Chapter 45: A Package for Yugi
The next day, the Domino High School Cultural Festival officially began. Domino High School itself was fully open to all residents of Domino City on this day.
Students who had long anticipated this day couldn't wait to showcase the various projects they had prepared for a long time to the visitors. From acrobatics and magic shows to handmade jewelry stores, fortune-telling booths, and haunted houses, they displayed the youth and vitality of Domino High School students.
Among all the projects, two were the most eye-catching.
At Hayato's suggestion, Pig-Head Goro, a Cultural Festival Executive Committee Member from Class D, established a cooperative relationship with the Cultural Festival Executive Committee Members from Class B. The two classes directly connected their adjacent Fields and jointly built a large amusement area, and also set up food stalls at the entrance and exit of the Game Carnival.
Class B's location was conveniently at a corner near the entrance and exit of the Cultural Festival Field. While it had a large flow of visitors, it was also very convenient for external trucks to transport supplies, which was why Pig-Head Goro had tried to snatch Class B's Field yesterday.
Combining the strength of the two classes, the Class B and Class D projects achieved a result greater than 1+1. Not only did they earn back all the activity funds originally used for this Cultural Festival, but they also surged to 1000% of the original amount in one go. Everyone in both Class B and Class D received a large sum of money and were even publicly praised by the School.
The other project, or rather, performance, was the show prepared by that guy, Manjoume Shouji, for the Cultural Festival. He moved the Duel Platform he had used once on the Rooftop last time, disassembled the Pieces and installed them on the performance stage, and found an "ordinary passerby" — his Love Rival, Tristan — for a Duel.
Although their Dueling levels were similar, both being rather weak and just pecking at each other, because the Duel Monsters Cards were Materialized by the Virtual Imaging System, it still attracted the attention of many people interested in Duel Monsters, and the performance received quite good feedback.
The final Victory in the Duel went to Manjoume, whose Deck quality was superior. With a bunch of "noble" Monsters he had re-collected, Tristan lost to him by a difference of 100 Life Points.
However, although he won the Match, when Manjoume Shouji held the microphone and attempted to Confess to "Little Ribbon" Nosaka Miho, he was tragically rejected. The reason given was that "Shouji-kun's expression when Summoning Duel Monsters was too scary."
This made Tristan quite happy and Manjoume extremely frustrated. He thought Duel Monsters could help him achieve Victory, but instead, he was rejected because of Duel Monsters? Believing that the reason he couldn't help but make Face Art while Dueling must have been contagious from Tristan , Shouji and Tristan continued to argue endlessly.
However, although Little Ribbon rejected Manjoume's Confession, Tristan didn't gloat for long. Stimulated by Manjoume's public Confession, after the Cultural Festival ended, Tristan privately sought out Little Ribbon and personally gave her the Confession Puzzle he had hidden for almost a week.
Then he received the line, "You're a good person." He cried quite miserably that afternoon. Both Tristan and Manjoume, the two "Love Rivals," hugged each other after simultaneously being heartbroken. It wasn't until Hayato treated them to a barbecue meal that they recovered.
Then they started fighting again the next day.
Not long after the Cultural Festival ended, Solomon Muto, Grandpa Solomon , who had recovered quite well, was discharged from the hospital. Hayato and Joey Wheeler went to help that day. After being discharged, Grandpa Solomon also fulfilled the promise he had made to Joey Wheeler earlier and began teaching him the Secret Technique of the Duel Monsters 'Heart'.
Which was Shuffling. Under Grandpa Solomon 's devilish training, Joey Wheeler 's daily routine was just Shuffling, non-stop even when his hands cramped, and this continued for a month.
A month later—
"To the ten million Duel Monsters fans across the nation, today is finally the moment to decide the final outcome of the National Selection Tournament!" The host's impassioned voice came from the Television. "Among the two hundred people selected from the regional qualifiers, who will ultimately become the Japanese National Champion?"
"Now, please welcome the contestants!"
Watching the two contestants, whose Dueling skills were currently unknown and whose age and height were roughly equal, enter the arena on the Duel Platform, Joey Wheeler , sitting in front of the Television, angrily pounded his thigh: "Damn it, I should be the one Dueling there!"
"You tried your best, Joey Wheeler ." Téa glanced at Joey Wheeler . "Didn't you train with Grandpa Solomon for a whole month? As long as you gained something, that's good."
"If Shuffling every day counts as training." Joey Wheeler recalled the hellish days and couldn't help but shiver.
Hayato, sitting next to him, patted his shoulder: "At least you're much stronger than before, and you made it into the top eight in the selection tournament, didn't you? Although, it was the Domino City regional selection tournament."
"Hayato, you didn't have to say that last part." Joey Wheeler sighed, lowering his head, letting his yellow hair cover his face. "My 3 million Yen prize money is gone, and I feel like I can't face Ji-san who specially trained me for a month."
"Huh, Joey Wheeler , what's wrong?"
Speak of the devil, and he shall Appear. Solomon Muto stood behind the sofa directly facing the Television at some point, tilting his head to ask Joey Wheeler . In his hands, he held a large cardboard Package.
"Ah, Ji-san, I'm so sorry!" Joey Wheeler quickly stood up and bowed upon seeing Grandpa Solomon 's arrival. "You trained me for a month, but I..."
"What are you talking about, Joey Wheeler ? You performed quite outstandingly already," Grandpa Solomon interrupted Joey Wheeler with a smile. Joey Wheeler couldn't help but look up, seeing the smile on Grandpa Solomon 's face. "To be honest, I really thought at first that with your skill level, even getting into the selection tournament would be difficult. You've worked very hard."
"Ji-Ji-san!" Tears of emotion welled up in Joey Wheeler 's eyes, and he lunged towards Solomon to give him a hug, but Solomon Muto deftly turned and dodged, causing Joey Wheeler to miss and fall onto the floor.
"Ah, Yugi, I received a Package for you."
"Huh, for me? Who sent it?" Yugi was a little confused. His Friends were all from Domino City, and if they wanted to give him something, they could even walk a few steps to deliver it. There shouldn't be anyone sending a Package, right?
Solomon shook his head: "I'm not sure. The sender's name isn't written on the Package."
"That's a strange Package," Tristan said, watching Yugi take the Package. "If there's no sender, how was this Package sent out?"
"Why don't we open it and take a look first?" Hayato calculated the days. Today was the final Match of the National Duel Monsters Tournament, so that Package must contain... that, right?
Thinking this, Hayato couldn't help but glance at Solomon .
The fate of the Millennium Hostage is about to descend again.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters Arc, countdown initiated.
Finally, I can start happily Making things up.
(End of Chapter)