Synchro Sovereign: Ace of Duel Academy

This takes place about 5 years after everyone graduates from Duel Academy, and Ace decides to hold a Christmas get-together at his house, since everyone has been so busy they can't stay in touch as much. (Please read chapter 17 before reading this or else you won't understand a big part of what is happening)

The Romanov estate was an imposing fortress of marble, steel, and glass, nestled deep in the snow-capped mountains. From the outside, it looked like something out of a fairytale—magnificent, yet utterly unapproachable. On this particular evening, however, it was the venue for an unusual gathering. The Romanov family—well, a portion of it—had graciously opened its doors to the students of Duel Academy for a Christmas party. 

Ace, the enigmatic 23-year-old previous Russian transfer student, lounged casually in an overstuffed armchair in the main living room. The grand fireplace crackled in the background, and at his side, Alexis sat, her cheeks flushed from both the warmth of the fire and the presence of the man beside her. His smirk never left his face as the rest of the group—Jaden, Syrus, Bastion, Mindy, Atticus, Zane, and Jasmine —settled into their places around the room.

Snezhka and Mishka, two massive snow leopards, sprawled in front of the fire, their eyes half-lidded as they observed the group with a disinterested air. Their fur was pristine, and their silent presence cast an intimidating shadow over the casual conversation that had been taking place until now.

"Well," Jaden grinned, spinning the bottle that would determine who would answer the next round of Truth or Dare, "let's get this going. Alexis, you're up."

Alexis raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Alright Truth, hit me with it."

Mindy, ever the prankster, leaned forward. "Okay, let's make it juicy. What's the most shocking thing you've discovered about Ace since you've been dating him?"

The room quieted instantly. Alexis' smile faltered for just a moment before she sighed, knowing this moment was coming. She exchanged a glance with Ace, who sat back in his chair, unperturbed, as if he were waiting for this moment to unfold.

"Well…" Alexis began, rubbing the back of her neck, "you guys probably won't believe this, but… a few months ago, I found out that Ace almost… killed Zane."

Zane, who had been lazily slouching on the couch, suddenly sat upright as if he'd been electrocuted. "What?"

The group turned to Alexis, disbelief painted on their faces.

"Wait, wait, wait," Zane said, his eyes widening in shock. "You're telling me Ace almost had me offed?"

Alexis, now visibly amused by the reactions of everyone around her, nodded slowly. "Yep. Apparently, his duel spirits overheard a conversation we had, and… they kind of jumped to conclusions. By the time Ace found out, he had already set everything up. He even had a plan for how to get out of suspension if anyone got suspicious."

Zane's face paled as his mind raced, trying to piece together what was happening. "Wait. Duel spirits? Set everything up? I need details. What did you do, Ace? Did you have me whacked?" 

Ace didn't even flinch. His smile was as charming as ever. "Not immediately," he replied casually, "I had to do a bit of paperwork first."

"Paperwork?" Zane stammered. "What kind of paperwork are we talking about here?"

---

Ace chuckled, clearly relishing the moment. "Well, I'd already bribed the local authorities to clear the way, made arrangements for a false witness statement, and planned out the accident. I was going to stage it as a boating accident, but the leopards were getting hungry, so I thought—why not skip all that? You'd have been in the dome by Christmas. It would've been great."

Zane gaped at him. "The dome? What is this, a death trap?"

"It's a tradition, Zane," Ace explained, his voice smooth and almost educational. "My family has had it for decades. The dome is a large glass biome built in the back of the estate. It's designed for, well, people who've crossed the Romanov family. We let them loose, and the leopards have their fun."

"Let… them loose?" Zane's voice cracked. "Like... you just… throw them in there to be eaten alive?"

Ace nodded casually. "Yes. We set up a betting system for our family. Who lasts the longest in the dome wins. Last Christmas, this mafia leader lasted 17 minutes—impressive, considering how quickly the leopards pounce."

"17 minutes?" Zane repeated. "You're seriously telling me you planned to put me in a game with snow leopards?"

"Yes," Ace confirmed with a wicked grin. "But I decided against it. My duel spirits convinced me otherwise. Mo Ye said it would hurt Alexis to lose you, so I decided to let you live."

"Mo Ye convinced you?" Alexis asked, her voice a mix of disbelief and amusement. "Your duel spirit had that much influence?"

Ace shrugged nonchalantly. "She's very persuasive when she wants to be."

