Chapter 183

"Well then, I suppose that settles it!"

Rowan nodded, thoroughly satisfied, at the blond mushroom head professor's little money-for-forgiveness proposal. He'd already known that Titan had been Professor Crowler's hired hand from the start, but this was as good a chance as any to squeeze a bit more out of the man while he was at it.

As for everything else, all that was left to do now was wait for the meeting time written on that receipt Titan had left behind.

That night, Rowan and the others trailed a good distance behind Professor Crowler, making their way to the remote, abandoned dormitory behind the Duel Academy, the same one they'd visited once before. They stood hidden in the shadows of the trees, watching as the blond mushroom head professor waited alone for Titan to show himself.

This time, even Atticus Rhodes had joined the group tagging along. After all, it was a piece of his own memory sealed away inside that dormitory's Shadow Duel ritual space.

"Heh heh heh. Right on schedule, I see, Professor Crowler."

Professor Crowler had barely stood there in front of the eerie, abandoned dorm for a few tense minutes before a familiar, low chuckle rang out. A swirl of black mist began curling up in front of the building, and from within it emerged a tall figure in a long black coat, face still hidden completely behind that same bat mask as before. Even his entrance hadn't changed one bit.

It was, without a doubt, that same fake Shadow Duelist, Titan.

Except this time, even from a distance, Rowan could sense the presence of genuine dark power radiating off the man. And from that entrance alone, it was obvious this wasn't some cheap dry-ice stage trick anymore. This time, the power was real, drawn from a Shadow Charm, a death mask, slightly different from the bat mask he'd worn before, now marked with a single golden eye.

"Since you've already shown up, why don't you go ahead and hand over that fee you still owe me," Titan said, extending a black-gloved hand toward Professor Crowler, demanding payment.

"Well... about that fee. There's, ah, been a small complication."

Professor Crowler rubbed his hands together nervously, stalling for time, his eyes darting toward the shadows behind him every few seconds. His heart was already twisting itself into knots. The moment he'd seen the way Titan made his entrance just now, Crowler had known deep down that his role as bait wasn't going to hold up much longer.

"Hm?! You mean to tell me you haven't brought it? Then allow me to show you the true terror and agony of mocking a Shadow Duelist!"

Titan's voice dropped into open fury at the sight of Crowler stalling. Faint wisps of black mist began coiling up from the ground where he stood.

"No, wait, it's just...!" Professor Crowler's face went a sickly shade of green with panic, and he waved his hands frantically.

"Your fee has already been collected in full. By me. Free of charge, Titan."

At that moment, a lazy voice drifted out from the shadows of the trees not far behind them.

"Hm?! Who's there?" Titan spun around at once, his voice a low growl.

Footsteps sounded, and several figures stepped out from the shadowy tree line.

"Just a positive, upbeat duelist who happens to enjoy putting smiles on people's faces. Remember that."

Rowan stepped fully out from the shadow of the trees, tossing out that line with a smirk. Behind him, Jaden, Chazz, and Atticus all instinctively slowed their pace, wearing expressions of intense, barely restrained secondhand embarrassment as they put a little extra distance between themselves and him. Even Alexis walked alongside the group with her face buried in one hand, looking thoroughly done with the whole situation.

"It's you!"

The instant Titan laid eyes on Rowan, his expression twisted through a truly remarkable range of emotions. The memory of that duel against him, the one that had nearly sent his blood pressure through the roof, came surging back from the depths of his mind, as if it had been permanently etched into his very DNA.

And right behind that memory came a fresh, burning wave of bloodlust for revenge.

"Heh heh heh. So it turns out you, you infuriating brat, are one of the ones holding a Spirit Key as well! Well, isn't that convenient!"

Titan raised his left arm, the cylindrical, segmented Duel Disk strapped to it, glaring at Rowan and grinding his teeth.

"I originally came here intending to challenge that girl, Alexis Rhodes, to a Shadow Duel, with her brother's memories sealed in this ritual space as the wager. But since a target I'd much rather torment has just presented himself, you'll do nicely as a substitute instead!"

"Your fee, and every ounce of grudge I've been carrying since our last match, we're settling it all in a proper Shadow Duel, right here, right now!"

Titan thrust a finger straight at Rowan, sneering with total confidence.

"And if you lose, you'll fall into darkness just like that Atticus Rhodes did. You'll get to experience firsthand what it feels like to have your soul dominated, just like the rest of my Darkness victims!"

"My one real flaw in life is that I'm simply too kind-hearted. For patients still in need of a little more 'healing,' I never mind giving them one more dose of laughter and warmth."

Rowan grinned from ear to ear as he pulled out a deck of Underworld torment he'd specially prepared just for this occasion, sliding it into the Duel Disk strapped to his left arm.

"Funny thing, back home we've got a saying: after a good meal, go beat up Titan. Gotta do something to pass the time when you're bored, after all."

"That is NOT what you used to say!" Jaden, Syrus, and Chazz all groaned in unison from the sidelines.

"Isn't it supposed to be beat up Chazz after a meal?" Even Alexis couldn't resist muttering under her breath.

What an absolute chameleon of a guy.