When lunch break arrived, the first one to leave, more like storm out of, the classroom was Aimi, in order to avoid having to look at Izuru's stupid face, which wasn't made easier by them being sitted right next to each other.

Izuru just kicked back and prepared to have lunch in the classroom, but looked at Tate, who got up. Ban was also entered the classroom at the time.

"Where you going?" He asked. He was finally able to talk again.

"Bro, Chika-senpai's looking hotter than ever today, no way I'm missing that!"

"You filthy idiot." Ban sighed, smacking Tate on the back of the head. "Yumi told us to go have lunch at the council room. Just put your crap with Aimi aside and let's go eat with the others, both of you are being worse than kids."

"Hell no! She insulted us just because we were doing what we love! No way I'm going back to her after she disrespected my beloved like that!"

"You idiot, you've had that thing for not even a full day, stop being overly attached to your ego." Ban sighed. "I dunno about you idiots but I'm going to the student council."

"Same here! You can get us on the weekends, Miyuki!" Tate exclaimed, following Ban.

"Stop treating this like it's some divorce!" Izuru deadpanned and crossed his arms. "That's fine, I have plenty of friends who'll have lunch with me!"

He became the only person in the class in less than five minutes.

"...they just happen to not be in this class!"

Nice way of convincing yourself.

Izuru left the classroom and went in search of those so called friends, but Keiki and Dojima were having lunch with the girlfriends they got while being background characters, Endo was out having lunch with Risei, Airi was eating with the teachers she befriend over time, Kasumi wasn't on the library again, and even the infamous tiny whisk thief Nobuhiko had his own friends to eat lunch with.

Yikes.

Even when walking past the student council and hearing the laughs coming from inside, Izuru still didn't swallow his pride and went to the last place on his list of places where to eat lunch: the abandoned Royalty room.

Ever since Endo made the Royalty a very selective thing and took away their power, the Royalty's fame has always been dwindling.

Most people didn't care about who they were, and not even the members cared that much about it, so much so that the old Royalty room became abandoned and a storage room for some clubs.

Izuru closed the door after he entered and winced at the small light in the room. The only source of light were the slightly open blinders, and because his face was still cosplaying as a mummy, his vision was basically non-existent.

Even so, he tried to make his way to the couch, using his touch to feel his surroundings, but by the time he finally felt the couch, he accidently slammed his foot on top of something squishy.

"...crap..." Izuru muttered.

"That's... My hand... If you don't mind..."

"I-i'm sorry!"

Izuru jumped back and bowed at the person who was sitting behind the couch, and to whom the hand he accidently stepped belonged too. He quickly got rid of the bandages around his face to properly see the person he hurt and apologize.

It was a boy of his year with blue hair. Despite having seen him before, he didn't know his name.

"Don't worry about it, I should open the blinders every once in a while." The blue haired boy joked, rubbing his hand. "You are... The secretary, right? What are you doing here at this hour?"

"It's a long story involving a bike and me finally leaving that stupid council. I came here to have lunch since I didn't wanted to be that alone guy in class." Izuru sweatdropped. "Oh yeah, name's Izuru."

"I feel you. Kagekiyo." Kagekiyo admitted and moved to the side, giving Izuru some space to sit down and eat. He was eating some sandwiches he bought at the cafeteria.

"Kagekiyo... Oh yeah! You're the King, right? I could have sworn your name was Kiyotaka or Kiyomasa or something." Izuru asked. He was eating peyoung yakisoba.

"Guess so." Kagekiyo shrugged.

With the Royalty system placed in schools across Japan, being the King equalled being the leader of the school, either standing in the same tier or even above the student council president, but ever since Endo made the council the higher power, being King, or even any other Royalty member, didn't really matter in the big scheme of things.

"Right, Endo's weird decision... Still, I thought the Royalty would still use this old room."

"I think they did before I became King, but by the time that happened, the place was already being used as a storage room. The other members never come here, so I ended up just using the place whenever I need to. Mostly to eat lunch and spend my extra curricular hour." Kagekiyo explained, opening his soda can.

