Note: Don't Forget to join my Patreon.com/flokixy to get access to +30 Advance Chapters I have to stop if there is no support
At the same time, elsewhere.
Dinosaur Ryuuzaki was in a good mood today.
After days of seclusion, he had finally found his way back to the arena. After several consecutive matches where he crushed his opponents, he regained both his confidence and the feeling of dueling that he had been missing.
Yes, this is how dueling should feel.
The previous tournament results clearly weren't his fault.
After securing seven straight victories, Ryuuzaki left the venue with satisfaction. He stopped by a restaurant to grab some dinner, and just as he was leaving, he unexpectedly ran into a fan.
"Ah! It's Dinosaur Ryuuzaki!"
A teenager spotted him from afar, eyes gleaming with excitement, and hurried over.
"I'm your fan! Can I get your autograph?"
Ryuuzaki was overjoyed. It felt like ages since anyone had last asked for his autograph, making him worry that perhaps he was no longer relevant... though, admittedly, it didn't help that he hadn't competed or made public appearances in years.
"Consider yourself lucky, kid. I'm in a good mood today."
Grinning widely, Ryuuzaki took the autograph board handed to him and scribbled his flamboyant signature across it.
"Thank you!" The teen happily turned to leave.
"Hold on, don't rush off just yet."
Ryuuzaki grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back.
"You're just going to walk away after getting my autograph?"
The teen blinked. "Uh…?"
Ryuuzaki held out his hand and wiggled it.
"Money. Pay up. My autograph isn't cheap. No cash? Use a card."
"Huh? You charge for autographs?"
"What?" Ryuuzaki feigned anger. "Do you think my signature is worthless? I am the great Dinosaur Ryuuzaki, you know!"
"N-no... I wouldn't dare..."
"..."
A few minutes later, Ryuuzaki walked away with a few new cards and a wallet in hand.
"Tch, cheapskate, nothing valuable here..." He muttered under his breath.
Truth be told, he wasn't particularly short on cards or money. He simply enjoyed doing this.
This reminded him of his old buddy Hayotsuba. Back in the day, they were inseparable, even teaming up to extort fans during autograph sessions...
...Of course, they also got caught together and beaten half to death more than once.
He wondered where his old friend was now and what he was up to...
Lost in thought, Ryuuzaki suddenly realized something felt off.
It was broad daylight, so why was the street now completely deserted?
Moreover, when had the sky turned so dark? The oppressive atmosphere weighed heavily on his chest.
"We finally found you, Dinosaur Ryuuzaki."
A rugged voice echoed from a nearby alleyway. A man in a suit stepped forward, his eyes glowing green, wearing a uniquely designed duel disk on his arm.
Ryuuzaki: "Who are you?"
"I'm Fujimoto, sworn brother of Onizuka-kun—whom you killed."
Ryuuzaki: "? "
Who's that? Should I know him?
Ryuuzaki looked utterly confused, but Fujimoto gave him no chance to respond, activating his duel disk immediately.
"Pretending ignorance won't save you! Words are useless. Dark Duel—begin!"
"Today, I'll use your soul to honor the memory of Onizuka!"
Ryuuzaki: "???"
So who exactly are you talking about? Have I even met this person?
...
...
Kaiba Land, Duel Arena.
As the AI's LP hit zero, the system lockdown was successfully lifted. The armored shutters covering the windows clattered open, the garage door rose, and sunlight streamed back into the venue.
Meanwhile, the holographic projection on stage remained glitched, its image flickering repeatedly. Its distorted voice kept echoing: "Fight... buzz... you... buzz..."
"Is this AI broken?"
"Yeah, looks like it's completely busted."
"It's kinda sad..."
The crowd whispered amongst themselves.
But soon enough, all attention shifted to You Xuan, the dazzling victor of the match who had single-handedly resolved the crisis by defeating the rogue AI.
In the eyes of the audience, this young man from the You family had already ascended to godlike status.
The AI, equipped with Seto Kaiba's deck data, had mimicked not only Kaiba's strategic thinking but even his occasionally cryptic, over-the-top lines flawlessly.
During the duel, the AI showcased the overwhelming dominance of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, yet You Xuan effortlessly countered each move. The most spectacular moment came at the end when the AI was defeated by its own "Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon" in one devastating breath attack.
The dojo students, led by senior apprentice Sato Koji, were awestruck throughout the duel. From their perspective, an eerie chill seemed to sweep through the arena periodically, yet spectators outside couldn't help but find themselves oddly entertained the more they watched.
As fellow members of the dojo, they were proud to claim association with such a prodigy. It would certainly give them bragging rights in the future—"I have a buddy who..." Yet, beneath their admiration lay a sense of unease.
If even the legendary powerhouse's deck—a symbol of raw strength in the dueling world—could fall to this shadowy junior, what did that mean for the future of dueling?
Thinking about it sent shivers down their spines. As You Xuan's star continued to rise, the entire dueling world seemed to grow darker, cloaked in ominous uncertainty.
Staff from Kaiba Corporation quickly arrived at the scene to apologize and compensate those affected while shutting down the system for maintenance.
Soon after, representatives from the company arrived. Seto Kaiba's younger brother, Gozaburo Kaiba Jr., personally led the investigation team.
"Fuji… You Xuan, right? You're the one who stopped that rogue duel AI?"
Gozaburo shook hands with You Xuan.
"Thanks to your intervention, I'd like to express my gratitude on behalf of Kaiba Corporation."
With a casual wave of his hand, You Xuan replied, "It was nothing, just something any duelist would do. Cash rewards and rare cards aren't necessary—I assure you, there's no need to be polite…"
Gozaburo blinked twice, then burst into laughter.
"You really are an interesting guy. How about this—I'm heading back to our local branch office. We've got plenty of cards stored in the warehouse there. Want to come take a look? Plus, we'd like to hear more details about the incident and the duel."
Sss~ Directly visit Kaiba Corp's warehouse?
"Oh, no, that's too much trouble..."
Even as he protested, You Xuan had already started walking alongside Gozaburo, acting as if they'd been friends for years.
"No worries at all. The losses you helped us recover far outweigh any inconvenience…" Gozaburo chuckled.
"..."
The students watched You Xuan's retreating figure, speechless.
Half a minute later, Sato Koji finally broke the silence: "Junior… why does he seem so experienced at this kind of thing?"
"Heh, you don't understand? That's a talent in itself."
Takeshi Dojo's master gazed in the direction You Xuan had gone, nodding approvingly with a knowing smile.
"There's still so much you apprentices can learn from him."
All the students: "…."