It's over.
The moment Naya flipped his card face-down, You Ming received the system prompt:
[Congratulations, Host! You've defeated Duelist 'Kaiba Naya.' You earned 100 points for this duel.]
Of course, You Ming wasn't surprised.
The unshackled "Deck Destruction Virus" and "Shadow Deck Destruction Virus" wreaked havoc on hand and field. Then came "Dimension Fusion", another game‑changer. Like in his old world, this powerful card was already banned—here's how it works:
> "Pay 2000 LP; both players may Special Summon as many banished monsters as possible."
Unless the card has its own Summoning restrictions, for 2000 LP you can Special Summon anything from exile.
Though You Ming didn't have Chaos Sorcerer or Mass Driver, thanks to "Soul Unsealing", he banished four Normal Monsters. On his turn, he could summon them all at once—a quadruple assault shockingly tough, even under **"Mecha Drive Night"'s –500 ATK penalty, it was enough to sweep the board.
He paused, gazing at the four exile‑recovered monsters.
> "So… Is this also a kind of quad fusion?"
He chuckled internally.
But he refocused—something else mattered now.
> "This might be late to bring up, but…"
He looked at Naya, who gave a warm smile:
> "You're strong."
Naya already seemed to have moved beyond losing—any trace of regret gone.
You Ming shook his head:
> "Don't say that. I just got lucky."
He reorganized his deck into its sleeve then met Naya's gaze.
Though he'd earned his rewards and the system confirmed the win, he was far from taking victory for granted.
He gestured subtly toward the system readout that only he could see:
+100 duel points.
> "If duel points reflect opponent strength, that's… too low," he muttered.
He didn't think Naya was weaker than Kees; the answer was obvious.
> "You clearly didn't try your hardest, did you?"
He said.
> "Winning here doesn't actually matter that much to you."
Naya raised an eyebrow. He tidied the pile of Gear‑Mecha cards like a commander.
> "Then… what do you think matters?"
You Ming leaned forward:
> "It felt like a test. I'm new here—a stranger. You couldn't judge me based on a report, so…"
He looked at the deck on the table.
> "You were gauging me—seeing whether I could be brought onto your side, to represent Kaiba Corp."
Naya's blue eyes widened. The older teen yawned casually.
> "Just like now, you've been subtly showing me what your company can do. You want me to form a good impression of Kaiba Corp."
You Ming stretched and looked around.
> "This world of Duel Monsters may make ranks seem like everything, but here, performance still matters above titles."
He exhaled.
Then he stated his only current request:
> "I want a place to stay—somewhere not alone in this damned world. I'm willing to help, do tasks you assign. But…"
He paused and watched Naya's hesitant expression.
> "I don't want to be dragged into your internal conflicts."
No more factional maneuvering, no corporate gossip—he didn't care about Kaiba's ambitions. But he wanted to stay above that.
Naya sighed, accepting it with resignation:
> "Looks like we didn't impress you much."
You Ming smirked as Naya admitted it.
He couldn't tell if this Naya, now in the Underworld, was the AI version that said he'd destroy the world in 30 days—but the practiced politicking behind his words, coming from a child, gave You Ming the creeps.
Most of all:
> "You are… Kaiba."
Even duelists joke about the name's baggage—yes, Kaiba is a gaming mogul, but behind it lies a real arms empire.
He locked eyes with Naya, the heir Kaiba Kagami raised to rule.
> "Tell me—why does a corporation steeped in blood and war raise a rebellion against the Undead King?"
Naya spoke solemnly:
> "To save this world."
This wasn't the response You Ming expected.
He wanted to ask: seriously? Was that your moral high ground?
Silence. But Naya's tone stayed earnest:
> "I know you can't trust me yet. But give me… give this Kaiba Corp time. I'll prove it."
He smiled with honest conviction.
> "For now, let me give you a proper tour of our base."
NAYAAAAAUGH!
Naya pressed a button on the desk. With a thrum, the wall slid open like massive doors, revealing a panoramic view.
Revealed was the emerging settlement:
A cohesive city—skyscrapers blended with homes, factories woven with gardens. A modern port at one end; quaint shrines at the other. A collage of eras yet harmonized.
> "This is…"
> "Shin‑Dōmiyano City," Naya announced.
[Location Discovered – Shin‑Dōmiyano City]
You Ming wondered: can this city secure Series D funding?
It was clearly a resistance hub, not a cyber-slick metropolis—no duel-riding e-rails, just a fortified but promising haven.
> "We can walk it later. I'll help you settle in…"
A sudden ring stopped him: phone.
Naya picked it up.
> "Yes? What is it?"
Shock creased his youthful face.
> "What did you say?!"
The friendly façade vanished. He now seemed burdened, serious.
> "I was planning to show you around—but we don't have time."
You Ming asked:
> "What's wrong?"
Silence. Then Naya gave a rueful smile.
> "We'll need your help."
Time froze.
> "Huh?"
Before You Ming could ask more—
A deafening boom, dust, debris.
A sinister voice echoed:
> "Finally found you, filthy rat."
And it felt like… was the story skipping again?
PS: Access advance chapters at
https://www.patreon.com/c/NanamiTL