"Dimensional Exchange Tournament?"
A group of students echoed together.
A few days later, in the principal's office, the key holders like Tenjo Hikari exchanged glances, clearly hearing this term for the first time. Only Manjome sighed helplessly, closed his eyes and crossed his arms, pretending to be an expert.
"What's that?" Marufuji Shou, eager to know, looked at Mitsuzawa Daichi.
"Uh, even if you ask me, I..." Mitsuzawa Daichi broke into a cold sweat, as even he, knowledgeable as he was, didn't know anything about this.
"A Dimensional Exchange Tournament, why bring this up?" Manjome rubbed his chin and asked in confusion, "It's set up by Kaiba Company, an annual event to interact with a certain Other Dimension.
However, although it's called Other Dimension, many scientists at Kaiba Company prefer to call it a 'Parallel World'."
"Eh, Manjome, you know about this?" Judai asked in surprise.
"It's Thunder!" Manjome's forehead throbbed with veins as he angrily retorted.
"So, what's exactly going on, Thunder?" Tenjo Hikari asked.
This world was still full of things that he didn't completely understand, so he was naturally happy to ask since Manjome seemed to know a lot.
"It was about three or four years ago." Manjome recalled with his arms crossed and eyes closed, "That was the first setback in dimensional exploration. No matter which direction we explored, we couldn't find a new dimension. The venture was at a standstill when someone unexpectedly bumped into a strange ship in the dimensional teleportation channel."
"Yes, a ship." Manjome nodded, "Looking back, that ship was actually quite pretty... In short, because of that ship, the Master finally found a new Other Dimension, later named the 'X World'—honestly, even if it's called an Other Dimension, it's actually just a Parallel World, and there are humans in that world!"
"Humans, humans!?" Having never been to another dimension, Marufuji Shou and Maeda Hayato couldn't help but feel confused and surprised, "Isn't that quite normal?"
"In fact, until now, that world is the only one we've found that has humans," Mitsuzawa Daichi added from the side. "Hearing Manjome talk about this reminds me of the news I saw before, dubbed as the 'Discovery of the Century' and 'Third Kind Contact'?"
"The Master wasn't interested in those." Manjome shrugged, "What caught his interest was hearing... that world actually has a 'Dark Magician'."
"Dark... Dark Magician!?"
"It's Muto Yugi's ace card!" Judai got excited instantly.
Before entering the school, he had met Muto Yugi and was given a "Winged Kuriboh." He felt both reverence and gratitude towards Muto Yugi, and now hearing about the Dark Magician naturally got him excited.
"Frankly, I find it strange too. Although Muto Yugi doesn't duel with people anymore and seems to be shifting to card design, it's not as if he's gone." Manjome opened his eyes and pondered, "Why does the Master insist on finding a Dark Magician user?"
"In any case, upon hearing that the world had a Dark Magician, he immediately prepared to visit, but regrettably, they didn't dare let him go. So, the Master reached an agreement with them.
Kaiba Company established a 'Domino City' in a vast Other Dimension, serving as a transit point. People from both sides can go to that Other Dimension."
Then, he shook his head, "However, the Master has already lost interest in that world, as it seems it wasn't the person he was looking for?"
"That's the case," Principal Samejima nodded slightly and continued, "Even though President Kaiba no longer sends invitations to that world, Domino City was established and became a platform for communication between the two worlds.
Every year, Domino City hosts a Dimensional Exchange Tournament. Our world experiences victories and defeats—no, rather, except for the time when President Kaiba personally appeared, we've mostly been losing."
Principal Samejima shook his head, "Not long ago, the chairman proposed to Kaiba Company to hold an exchange tournament with young people, students, to see a 'New Generation' showdown."
"Mostly losing?" Even Marufuji Ryo couldn't help but be amazed.
"So, Principal, what do you mean by bringing this up?" Professor Cronos asked.
"Hehehe." The principal displayed an excited smile, and even though he was a kind old gentleman, he couldn't help but feel somewhat excited about such an event. "Our school has been chosen as a representative for this exchange tournament! Representing our world to compete against young duelists from the Otherworld!
It's about twenty days back and forth, considered a grand event for new duelists! If you can make a name for yourself in this competition, you'll have better prospects of becoming a professional duelist in the future!"
"Wow!" The students immediately crowded around excitedly.
"Principal, let me do it!"
"Principal, me, me, me!"
"Heh, Principal, you know, I'm a disciple of President Kaiba—"
"Hey, that's too underhanded, Thunder!"
"Hehehe…" The principal chuckled, keeping them in suspense, and after a while, said, "Alright, alright, no need to fight. Kaiba Company said that the representatives from each grade level will participate..."
"Ah! How could that be! I really wanted to go to such a place!" Asuka's tiny bit of hope was dashed.
"Wait—" Tenjo Hikari interrupted their quarrel, frowning and hesitatingly asked, "Principal, what about the 'Seven Stars'?"
"Eh!" "Ah!" A group suddenly became aware of it.
"That's what I wanted to talk about." Principal Samejima's expression turned serious, "First of all, Tenjo, Marufuji, you two are the confirmed students going. Professor Cronos, you will be the accompanying teacher.
In other words, the three of you are the 'Key Holders.'
"Those of you who stay may face even more severe challenges." The principal looked at Judai, Mitsuzawa, Manjome, and Asuka. The three swallowed, and it was Judai who first stood up and declared loudly that he would definitely protect the keys.
"Principal—" Seeing the situation, Marufuji Ryo frowned, "I should stay..."
"No way, this concerns a world competition!" Judai immediately objected, "You are our school's ace! Caesar!"
He patted his own chest and said, "We can't always rely on your protection, leave it to us!"
"Yes, Caesar, don't underestimate us." Manjome chuckled.
Tenjo Hikari opened his mouth, struggling to say something.
In the original work, Judai later had no help largely because he genuinely believed in the students from his school, yet never expected that the most reliable co-student and graduate, Caesar Ryo, would be physically 'forbidden.'
This time, Caesar Ryo from this world wasn't tricked by a vampire to be physically removed, but now he had to go far away to participate in the competition.
He wanted to ease Judai's burden, but knowing he also had to go, he had no choice but to let it be.
"However, Tenjo, Caesar, even when going to Domino City, you can't let your guard down." Principal Samejima continued, "The Seven Stars are elusive and could even surprise attack you in another dimension."
Both nodded.
Indeed, with a Vampire Fraulein like Spirit among the Seven Stars, encountering other Seven Stars in another dimension was perfectly normal.
"So that's settled."
"I'll inform the second-grade chief later, Professor Cronos, it's in your hands this time."
"Don't worry, Principal!" Cronos patted his chest, exuding confidence.
Just like that, Tenjo Hikari and the others boarded a Kaiba Company plane, arrived at Kaiba Company, saw the huge statue of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and then, under the large fixed teleportation gate inside Kaiba Company, were transported to the city within the Other Dimension—Domino City.
Honestly, it was no different from Tenjo Hikari's impression of Domino City, just with some styles and decorations from other dimensions, looking colorful and vibrant.
And upon arriving in the city, Tenjo Hikari immediately, without hesitation and decisively, rushed into the card shop in the city.
"Boss, do you have card packs that don't exist in our world, quickly show them to me!"
Getting a scholarship was all for this moment!