Synchro Sovereign: Ace of Duel Academy

As Titan crumpled to the ground, the shadows around him turned violent. The dark tendrils that had been lashing out now coalesced, dragging him into a swirling vortex of black sludge. His screams echoed through the room, chilling everyone to their core.

Ace walked over, his expression devoid of sympathy. "This is the fate you chose," he said, his voice like ice.

From the remains of Titan's belongings, Ace retrieved a fake Millennium Item. He turned to the group, his tone softening slightly. "Let's get Alexis out of here."

The oppressive atmosphere of the Shadow Game lingered, clinging to the walls of the abandoned dorm like a miasma. Ace cradled Alexis in his arms, her unconscious form light against his strong build. Her face was pale, and her breathing shallow, as though the experience had drained her entirely.

Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley followed Ace cautiously, their usual bravado stripped away by the eerie encounter. The dim moonlight filtered through the shattered windows, casting long, distorted shadows as they made their way out of the building.

Ace broke the silence first, his voice low but firm. "You three need to stop acting like reckless children. This isn't a game."

Jaden scratched the back of his head, his usual grin replaced by a sheepish expression. "Yeah, I guess we got in over our heads. But we couldn't just ignore it, you know?"

"You don't understand the kind of darkness you've stumbled into," Ace snapped, his Russian accent thickening as his irritation mounted. "This wasn't some harmless ghost story. These forces—shadow games—are real and deadly."

Syrus gulped, clutching his duel disk tightly. "We'll stick to card games in the daylight from now on. Promise!"

Ace shot him a sharp look but said nothing more. He could sense the fear and guilt in their expressions, and his anger softened slightly. These weren't bad kids—just naïve.

By the time they reached the Ra dorm, Alexis stirred faintly in Ace's arms. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she gazed up at him with a mixture of confusion and gratitude.

"Ace?" she murmured.

"You're safe now," he said, his voice gentler than before. "You passed out in the middle of that madness. I wasn't going to leave you there."

She sat up slowly as Ace helped her onto a makeshift bench outside the dorm. "Thank you," she whispered, her eyes shimmering. "You didn't have to come after us."

Ace frowned, his gaze fixed on the ground. "I couldn't just let you get hurt," he admitted. His tone carried a vulnerability he rarely let surface. "What were you even doing out there?"

Alexis hesitated, her hands clasping tightly in her lap. "I was looking for answers," she said softly. "That place... it has ties to my brother. He disappeared years ago, and no one knows what happened to him. I thought I might find a clue."

The weight of her words hung in the air, and Ace studied her expression. She wasn't reckless or foolish—just desperate for closure.

"Did you find anything?" he asked.

She shook her head, then looked up as if recalling something. "Wait... you had something, didn't you?"

Ace reached into his coat pocket and retrieved a small, worn photograph. He handed it to her carefully. "I found this in the room Titan had been lurking in. I think it's your brother."

Alexis's eyes widened as she took the photograph. It was a picture of her brother, smiling alongside a group of students in Duel Academy uniforms. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she clutched the photo to her chest.

"This... this is the first real lead I've had in so long," she said, her voice trembling. "Thank you, Ace."

Before he could respond, she threw her arms around him in a heartfelt hug. For a moment, Ace stiffened, unused to such open displays of affection. Slowly, he relaxed, his arms wrapping around her in return.

"You're welcome," he said softly.