"Clubs too boring? Fair enough. Though to be honest, I thought the King would be surrounded by tons of girls and praised by everyone." Izuru sighed before taking a sip of his cola.

"You make it sound like I'm Kishou-sama." Kagekiyo deadpanned.

Izuru spat out his drink and tried to hold back his laughter. Even he knew that the type of Kings Heiwa had were the complete opposite, specially his brother and the two before him.

"Heiwa students don't care about their Royalty, and honestly? I don't blame them." The King shrugged. "In the bigger picture, it's better for me. It means I don't have to deal with any of that." He sighed. "Why don't you try being the next King? I'm sure the people would love a new Sawada as their King."

"No way, dude. They'd be throwing my ass in a blazing cross! I'm too young to pay for Ryuuga's dumbassary, that's anyone else's job!" Izuru exclaimed, actually freaking out in the thought of becoming the next Ryuuga.

"Pffff." Kagekiyo covered his mouth and looked away. "Weren't you overworked enough to follow his footsteps?"

"STOP IT, YOU'RE NOT MAKING THINGS EASIER!" Izuru yelled, grabbing his head with both hands and looking at his yakisoba in despair. "No way, no way, no way, no way, I'm not following that idiot's steps!!! I'd rather be overworked as a secretary than- ...I mean. I'm not overworked now that I'm not on the council so none of that is my problem anymore! Ha ha ha!"

"...that was so lame."

"...shut up." Izuru slurped on his noodles. "Besides, all of that following footsteps deal is so stupid! Family name this, family name that, yada yada yada, what's all the worry?" He sighed. "It pisses me off when families try to shove their crap on the newer generations without even giving them a choice. The right amout of pissed to smack someone under a bridge. Buncha lifeless jokes."

"Yeah..." Kagekiyo looked at the ceiling. "I think I've heard of one those families that has it the worse. You know about the Yoshikawa?"

"Yoshikawa? Who're those?"

"I heard it somewhere when I was in middle school. How did the story go... Do you know the Heian period?"

"Heian period, Heian period... It was that one period in Japan where clans were at war." Izuru snapped his fingers.

"That's... That's most periods, now that I think about it." Kagekiyo sweatdropped. "In this one, there big clans are the Minamoto, the Fujiwara, and the Taira-"

"Taira's also a last name?" Izuru wondered.

"Apparently." He shrugged. "The Yoshikawa are famous for being the descendants of the Taira clan. Most of that comes from them expressing their desire of ending the war that started a millennia ago by uniting the Taira and Minamoto clans in modern day. Basically, a terrible arrnaged marriage type or crap"

"Eh, people still do arranged marriages these days? I mean, considering we keep throwing dumbasses into relevant spots of power, fair enough." Izuru sighed.

"Yeah, it's some weird shit. I bet the guy probably doesn't even want to have to do what his family wants." Kagekiyo stretched his arms and got up. "So, wanna fight?" He asked, takng his deck out of his jacket.

Izuru looked up at Kagekiyo and smirked. He got up and got into a fighting stance.

"I don't have a deck so just throw those cards at me and I'll slap them away."

Kagekiyo stared blankly at Izuru.

"...my cards fell on water..."

"I heard you played Aqua Force."

"SHUT UP!!! THAT'S STILL A BAD JOKE AND I'M TOO BROKE TO GET A DECK RIGHT NOW!" Izuru cried.

"Just play around it." Kagekiyo sighed, walking up to an open drawer. "I think the Ace leaves her deck around and only comes get it when we have any competions, so there's no harm in using it. Here, catch." He said, tossing a deck box at Izuru.

"Can she just give me her deck then?" Izuru deadpaned, looking through the deck. "Hm... Hmmm... Yeah, fair enough. I can play with this. If this was PBO then we'd have to go back to the card slapping option."

"Are you an idiot or something...?" Kagekiyo deadpanned. "You're without a doubt the worst idiot I ever heard about." He sighed, setting a playmat for the two in the room's table.

"But you've heard of me." Izuru pointed out.

