Synchro Sovereign: Ace of Duel Academy

The early morning air was crisp and filled with the rhythmic sound of sneakers striking the dirt path near the shores of Duel Academy. Ace Romanov jogged ahead, his strides precise and effortless. Beside him was Alexis Rhodes, her blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, and struggled to match his pace, though she wasn't one to complain.

"Are all your morning jogs this intense, or is this just you showing off?" Alexis teased her voice light but tinged with genuine exertion.

Ace glanced at her, his platinum-blond hair catching the sunlight. "You suggested running together, Alexis. Don't tell me you've already regretted it."

"Regret? No," she replied, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "But if this is your idea of casual, I'm rethinking my life choices."

Ace allowed a rare smile to flicker across his face before returning his focus to the trail. However, their conversation was interrupted by the sounds of a duel. The crackle of holographic monsters and the enthusiastic shouts of Jaden Yuki echoed through the air.

"Jaden?" Alexis said, already veering off the path.

As they approached, Jaden waved them over. "Yo, Ace! Alexis! Check it out—I just gave Syrus a quick duel."

Ace's gaze shifted to Syrus, who was disheartened. "Quick duel? More like a massacre." He glanced at the duel field. Syrus's field is empty with Jaden having Elemental HERO Flame Wingman and full life points.

Ace crossed his arms, his platinum hair catching the morning light as he surveyed the scene. "It's not entirely hopeless," he said, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "If you'd played Power Bond earlier, you could have won."

Syrus looked up, startled. "Power Bond? I—I didn't think—"

"That much is obvious." Ace stepped closer, his gaze narrowing on Syrus's duel disk. "Show me your hand."

Syrus hesitated but held out the cards he still had. Ace scanned them with a critical eye.

"You had all the tools you needed to turn this duel around. Power Bond with Cycroid and another Machine-Type monster could have given you enough firepower to obliterate Jaden's field."

"Why didn't you use this?" Ace asked, his cold blue eyes locking onto Syrus.

Syrus hesitated, scratching the back of his head. "It's... It's complicated."

"Explain," Ace demanded, his tone brooking no argument.

Under Ace's intense gaze, Syrus relented. "This card... My brother, Zane, gave it to me. But when I tried to use it once, he told me I didn't know how to play properly. He said I only knew how to use cards, not how to play them." His voice trembled slightly. "Ever since then, I've been too scared to use it."

Ace's eyes narrowed, his expression unreadable. His duel spirits appeared beside him, invisible to everyone else.

Swordsoul of Mo Ye floated in front of him, her arms crossed. "What kind of big brother says that? That's just mean!" she huffed.

Swordsoul Strategist Longyuan adjusted his glasses, his cold demeanor matching Ace's. "It's not cruelty; it's strategy. Zane likely intended to push Syrus to grow stronger."

"That's the kind of logic that makes little siblings cry," Mo Ye shot back.

Ace sighed, rubbing his temple. His duel spirits often argued, but this time, their words resonated. Syrus's lack of confidence stemmed directly from his brother's harsh words.

"You've been holding yourself back because of one comment?" Ace finally said aloud, his tone sharp but not unkind.

Syrus looked down, nodding.

"He's so pathetic! How can someone like him call himself a duelist?" sneered Draco Berserker of the Tenyi.

"Quiet," rumbled Swordsoul Sovereign - Chengying. "This is not the time for insults."

Ace hates to agree with Draco Berserker of the Tenyi but he's right.

"Pathetic." Ace's bluntness made Syrus flinch again, but he continued. "However... I can fix this."

Syrus looked up in surprise. "You... You can?"

"Yes, but it won't be easy." Ace's eyes gleamed with determination. "By the time I'm done with you, you'll be strong enough to challenge your brother on equal footing. And you will not lose."

Syrus's jaw dropped, and even Alexis blinked in astonishment.

Before Syrus could respond, Alexis pulled Ace aside, her expression torn between admiration and disbelief. "Ace, do you even know who Syrus's brother is?"

"No," Ace said flatly. "And I don't particularly care."

"Zane Truesdale," Alexis said, crossing her arms. "The Kaiser. He's the best duelist at Duel Academy."

Ace tilted his head, unimpressed. "So?"

Alexis groaned. "What were you thinking Zane's on another level, Ace! You're setting Syrus up for humiliation."

Ace met her concerned gaze with his usual confidence with a sigh he said. "I'm not 'thinking,' Alexis. I know. Zane's strength comes from his reputation, but even a mountain can crumble with the right push."

Her frown deepened. "You sound so sure. Why are you doing this? You barely know Syrus."

He looked away, his expression briefly softening. "Because someone has to. He reminds me of my sister even if it's just a little".

Alexis didn't press further. Instead, she sighed and said, "I'll talk to Zane. Meet me at the lighthouse tomorrow evening."

Later that day, Ace sat in Syrus's dorm room, surrounded by a chaotic pile of cards. Syrus nervously fidgeted while Ace scrutinized his deck.

"This... is garbage," Ace declared, tossing several cards aside.

"Your deck is inconsistent, slow, and lacks synergy. We're scrapping most of it."

Syrus fidgeted nervously. "But I like my Vehicroids..."

"And that's the problem," Ace said bluntly. "Liking something doesn't mean it's good. If you want to win, you need a deck that can compete."

Mo Ye appeared beside Ace, floating casually as she looked over Syrus's deck. "Aw, his cards are so cute!" she giggled. "Too bad they're completely useless."

"Not completely useless," chimed in Swordsoul Strategist Longyuan. "They can serve as fuel for the fire of victory once replaced."

Ace ignored them and pulled up an online card shop on his tablet. "We're overhauling this mess. We're switching to Speedroids. Fast, versatile, and they synergize with Synchro Summoning."

Syrus blinked. "Speedroids? Aren't they, like… really expensive?"

Ace waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about the cost. Consider it an investment in your potential."

With a sigh, Syrus agreed, and Ace guided him through the online card shop. They rebuilt the deck from the ground up, replacing clunky Vehicroid cards with Speedroids—an archetype that could maintain Syrus's love for machines while offering far better playability.

"This deck focuses on quick Synchro Summons," Ace explained. "With these, you'll have options at every turn. No more bricking your hand."

Within an hour, Ace had placed the order and even purchased a new Elemental Hero structure deck for Jaden. "You'll practice against Jaden's new deck once it arrives," Ace instructed. "No excuses."

That evening, Ace met Zane at the lighthouse. The elder Truesdale stood with an air of calm authority, his arms crossed as he stared out at the ocean. Alexis had done her part, arranging the meeting without tipping Zane off to Ace's intentions.

"Zane Truesdale," Ace began, his tone sharp. "I've heard a lot about you."

"And you are?" Zane asked, turning to face him.

"Ace Romanov. I'm here about your brother."

Ace stepped closer, his voice dropping. "Your methods are flawed. Confidence is essential for any duelist, yet you've crushed his. How do you expect him to succeed if he doesn't even believe in himself?"

Zane's expression darkened slightly. "The world of dueling isn't kind. I'm preparing him for reality."

Ace's gaze hardened. "There's a difference between tough love and breaking someone's spirit. I have a little sister. I would never treat her the way you've treated Syrus."

Zane raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "And what's your plan? To coddle him?"

"No," Ace replied coldly. "To make him strong enough to face you—and force you to acknowledge him."

Zane smirked faintly. "You're ambitious. Fine. You have a week. But don't waste my time."