The thrilling duel that just took place in Duel Link sparked a new wave of excitement across the entire internet.
A well-known 8-star duelist, Mars, had been defeated by a rookie with a freshly registered account. It shocked everyone.
This mysterious "Zarc" instantly became the center of attention. Everyone wanted to know who he really was, and how he was able to use so many types of summoning methods.
Because Zarc had used Blue-Eyes White Dragon, speculation quickly spread that Zarc was actually the new top student at Sacred Star Duel Academy: Li Yuu.
But… no one had definitive proof.
Just playing Blue-Eyes wasn't enough to confirm Zarc's identity as Li Yuu.
So, online forums began clamoring for Zarc to duel again, begging to see more of his matches. His inbox flooded with friend requests and duel challenges—everyone wanted to ride the hype.
But unfortunately, Li Yuu ignored them all and logged off.
Because… the Opening Banquet for the new academic year at Sacred Star Duel Academy was about to begin.
After logging out, Li Yuu opened his system rewards:
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained a Gold Foil Card from the Diamond Pack: 'Ultimate Dragon Magician'!]
Ultimate Dragon Magician: LV-12, ATK 5000
Li Yuu was overjoyed."I actually pulled that card?!"
This card was like the godfather of the Blue-Eyes family—an absolute monster.
It had 5000 ATK, simple summon conditions, and three forms of negation!
It could negate one monster effect, one spell, and one trap each turn—three negates per turn!
Unstoppable.There was really no other word for it.
The only downside? It didn't have the 'Blue-Eyes' tag.
Also… the card art.Why is Yugi always riding on the head of a Blue-Eyes?Stupid Konami. Every dragon they release ends up being someone's mount…
Still, aside from these flaws, the card was nearly perfect.
Li Yuu added it to his Duel Link account and happily got ready to head out.
Meanwhile, back in his dorm:
"Why are we getting unreadable data again?""Does Zarc think Duel Link belongs to him?!"
…
Sacred Star Duel Academy worked fast.Li Yuu's new uniform had already arrived.Wearing his fresh white uniform, he walked cheerfully toward the banquet hall.
On the way, he ran into the Manzoku team, including Dragon Xingdou, the older of the twin brothers. As soon as Xingdou saw him, he shouted:
"Li Yuu! You're Zarc, right?! I just watched your duel—it was amazing! You even beat 8-star duelist Mars!"
There were plenty of students in the hallway. Upon hearing the name "Zarc," many turned and stared in surprise.
The viral news about Zarc had already spread—within minutes, the whole school had heard about the legendary duel.
Li Yuu, completely unfazed, feigned ignorance.
"Zarc? Who's that? I have no idea what you're talking about."
Xingdou was stunned. "Huh? You're not Zarc? But he used Blue-Eyes White Dragon just like you…"
"What?" Li Yuu continued to play dumb. "I just got out of the shower. You must've mistaken someone else for me."
Xingdou opened his mouth but couldn't find the words.
Just then, a familiar voice sneered:"Zarc? If he's Zarc, I'll write my name backward!"
The voice came from the middle-parted, grey-haired guy—Ye Kun.
Li Yuu didn't even flinch. After living two lives, he was well accustomed to ridicule, and Ye Kun wasn't worth the time.
He waved it off and said to the Manzoku team, "Let's just go inside."
Ye Kun had wanted to provoke Li Yuu into a challenge duel. But Li Yuu ignored him completely, which made Ye Kun look like a clown in front of everyone. Even his lackeys looked embarrassed.
Ye Kun gritted his teeth and suddenly yelled, "Hey! Li Yuu! Why are you wearing a white uniform?!"
Li Yuu paused and turned with a smirk. "What I wear is none of your business, is it?"
Ye Kun pointed at his own black uniform and snapped, "Your ace is Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon, right? That's an Xyz card—you should be wearing black!"
"Pfft," Li Yuu chuckled. "And who are you to define me?"
With that, he walked into the banquet hall.
Ye Kun fumed and tried to follow, but suddenly, a towering figure blocked the way.
A cold voice snapped, "What's all the noise about here?"
Ye Kun turned around in anger, but when he saw who it was, he immediately shut up.
It was Professor Lawrence, the head instructor of Sacred Star Duel Academy.
Lawrence was a former tournament champion and now held a prestigious academic position. Wherever he went, he was treated as an honored guest.
Even Ye Kun—heir to the powerful Ye Corporation—didn't dare act out in front of him.
Ye Kun quickly bowed with a fake smile."Professor! Haha, we were just chatting! Nothing happened!"
Lawrence, dressed in formal attire, gave a chilling smile and nodded. "The banquet's about to start. Get inside."
"Yes, sir!"
Inside the grand, gold-lit banquet hall, rows of long tables were filled with delicious food.
From high-end lobster and seafood to comforting fried chicken and grilled meats, global desserts, seasonal fruits—anything you could want, and all unlimited.
It was a buffet, and students could eat whatever they liked.
Li Yuu's eyes sparkled.He'd never seen so many otherworldly delicacies before—it was dazzling!
"Li Yuu, this one's super good!"Jiuyue Tianma had already piled his tray full of food and was holding a drumstick in his mouth as he waved.
Li Yuu, his appetite piqued, picked up a tray and joined in.
Ye Kun watched from nearby and muttered,"Tch. Country bumpkin. Even the food he picks is low-class."
Li Yuu's face darkened.
He pointed to a roast chicken and jokingly said to Tianma,"Hey, is this chicken still alive?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Tianma blinked. "They're all cooked, aren't they?"
"No live chickens?" Li Yuu gave Ye Kun a sidelong glance and smirked."Then how come I just heard one squawking?"
Ye Kun frowned—he could sense he was being mocked, but didn't get the pun from Li Yuu's otherworldly slang.
The new students began finding their seats.
Professor Lawrence saw Li Yuu and warmly called out:
"Li Yuu, you're the top student this year. Come sit in the first row, next to the faculty."
Li Yuu didn't want to stand out, but Lawrence insisted:
"The top 10 students always sit in the front for the opening banquet. No need to be modest."
Several students were already seated up front, including Liu Xinghun and Yin Xingren.
Seeing this, Li Yuu quietly took the first seat.
He looked around and noticed the girls on either side of him were incredibly beautiful—he'd seen them earlier during the exam, but didn't know their names.
As he looked over, the girl on his left smiled warmly:
"Hi, Li Yuu! I'm Tenkai Hyou, from the Xyz League."
She was sweet-looking, with a heart-shaped face and large, ruby-red eyes. Her deep blue hair flowed down her back, with three lighter-blue bangs framing her forehead—matching her name ("Heaven," "Sea") perfectly.
Li Yuu smiled back, then turned to the girl on his right…