I wake up the next morning, remembering the day prior, and feeling it too. I started my morning routine quickly, knowing I would go to the game store. After walking for a few minutes with Octhros, we finally arrived, only to see it was still closed. A note on the door said it would open in ten minutes. Sitting down on a bench nearby, I played with Octhros for a bit before pulling out the spirit world anchors. I tried sending my BA to them to see if I could open one. I felt that I could—but only one—so I'd have to choose later.
As I finished, I heard Gramps call out, "Good morning, Jason! How are you doing this morning?" He was in a cheerful mood, walking up with a big box in his hands.
"Here, Gramps, let me get that for you," I said, taking the box.
"Thank you, Jason," he replied, pulling out his keys and unlocking the door while holding it open for me. I walked in and set the box down on the counter.
"So, Gramps, did you find the cards I was looking for?"
"Yes, I did, but come to the living room first. I heard that Pegasus is about to make an announcement," he said, motioning for me to follow him past the counter and into the living room.
I sat on the folding couch while he settled into his recliner and turned on the TV.
"Good evening, everyone—" Pegasus said in English, with Japanese subtitles immediately appearing. "I'm proud to announce some updates to our beloved game, Duel Monsters," he said with a big smile. "I will now start with the rule changes:
Both players may now have a Field Spell active at the same time; activating one no longer destroys the other.Starting Life Points will be increased from 4,000 to 8,000, allowing more strategies and reducing the number of banned cards in official tournaments.
"These new rules will take effect on the first of next month during the next Kaiba Land tournament. I look forward to seeing the strategies you all come up with!"
After the announcement, regular programming resumed.
"Well, that's certainly going to change how duels go in the future," Gramps said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, but it'll make them more fun. They'll last longer now," I said, excited—the game was getting closer to how it was in my past life.
"That's true. We'll just have to wait and see what comes of this. All right, let's get you those cards," he said with a groan as he got out of his chair.
Back in the shop area, Gramps opened the box and pulled out a smaller one, laying out the cards one by one:
2 Torrential Tribute3 Spellbinding Circle1 Solemn Judgment1 Mirror Force1 Drowning Mirror Force3 Bottomless Trap Hole
"Here you go. I found them all," he said proudly.
"Thanks, Gramps. Do you know where I can find a store that sells hiking and camping gear?" I asked while paying.
"Hm… there's one right on the edge of the residential district. Leave the store, go to the end of the road, turn right, and keep going straight—it's about a ten-minute walk," he said.
"Thanks, Gramps. You're a lifesaver," I replied, rubbing the back of my head.
"Haha, no problem, Jason. You kinda remind me of my grandson's friend Joey," he said, a nostalgic look on his face.
Following his directions, I started walking and mentally made a list of supplies I'd need for the different spirit worlds. When I arrived, the store looked like a two-story Bass Pro Shop from my past life. I entered and checked the map near the entrance to find what I needed.
Starting on the first floor, I grabbed a cart and went to the last aisle on the right. There, I looked for cookware: a cast-iron pan, a pop-up grill for campfires, cooking utensils, and silverware. I spent a little extra time comparing the types of cookware—trying to decide between lighter aluminum gear and heavier, more durable options. Eventually, I settled on the cast iron set, remembering how reliable it had been in the past.
In the clothing section, I picked up steel-toe hiking boots, cargo pants, a lightweight jacket for sun and rain, and a large hiking backpack. I tested the weight and fit of each boot, wanting to make sure they wouldn't wear me down on long treks. I added two pairs of moisture-wicking socks and a multi-functional bandana after spotting them on a display stand.
Nearby, I grabbed a camping hammock, a tarp, and two 50-foot ropes. I paused briefly in the tools aisle and added a multitool with a knife, pliers, screwdriver, and a flint striker for fire-starting. I hesitated in front of a portable water filter, eventually deciding to grab one, just in case.
