"Youyu-san!!!"
The crowd erupted in excitement.
Youyu-san has finally returned!
"Is this real?" Nora Tatsu nudged the local, "Pinch me quickly!"
Liu Chen shot him a disdainful look.
Just moments ago, Miss Yue Hua was worried about how to compensate her viewers, but now she's thrilled. Her live stream's popularity has soared, with a flood of comments rolling by like waves.
The bosses and young patrons could no longer hold back, and gifts like planes and rockets flew fast and furious. Miss Yue Hua beamed with joy, continuously saying "Thank you, boss" "You're generous," until she finally said "Too much, really too much," although her body was honest, still wanting more...
Some intense comments even said directly: "Woman, move aside! You're obstructing my view of the Duel King!"
"..."
Cola Sprite gazed at Youyu, whom she hadn't seen for five days, her eyes somewhat glazed.
Sure enough, he's just as handsome as in my memory...
Then she realized a problem: "Youyu-san... seems like he hasn't changed at all."
"True," agreed Miss Yue Hua.
The storyline supposedly had six years passed, but Youyu's face showed few traces of time, though his demeanor seemed more mature and reliable.
"Even President Haima from GX hasn't changed much."
"That's true..."
Among the original GX characters, Muto Yugi possibly changed the most. The harmless short Yugi from DM became tall and had sharper facial lines in GX, even with defined muscles on his slender arms.
If GX didn't clearly state the story followed many years after DM, people would surely assume the character was the King.
"Youyu-san is the embodiment of creation!" Xue Lang declared, "Not changing is normal!"
This statement was unanimously agreed upon by the crowd.
Actually, speaking of Youyu's true age... even he isn't sure how to calculate it.
If counting from creating this Duelist account and crossing over, he'd be... seven years old?
Doesn't seem reliable.
But it's no big deal. As an idol-type Duel King, being forever eighteen is no problem.
"Long time no see," Youyu greeted them.
Indeed, it had been a long time for him since he last saw this crowd, long enough to feel nostalgic... for the Crystal Stones in their pockets.
"I just rushed back from Duel Academy," said Youyu, "I heard you returned to town."
With a short sentence, several players gathered considerable information.
"Duel Academy? Youyu-san has become a Duel Academy teacher?" spoke One-Hammer-Eighty-No-Bargaining.
"Ha! It's not wrong to follow Youyu-san! Directly into the GX main storyline!"
Miss Yue Hua had a different focus: "Does that mean Youyu-san immediately flew back from Duel Academy's island upon hearing we returned?"
The young host's eyes sparkled.
Ha! Six years, Youyu-san came back online and immediately sought us out!
What does this mean? It means they can first access GX-related tasks, claim new version cards, and quickly surpass other players!
Indeed, those Duel Discs weren't in vain!
Youyu-san, please satisfy us with tasks!
Youyu didn't disappoint, immediately tossing out a task. The player panels lit up simultaneously, eagerly opening the task list.
"I have several roles requiring a lot of manpower, many with strong abilities and excellent tactical qualities as Duelists," Youyu said, "Help me find talented Duelists and wait for me at a designated place."
"Task description: Duel King Youyu is massively recruiting talented Duelists! Bring people to report and claim rewards."
The crowd exchanged glances.
Ah, this...
They thought they'd be Youyu-san's sole focus, only to discover the first task was recruiting more people...
I thought I was your only one, turns out I'm just a thousandth.
Youyu glanced at them with a chuckle.
Ha, a bunch of silly kids.
In such a big pond, how could I only raise a few small fish like you?
Haven't you heard wasting resources is shameful?
"Alright, off you go," Youyu waved, "You know where to find me."
The designated location was a large dueling venue in Domino City, owned by Kaiba Company. As its facilities were like his own, borrowing required no prior approval, making it convenient.
The time and address were written on the task panel, so no worries about players missing the place.
In this new version, these players have other uses for Youyu.
After arranging the task, Youyu didn't linger. A Masked Hero's shadow briefly emerged beside him, then jumped sharply upward, leaping high into the sky and disappearing atop a building.
The players' eyes widened as the live stream became lively.
"Youyu-san seems to control spirits better than before..."
"Stop talking, I'm a total fan of Youyu-san!"
"Isn't it common knowledge that the Duel King can fly in card games?"
"Can we show off like this once we're high-level?"
"..."
The live stream spread quickly, with countless keyboards typing at once, messages spreading like wings.
That day, the forum resounded with "Youyu's" name.
In version 2.0, relying on Youyu's strong influence remains players' primary goal.
Versions change, plots progress, but only Youyu-san—the world's main character—won't change!
Speaking of, who is the new version's lead?
Yuki Judai!
Players know that Yuki Judai is also Youyu's student, right?
Plus, the Great Evil God Sock confirmed personally, Youyu-san is the embodiment of creation!
Even if he's not the protagonist, following the embodiment of light can't go wrong, right?
Thus, predictably, soon a large crowd gathered at the Duel Hall, necks stretched waiting for Youyu to speak.
The enthusiastic, oddly-shaped players resembled active elementary students at a school ceremony...
He walked on stage and cleared his throat.
"Thank you, Duelists, for being here," Youyu began, "As you may already know, I'm recruiting. I need powerful Duelists, those who sincerely love and deeply understand Duel Monsters."
Dueling is entering new fields, this world is evolving. Nurturing the new generation of Duelists is crucial. They're the future of the Duel World, guiding its path..."
No one spoke among the noisy players, everyone held their breath, listening carefully to Youyu's words.
Like a principal speaking on the stage as students stood across the field.
"That's why I invited you here, Duelists with unique talents and deeper understanding. We invite you to be part of this progress, to become part of this bright future."
Youyu paused, then smiled mysteriously.
"...I want to hire some of you as special instructors at Duel Academy."
The venue fell into a brief, eerie silence.
Followed by a burst of uproar.