After shuffling their decks and doing all the prepation they needed, the two started their fight. Kagekiyo would be taking the first turn.

"Stand up, the vanguard!" The two exclaimed.

"Blue Wave Recruit, Kosty. (6000)"

"Crisis Revenger, Frit- Kosty..." Izuru sniffed, looking away. "Why did I have to take the sleeves off..."

"Huh... Right... Draw. I discard a card and ride Battle Siren, Dolcia. (8000) Kosty's skill let's me draw one card, and then I discard Tetra Drive to draw one usin Dolcia's skill."

"Eh? What build are you running?"

"Hm? I'm playing Blue Waves."

"Eh...?"

"...eh?"

Izuru didn't realize that the only Septuple Kick user in the world was him as the combo's creator.

Kagekiyo
Hand: 6
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

Izuru
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"A-anyway!! Draw! I ride Dark Armour Revenger, Rinnal! (8000) Fritz' skill, I draw and get a Quick Shield. I call Nemain (5000) and rest her to call a second one! (5000) Boosted by Nemain, Rinall attacks! (8000>>13000)"

"No guard."

"(Danger-lunge Dragon)"

"(Blue Wave Marine General, Cuteria)"

"Rinnal's skill. I check the top three for a Revenger and add it to hand." Izuru looked at the cards and shuffled them back. "Guess not. Turn end."

Kagekiyo
Hand: 6
Damage: 1
OXO
OOO

Izuru
Hand: 7
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"Draw. I ride Blue Wave Marine General, Galliot. (9000) I call Corvette. (8000) He gets 5k since my vanguard's a Blue Wave. (8000>>13000) He attacks. (13000)"

"No guard. (Inflexible Arrow, Muorda)"

"Galliot. (9000) Counterblast, Corvette stands."

"Quick Shield. (13000) One."

"(Blue Wave Marshall, Valeos) No trigger. Corvette. (13000)"

"Nemain. (18000)"

"Turn end."

Kagekiyo
Hand: 7
Damage: 1
OXX
OOO

Izuru
Hand: 5
Damage: 1
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw. I ride Blaster Dark. (10000) I rest Nemain and use her skill to call Bende. (5000) Bende's skill. I retire her and soulblast one to superior ride Phantom Blaster Dragon from my deck! (13000) I'll go with Force I for this game and put it on the side. I call Masquerade. (10000>>20000) When he's called, I check the top seven, add Mordred to hand and then retire the rested Nemain. Boosted by Nemain, Phantom Blaster attacks. (13000>>18000)"

"No guard."

"(Grim Revenger - Critical) Crit on Phantom, power on Masq. (18000>>18000/2) (20000>>30000) (Blaster Dark) No thing."

"(Emerald Shield, Paschal - Draw) All on Galliot, drawing one. (19000)"

"Masq attacks! He gets 3k when attacking. (30000>>33000)"

"Hm... Medical Officer guards. (39000)"

"Yeah, that's it for me."

Kagekiyo
Hand: 6
Damage: 2
OXX
OOO

Izuru
Hand: 7
Damage: 1
XXO
OXO

"Stand and draw. Waves of torment, swoop the world into a wailing whirlpool and invert existence into an icy purgatory! Engulf everything and drag it to the frozen leviathan's realm! Ride! Blue Wave Marshall, Valeos! (12000)"

'Thank god, I really thought he was about to ride Taira's coaster for a sec there...' Izuru thought and sighed.

"I know what you're thinking, I hate it too." Kagekiyo confessed, sighed.

The two thought about it some more and sighed again.

"I call Wheel Assault, Corvette and Cuteria. (8000) (8000>>13000) (9000) Valeos' skill. Counterblast, soulblast, your vanguard loses 5k and gets stuck at that power."

"(8000) Where's the Riptide?"

"You're joking, right?" Kagekiyo deadpanned. "Valeos attacks! (12000) Wailing Torment Fall!"

"Godammit, I didn't educate enough people on Riptide. No guard!"