---

The others were in stunned silence, processing what they'd just heard. Mindy, her curiosity piqued, asked, "Wait. Are we talking about the same snow leopards that are right there?" She pointed at the two giant leopards lounging near the fireplace, their eyes still half-lidded, clearly uninterested in the conversation.

Ace nodded without missing a beat. "Yep. Snezhka and Mishka. They're quite fond of the dome. Last year, we threw in a man who tried to defraud our company. They had him for lunch."

Alexis shot Ace a confused look. "But… your family? They seem so kind when I met them last time."

"Oh, they are," Ace said, his tone turning suddenly more serious. "They treat you like their own, Alexis. But cross us, and you'll learn the other side of the Romanov coin. We believe in loyalty. If you betray the family, you're out. Simple as that."

Atticus, who had been silent up until now, looked up from his phone. "Wait, hold on. Are you telling me you've had people… fed to snow leopards before?"

Ace nodded again, his smile now absent of humor. "Yes. If someone betrays us, they don't get a quick end. We like to enjoy the spectacle. It's like a family tradition. We start collecting people around October, and then, just before Christmas, we throw a little holiday show."

Alexis was shaking her head, clearly struggling to process the absurdity of it all. "You've got to be kidding me, you didn't tell me this part…"

"It's tradition," Ace repeated, his voice eerily calm. "We get the list of betrayers in early December, and we let the family know who's coming. It's a way of keeping everyone in line." He turned to Atticus, who looked mildly fascinated. "If you ever need someone taken care of, Atticus, feel free to ask. We handle things efficiently."

---

"Wait," Zane interrupted, still recovering from his shock, "how is this even legal? Don't you get in trouble for, you know, having people killed?"

Ace smiled a little wider. "Zane, do you really think we're concerned about legalities? The Romanov family controls half of Russia's wealth, and my mother's family controls most of Japan's Yakuza. My grandfather was an expert at keeping things under wraps. We have over 2,000 lawyers at our disposal. The best in the world."

Alexis had her hands on her temples now, trying to comprehend the magnitude of what she was hearing. "Wait, you've bribed judges before, haven't you?"

"Of course," Ace replied, his voice dripping with casual arrogance. "It's how we stay untouchable."

Mindy raised a hand. "So, if we were to join your family for Christmas, we could, like, pick people to be in the dome?"

Ace turned to her with a sly grin. "Absolutely. Just send me a list by early December, and we'll make sure your picks are properly… introduced to the leopards."

"Wait, I'm going to what?" Zane's voice wavered.

"Well," Ace said, his eyes glinting, "just know that if you betray me in any way, I'll know. And you don't want to know what happens if you do. I wouldn't want to send you to the dome, Zane, but if it comes to that…"

Zane swallowed hard. "Okay, okay, I get it. Just, please, don't let me near those damn leopards."

Ace gave him a dark, amused smile. "I'm glad we're on the same page."

---

As the game of Truth or Dare resumed, Ace leaned over to Alexis, his tone shifting to something almost tender. "You know, for Christmas, we can give our children snow leopard cubs as a tradition. It's been in my family for centuries. When you turn nine, you receive your first pair."

Alexis blinked. "Wait. You give your kids snow leopards? For their birthday?"

"Of course," Ace said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "It's tradition. It'll be the same for our children. I can't wait to see them grow up with their own pair of cubs."

"And if your family wants a couple, they can have some too," Ace added, with an almost too-sweet smile. "I can pick some out with Atticus. They make great pets."

---

Chazz, who couldn't attend thanks to Christmas being busy season for duel tournaments, was running all over the place with Aster Pheonix as his assistant got a great laugh from this on the phone when Jaden told him the whole story, leaned back in his chair. "My family's crazy rich, but… not that crazy." (Before anyone asks why Ace didn't invite Chazz into the Romanov agency is because Chazz declined, unlike Syruc, Chazz understands that for people like Ace, nothing is free, so he decided not to rely on Ace unless necessary)

Bastion adjusted his glasses. "The level of power you have, Ace, it's… terrifying."

Ace's eyes glinted with dark amusement. "Don't worry, Bastion. I'm a good host. But you'll understand if we don't invite everyone to the dome, right?"

The room sat in stunned silence for a moment before the game continued. But for Zane, the rest of the night was a blur of confusion, disbelief, and a slight chill in his spine. If Ace had his way, he'd never be the same again.

And as for Christmas at the Romanov estate… Zane wasn't sure if he should be excited or absolutely terrified.