrambling up from the table. “Guys! C’mon!” I yelled at everyone to follow me, grabbing Blair to keep her by my side. Jayden, and Syrus both got up and rushed out with us, Chazz following behind.

“Rakki, what’s happening?” Jayden asked while I led the way to the main campus. “An old bastard walking on thin ice is what’s happening!” Syrus glanced at the paper one more time. “You know who did this?” He asked in confusion, looking at the date portion of the reward. Suddenly the sound for an announcement went off, and soon the voice of Alexis’ dad filled the school, as well as showcased his face on all the screens, including the one at the very front of the school. “Hello students.” He said with a smirk, knowing I was watching as well.

I grit my teeth while pointing at the screen. “Him.” I answered Syrus’ question before the TV spoke again. “My name is Adam Rhodes. My daughter, Alexis Rhodes is an attending student at this academy.” “Whoa.” “That’s her dad?” “He looks kinda scary.” While the rest gawked at seeing Alexis’ dad, Blair just silently gripped onto my arm tighter, already hearing of our contempt for one another last night. “It has come to my attention that during a trying time in Alexis’ life, there was a boy that had taken advantage of that time, beaten her in a Duel, and has now sullied her body.” He turned away from the camera with a look of sadness and disgust. 

I began to hear voices all around us, each up in arms over this monster that has done this. “I don’t like where this is going...” I muttered, glancing at Jayden, Syrus, even Chazz starting to get upset over this. “Who would do such a thing!” “That’s horrible!” “The fuck did he do!? I’ll kill him!” Blair and I glanced at one another in silence, before Rhodes spoke again. “I… I can’t even see her, she’s locked herself away. Until the man responsible is beaten! Please! I implore you!” The screen then switched to a picture of me, my normal frown staring back at me like a mirror of my own expression.

Everyone gasped, and turned to look at me, whispers of hatred and murmurs of violence surrounded the group. “Help me save my daughter! Defeat this monster! Defeat Rakki Ichido!” ‘What is this, some kind of RPG? Am I the demon king?’ “That sick son of a bitch…” I growled, knowing that Alexis was probably being kept by him to stop her from speaking the truth, clearing up his lies. ‘This was his plan from the beginning. Including sending Obelisks at me all at once like attack dogs. He’ll do anything to stop me from reaching Obelisk.’ “Hey!” I was suddenly pulled by my collar by Chazz. “You didn’t do that, Right!? Tell them you didn’t!”

“We haven’t done anything yet!” I yelled back at him, but soon the plentiful amounts of students surrounding us all began yelling at me. “Yet!? What do you mean yet!?” “So you have done something!” “What have you done to her so far!” “Why is she hiding away!” “What have you sullied!?” Everyone yelled, crowding around me demanding answers, or just plain violence. ‘Stupid big, fat, fucking mouth! Just shut up! Why do you never learn that one lesson!’ I screamed at myself, before yanking myself free from Chazz and darting off into the school, everyone chasing behind me with their Duel Disks held up like pitchforks. “Fuck you, you old bastard!” I screamed at the cameras, assured that he was somehow watching. 

“There he is!” Someone yelled as I rounded a corner, and they immediately started chasing, adding onto the swaths of others after me. I groaned in annoyance, while quickly running towards the principal’s office, slowly outrunning everyone behind me with my superior physical ability thanks to the spirits. Making it to the door, I banged on it loudly. “Yo! Inciting piece of shit! Open the door so I can show you what sullying your body’s gonna look like with my foot up your ass!” 

I then heard his voice from behind the door, I could hear his snickering attitude within every word. “I was only trying to help you have enough participants to move up to Obelisk.” I growled at the door, imagining his snide smirk behind it. “Where’s Alexis?” He was silent for a few moments, before finally answering. “She’s in her room. Guarded by my female staff. You could try and ‘rescue’ her, to get her to clear up this mess, but by then you would be kicked out of school for trespassing.” I bit my lower lip, knowing that he probably had Crowler sign off on this mess just to fuck with me. He hated Jayden most, but I was close up on that list.

“There he is!” Suddenly someone yelled out, and I looked over to see some Ra girl point at me, leading a trail of other Ra students each ready to have my throat for taking advantage of Alexis. “Oh! Seems like time is up. Good luck out there, Slifer.” “Bastard!” I yelled while running off. I had plenty of Duels normally, but this many I was bound to make a mistake, or lose my luck somewhere, and by then Alexis would be forced on a date with some other guy. The image itself made me sick, with unease and jealousy. ‘Seriously I’m an ass for two timing both girls. Speaking of which.’ 

As I ran towards the back exit of the school, I witnessed Blair casually standing there, waiting for me. “The spirits said you’d come out this way.” She said with a smile, hugging me as soon as I reached her. I sighed while wrapping my arms around her as well, the bit of insight to the unease of losing her or Alexis making me hold her extra tight. She squeaked a bit in glee at my slightly forceful hug before I let her back down. “So her dad is doing all of this to break you both up?” She asked while we both headed outside.

I shook my head, unsure if that was his game. “We never made a deal like that. I’m pretty sure he’s just fucking with us, or at the very least, keeping me out of Obelisk dorms to keep further away from Alexis.” Blair frowned, taking a seat on my lap after we found an obscure spot outside. “Should I still stay in Slifer?” She asked with the smallest of smiles, part of her desiring for our accommodations to remain the same. I scoffed at her, while patting her head. “No, you little minx. I’ll make it to Obelisk, so you better be there too.”

Blair giggled before placing a gentle kiss on my cheek, resting her head over my shoulder. “This was supposed to be my day…” She sighed, a small gust of wind blowing by us. I just nodded in silence while rubbing her back, unable to say anything that would make the situation better. After a few minutes, I couldn't take the overwhelming guilt of Blair's rightful unhappiness. “Stay here.” I muttered with a frown, standing back up. “I’ll be right back.” I then silently willed Spirit of the Breeze’s help, and she appeared with a gentle smile, granting me an updraft while I jumped up as high as I could. With the help of mostly Zorc’s power of his soul, I jumped half-way up the side of the school, and made a second jump to the roof of the school.

“A ruler must not make rash decisions. Can you really do this? Will you handle the repercussions if you fail?” Zorc asked, appearing beside me, his arms crossed over his chest. “I have Blair down there, waiting for this to end so she can only have me for just today. I’m not going to let her down, or Alexis for that matter. I’m sure she feels bad enough for this.” I then scoffed imagining Alexis’ apologetic expression once again, when it still was never her fault to begin with.  “Failure is not an option.” Zorc nodded with a dark chuckle. “Indeed. Well said.” 

Zorc then faded away while amplifying my voice, carrying it over the front campus. “Alright! Everyone hear me?” I decreed, gathering everyone’s attention from inside and outside the school. I watched as they all began pointing at me to help those that couldn’t see me. “I have no time to deal with the likes of you individually! I got better things to do!” I then noticed a drone appearing before me, giving all the screens around campus my face as I spoke. I held back a sneer at the old bastard’s games, deciding to use him for just what he said. “So for those that feels they need to ‘save’ Alexis from my clutches, I only have two words for all of you.” I held up two fingers, before placing them together, and motioning for them to approach me, my Duel Disk activating as I spoke. “Bring it.”