"Twin drive. (Blue Wave Marshall, Valeos) (Blue Storm Marine General, Despina - Critical) A critical. Critical on Valeos, power on the backrow Corvette. (12000>>12000/2) (13000>>23000)"

"Damage check. (Illusionary Revenger, Mordred Phantom) (Blaster Dark)"

"Corvette attacks. (13000)"

"Grim Revenger. (23000"

"Boosted by Wheel Assault, Cuteria. (9000>>17000) Her skill. I soulblast one and give the backrow Corvette 5k. (23000>>28000)"

"Abyssal Owl on this one. (18000)"

"Wheel Assault's skill, the Corvettes swap circles with each other. The new Corvette attacks. (28000)"

"No guard. (Abstruse Knight, Golmarc) The fuck is this Link Joker sounding card doing here? What the hell does it even do?" Izuru asked, staring at the card.

"That's the Ace's problems. Red haired people have weird deck building tastes." Kagekiyo shrugged.

"Oh so we're still on the red haired Aces thing? Nice."

"Corvette's skill. I check the top three and add Beragios to hand. Pass."

Kagekiyo
Hand: 6
Damage: 2
XXX
XOX

Izuru
Hand: 5
Damage: 4
XXO
OXO

"Alright then, at this rate I either go hard or go home, both in a wheelchair. Stand and draw! I apologize for the lack of a remotely funny or pretentiously edgy chant but I forgot Shadow Paladin was a clan until twelve minutes ago and Nemain's thighs aren't enough to make me remember fifty something cards, ride! Illusionary Revenger, Mordred Phantom! (13000) I get myself a Force I and throw it on my other empty rear-guard circle! Get ready Kageki- Fuck, I bit my tongue! Fuck it, I'm calling you... Huh... Kaseki from now on!"

"Like the old man that explodes shirts from that ine show?"

"That one exactly. Get ready, Kaseki, you're about to see some of the most questionable play choices since that guy called Dark Cat int he middle of a G Format tournament!"

"You mean the one with the pipes and the funny black haired lady?" Kagekiyo asked.

"Her boobs are indeed real and I have her son's number on dial just to prove it! I rest Nemain to call Owl (5000) and then soulblast one to draw with his effect. I slam down a pair of Blaster Darks next! (10000>>20000) (10000>>20000) And when a Blaster Dark shows up, Mordred makes me a gift. I'll throw both onto the same circle. (20000>>40000) Next up I call Masquerade (8000) and use his skill. Paying a counterblast and shoving him to soul to call a new Blaster Dark from the drop with a buff! (10000>>45000) And then I get anothet gift and throw it on that Blaster Dark's circle. (45000>>55000) But screw that, I retire both Blaster Darks to call Danger-lunge Dragon and Golmarc! (13000>>53000) (5000>>15000) Now, I don't know if you know what Danger-lunge does, and neither do I, but I saw a crit emblem on the card text so that has to be good. I also call Muorda. (5000) I jump into the battle phase and swing with Golmarc boosted by Muorda! (15000>>20000)"

"I guard with Beragios. (22000)"

"That's fine. Golmarc's skill! I counterblast and retire his ass to call Dark from the drop, and then I'll throw a gift on him! (10000>>30000) Blaster Dark attacks! (30000)"

"Medical Officer. (32000)"

"Mordred Phantom attacks! (13000) His skill goes off! Counterblast, restand Blaster Dark with a buff! (30000>>40000) And then, Muorda's skill! I soulblast one, stand her and she also gets buffed! (5000>>20000) Clarent... Phantom Alfred or some shit!"

"Cuteria intercepts. (17000)"

"Oh what the- I see you're into some questionable shit too." Izuru grinned.

"I don't know what you mean. I'm completly serious." Kagekiyo said. He looked like he was trying not to laugh.

"One trigger, how hard can it be?"

Losing his deck erased all memories Izuru had of playing the game.

"First check! (Danger-lunge Dragon) Second check! (Danger-lunge Dragon) Hm."

Stubbing his toe on the corner of a desk was suddenly looking like a better option.

