Who Let Him Play Yu-Gi-Oh!-Chapter 31: Dueling Really Can Bring Happiness

Here's the 3 extra Chapters!

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Vellian Crowler, Italian.

A professor at Duel Academy, and quite a character—known for ending every sentence with "~no ne" and frequently shouting "Mama mia!"—and, of course, for looking like he's cosplaying Pot of Greed.

He was also the head of practical dueling at Duel Academy.

In other words, the academy's best duelist among the faculty.

Early in the anime, he was cast as a villain, always picking on Jaden. But later, it was revealed he was just steeped in elitist education, disapproving of bad students, but fiercely protective of good ones.

As the story progressed, he grew with the students, proving himself a good teacher at heart.

At this moment, Professor Crowler sat at the chief examiner's seat, watching Kira's duel, lost in thought.

The number one new student had always been his focus. Every year, he'd observe their deck and tactics from the entrance exam, customizing a training plan to help them improve fastest.

But this year's number one...

He couldn't say he wasn't strong, but his dueling was certainly... unique.

"Professor, as you requested, we've pulled up that candidate's deck info," a staff said.

Crowler nodded slightly and opened the faculty terminal to check.

Let's see what deck...

At first glance, he was nearly blinded by the long list of red traps.

"Mama Mia!" Crowler exclaimed in shock.

What the heck is this?

Kira's test deck was mostly Spellcasters and only a handful of monsters.

What about the rest?

A bunch of draw engines like Pot of Greed, Graceful Charity, and then stuff like "Delinquent Duo," "Confiscation," and "Dragged Down into the Grave"—all psychological warfare cards.

The rest was a sea of red—just looking at it sent chills down his spine.

"This... what the...?" Even the other examiners were dumbfounded. "Is he here to win, or does he just have a grudge against the opponent?"

Ms. Fonda, who'd checked candidates at the gate, leaned over curiously; when she saw the decklist, she jumped in shock.

Thinking back to that polite, sunny boy she met at the entrance...

Was this his deck?

Not that she was biased, but anyone seeing this would think he wasn't here to win, but to get revenge.

Crowler fell silent.

By academic standards, this was an unorthodox deck. If a student submitted this as a project, he'd likely fail them without hesitation.

But looking at the examiner, returning to his seat with a thunderous face and a pulsing vein on his forehead...

Well, who won?

Crowler pondered.

Granted, the examiner used a standard exam deck, not his own, so he was at a disadvantage.

This student was certainly creative—maybe even showed rare talent.

Still, to academy professors, this was a side path at best. Not mainstream, not likely to go far among real top players.

But for a first-year, Crowler was very satisfied.

Good, good—a student with ideas and guts. With his years of experience, he could spot a rare talent at a glance.

He quietly decided to add Kira to his list of key protégés for special training. At the start of the term, he'd apply for him to join the elite program—meaning extra deck upgrades and priority for rare cards each term.

He was confident he could steer this wayward genius back onto the right path with the academy's sound, orthodox methods.

He then watched the second-ranked student, Bastion Misawa. Crowler nodded in satisfaction—a strong duelist, obviously skilled at calculation and advantage.

Much more normal.

Crowler felt good about this year's crop.

Just then, a staff rushed over and whispered to him.

Crowler raised an eyebrow: "Late for the exam? Train delay? What's his candidate number?"

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

"110," said the staff.

Over a hundred? That's near the bottom!

Crowler immediately lost interest: "If he can't even be on time for such an important exam, he doesn't care anyway. We don't need slackers."

A white-haired examiner adjusted his glasses: "That's not fair, Professor. The exam isn't over. Shouldn't we give him a chance?"

"No, no, absolutely not," Crowler waved him off.

Students with high numbers were already on his blacklist. Now a latecomer? No way.

But then his phone rang.

Crowler picked up: "Yes, Chancellor? ...Yes, I understand... Yes, there was a latecomer... but... well... okay, yes, Chancellor."

He hung up, looking grim.

Damn. Not only the bottom of the written test and late, but a student with connections.

Whoever he was, he'd gotten the Chancellor involved.

But the Chancellor had only asked that he be allowed to take the test, not that he had to pass.

Crowler stood up with a snort.

"Fine. What's the student's name?"

"Jaden Yuki," someone said.

"Good. I'll handle his exam myself." Crowler swept his coat dramatically.

"Huh?"

The other examiners were shocked. The chief examiner himself?

Rare indeed.

"W-wait, Professor!" Someone hurriedly handed him a standard exam deck. "Please use—"

"I don't need that."

Crowler ignored them and left.

He'd use his deck—the famous, ultra-rare "Ancient Gear" Deck.

He would show this slacker the harshness of the real world.

"..."

The sunglasses examiner sat back down.

It had been ten minutes, but the more he thought of that duel, the angrier he became.

Especially remembering how, before the duel, the student had asked if the examiner's mood would affect the grade. At the time, he hadn't thought much; now, that polite face seemed like pure mockery.

As he brooded, he unconsciously looked up and saw Professor Crowler dueling some jellyfish-haired slacker on the field.

"...With Skyscraper active, my 'Elemental HERO Flame Wingman' gains 1000 ATK when battling a monster with higher ATK, putting it above your 'Ancient Gear Golem'!

And when Flame Wingman destroys a monster by battle, it deals damage equal to that monster's ATK!

Go, Fire Shot!"

Crowler: "Mama Mia!!!"

With a huge explosion, Professor Crowler clutched his head and collapsed, his Ancient Gear Golem crumbling into rubble.

[Crowler, LP 0]

The whole crowd was stunned.

The academy's top professor lost?

With his legendary Ancient Gears, no less, to a bottom-ranked slacker?

And that wasn't even all.

The slacker, Jaden, jumped up, made a taunting gesture, and grinned, "I won! That was a fun duel, Professor!"

Crowler: "..."

For some reason,

Seeing the chief examiner beaten and face-down, the sunglasses examiner finally smiled again.

He suddenly felt a lot less angry.

Turns out Jaden was right.

Dueling does bring happiness.