Upstairs, I found the food and smaller gear. On the left wall, I browsed through freeze-dried meals and picked enough for a week, just in case time flowed differently in the spirit worlds. I sorted through various brands, opting for the ones with high protein and calorie content. I also grabbed a compass, a flashlight, and extra batteries. After checking out, I had only 1,000 DP left.
Back home, I absorbed one copy of Spellbinding Circle, adding a new rune to my gloves. From the hallway closet, I took out a painting kit, returned to my room, and opened both backpacks. On my computer, I pulled up a list of runes and got the paint ready. Starting with my everyday backpack, I painted runes around the inside, inspired by rune stones. The first sentence focused on expanding space and shrinking items. When I finished, I felt about a quarter of my energy drain. The runes glowed emerald green and became permanent.
To test it, I placed my Duel Disk into the bag—it shrank to the size of a large orange. Pulling it back out, it returned to full size. Encouraged, I painted a second rune sentence for durability. Testing it with a knife felt bold, but it left no mark. "Hey Slayer, can you help test this bag's durability?" I asked. My deck glowed, and Slayer emerged. He tried slashing it with his arm blade, leaving only a small cut, which began to heal using my energy. Not much, but noticeable.
Curious, I tried to inscribe a third rune—a simple ward against heat—but the magic refused to take. The surface of the bag shimmered for a second before rejecting the inscription entirely, and I felt a small jolt of feedback.
There was no room for a third rune in that bag, so I repeated the process with the hiking backpack. This one had more space, and I copied the first two rune sentences. For the third, I added one that kept the interior slightly cold—ideal for food and water storage. This time, the rune took, but it drained a bit more energy than expected. I made a note to rest soon. After that, I packed everything into it. I also enchanted two water bottles with runes to produce water in exchange for energy, just in case one broke, then put the paint kit away. Before laying out the spirit world cards, I sat quietly with Octhros beside me. His tail curled over his paws, and he gazed at me, sensing the tension in the air.
I laid out the spirit world cards across the table, deciding which one to open first. The first to be eliminated were Necrovalley, Venom Swamp, and Dimensional Fissure:
Necrovalley is just a desert, and dueling the keepers like Jaden did would interfere with my deck's revival effects.Venom Swamp could be dangerous; I have no way to cure poison, and the monsters aren't worth the risk.Dimensional Fissure is a complete unknown, other than the D.D. cards. The card art shows a ruined city and portals—possibly a gateway to other worlds. It could be useful later for unlocking new field spells.
That left Lair of Darkness and Jurassic World, both of which I've played with in my past life:
Lair of Darkness offers a potential floodgate, decent traps, and some okay monsters.Jurassic World supports a beatdown-style deck and some control, depending on the monsters I can find.
Still undecided, I figured I'd let my body rest before making the final call.
I stood up and stretched. "Before I nap, maybe a little sparring, huh, Slayer?"
The warrior emerged again from my deck, nodding with a slight grin. I adjusted my gloves and tested the feel of my boots on the wooden floor. We headed to the backyard, where the open space gave us more room to move. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows, and Octhros settled near the porch to watch.
"Let's keep it light," I said, holding up the rune-infused backpack as a makeshift shield.
Slayer didn't waste time. He lunged, and I barely managed to parry with the shield. The impact rang through my arms. I sidestepped and went on the offensive, swinging a padded training baton I had grabbed from the shed. We traded blows—Slayer faster, more precise, while I relied on agility and the magical properties of my gear. His blade connected once, scoring the bag again, but it healed quickly. "Not bad," I said between breaths, sweat starting to drip down my face. "You're holding back, huh?"
Slayer smirked and came at me with a flurry. I ducked, rolled, and countered with a strike to his ribs—not that it fazed him much. After a few more minutes, I raised my hand. "Okay, you win," I chuckled, breathing hard. Slayer gave a small nod and vanished in a shimmer of light. Octhros let out a happy bark, tail thumping the ground.
I set the bag down and collapsed onto the grass, looking up at the sky. The clouds drifted lazily above.
"Tomorrow," I whispered. "I'll choose the world tomorrow."
And with that, I got up, walked inside, and laid down for a well-earned nap.