"Minor. Boosted by Muorda, Blaster Dark attacks! (40000>>60000)"

"No guard. (Blue Wave Dragon, Tetra Drive Dragon)"

"Well then, guess I'll just do it for the style points. Boosted by Owl, Danger-lunge attacks! By soulblasting a grade 3, he gets 10k, a crit and you can't guard with sentinels! (53000>>68000/2)"

"No guard. (Blue Wave Dragon, Propulsion Dragon) (Emerald Shield, Paschal - Draw) I draw one, all on Valeos. (22000)"

"Turn end. Why not have some mercy and ride Tetra Drive?"

Kagekiyo
Hand: 5
Damage: 5
OXX
XOX

Izuru
Hand: 2
Damage: 4
XXX
XXX

"I know the other Kings were bad at the game but I don't know why that's reason enough for me to be bad at it too."

"Goddammit, fair enough."

"Stand and draw. Valeos' skill. Your power gets reduced and then locked at 8k. I call Tetra Drive (12000) to the backrow and Propulsion Dragon to the front. (8000) Tetra Drive's skill, I... I pay a counterblast for a reminder that this would be a better card as a vanilla." 

"Come on Kaseki, say the thing." Izuru requested with a smug.

"...I pay a counterblast for a... 2k buff... (12000>>14000)"

"He said the thing!" The black haired cheered with his arms in the air.

"Screw you..." Kagekiyo sweatdropped. "Ah, that's it! You're dying to the coaster! Propulsion Dragon attacks! (8000)"

That actually made Izuru sweat a little. It doesn't matter who owns the deck, losing to Tetra Drive is still losing to Tetra Drive.

"Oh shit-! Huh, Blaster Dark intercepts! (13000) Suck on that, blue haired bitch!"

"Propulsion's skill. I blast my final counter and swap him and Tetra's position. Since I swapped, he restands. Corvette attacks. (13000)"

"Oh what the fuck is this more convoluted Septuple Kick, I'm having none of that! (Phantom Blaster Dragon) She runs a second?! Oh my god, the deck was rigged from the start!"

"I whiff Corvette's effect and attack with Tetra Drive! (14000) I hope you like dying to a skill worse than Maelstrom's front row buff!"

"I'D RATHER GET SENT TO BRAZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIL!!" Izuru yelled as he took his last damage.

It was a sentinel. He never had a chance.

"Oh god, I actually lost to Taira's special rarity coaster, now everything cool I do will get undermined by that!" He claimed, falling on the couch. "It's like that one time Masato's weird taser murderbots lost their cool factor because he crappes himself after Risei right hooked him to sleep! He was wearing white Abibas pants, Kaseki! White Abibas pants and he took a doozy after getting knocked out! That's somehow still cooler than losing to Tetra Drive!"

And all this time, while Izuru was going on about how his career was over, Kagekiyo was just trying to not drop on the floor and laugh.

"All this Aqua Force made me wanna go take a leak..." Izuru sighed and approached the door. "But dammit, I'm not letting this go! Just you wait, I'm gonna make you swallow that shiny coaster after I empty my bladder!"

"Hai, hai. I'll keep beating you with Tetra Drive's broken 2k." Kagekiyo laughed, waving the card.

"Oh you're fucked now, Kaseki! With my feet, cunt!"

Izuru ran out of the room, but quickly popped his head back inside.

"Jokes aside, you're not a bad dude, Kaseki. You have the same name as a dominant samurai milf voiced by Saori Hayami, but we can put that aside. BUT YOU'RE STILL FUCKED, I'M NOT TAKING THIS LOSS!"

"Right..." Kagekiyo sweatdropped.

Now alone in the Royalty room again, Kagekiyo sat down on the couch.

"Buncha lifeless jokes, huh..." He muttered. "Ah... I wish." Groaning, Kagekiyo dragged his hand down his face. 'Why'd you had to come here today and make it look like we could be friends...? I can barelly handle feeling guilty for Kasumi-san and now you too? It'd just be easier if I... Hadn't been born at all. Someone better could have handled the family's honour.'