Pandora lay sprawled on the ground, staring blankly at the darkening night sky, as the flickering neon lights shone on his face.
He had been defeated.
That in itself wasn't a big deal, as he knew all along he wasn't a match for Youyu. He had ample experience and mental preparation for defeat.
But he was defeated by Kuriboh.
To add to that, he was defeated by a Kuriboh that stayed in defense position the whole game without even budging.
Defeating the Duel King, returning to the Duel World, a king's comeback to reclaim glory — all his beautiful dreams from a few minutes ago were shattered by such a small Kuriboh.
People would only remember him as a comedian, a joke character, a third-rate clown unfit for the stage.
Maybe that's how people will talk about him in the future.
"Hey guys, does anyone remember that Pandora guy?"
"Of course! How could anyone forget? He's the one who rammed a Kuriboh to death, right? So funny, I laughed the whole day!"
"..."
What an embarrassment!
Pandora could already foresee that even if he retired from dueling, his legend would forever remain in the Duel World...
…because he would be nailed to the pillar of disgrace!
People might even place wreaths around his black-and-white photo, with an altar dedicated to a "Winged Kuriboh," complete with elegies saying "unprecedented and unrepeatable, the only duelist to die crashing into a Kuriboh!"
Simply a nightmare!
Thinking this, Pandora lay flat on the ground, unwilling to get up.
No more, the world isn't worth it.
Nearby players were still hyped, all fired up, eager to grind money to get a Kuriboh card deck like Youyu.
Especially Yue Hua, who had played this trick before. Seeing Youyu's strategy suddenly broadened her ideas.
She felt she had been too narrow-minded, her imagination as small as a damn strawberry. But Youyu's impressive performance today developed her greatly, widening her horizons tremendously. (referring to ideas)
Got it, time to go home and build a deck to duel!
By the way, Youyu is really handsome...
Watching Youyu maneuver Kuriboh, his upright figure, king-like aura, was simply perfect.
However, it wasn't just Yue Hua; a group of female players—and maybe a few male players—were mentally linked, urgently convening a peach conference.
"I want to have monkeys with Youyu-san..."
"Handsome, hair styling offer? Big head 20, little head 500..."
"Is there anything decent about that head you're talking about?"
"So why is the little head more expensive than the big one?"
"..."
Pandora lay with eyes closed, hearing bubbly nonsense from a group of chatterboxes nearby, buzzing like insects, feeling incredibly annoyed.
He sensed his card deck being taken from his Duel Disc—not the Duel Disc itself, probably discarded for being too old—however, he didn't care anymore.
Now all Pandora could think about was Kuriboh. With eyes closed, he saw only Kuriboh of all sizes in front of him. The endless blabber nearby blurred into constant "kuri-kuri" sounds, building upon one another, disturbing his peace.
He thought maybe he wasn't meant for dueling...
"Alright, time to get up," Youyu said, "Victory and defeat are commonplace in war..."
"Don't bother with me, Mr. Youyu," Pandora replied, like a salted fish.
"...Actually, I thought I'd mention you're blocking the path lying here."
Pandora: "..."
Mr. Magician slowly got up but still seemed soulless.
"Don't be too discouraged, you're actually quite a good duelist," Youyu said sincerely, "You've got talent. The fusion of your skills as a magician with dueling shines through this duel."
"Oh?" Pandora's eyes flickered, "Are you serious?"
"Of course," Youyu nodded earnestly, "You have comedic talent others don't, and I think your duels could bring laughter to everyone."
Pandora: "..."
If it weren't for the memory of being chased by the "Dark Magician Girl" under Youyu's command during their last meeting, he might have charged and hit him by now.
Divine™ smile bringer!
Basically, he was calling him a comedian!
"Don't be mad, I mean it," Youyu said seriously, "Honestly, why do you think I suddenly challenged you to a duel? To get your deck? Definitely not."
Then can you return it to me?
Pandora's gaze involuntarily darted to the deck Youyu took, but Youyu quickly put it into his pocket, acting as though nothing happened.
Pandora: "..."
I trust you as far as I can throw you.
"I reached out to you because I saw your brilliance, your talent," Youyu maintained his earnest tone, unbothered by the deck now in his pocket.
Pandora sighed inwardly.
No more. He had committed many wrongs as a Ghouls Hunter, seized a lot of rare cards from duelists, and now being disciplined by the Duel King could be seen as deserved karma.
He said, "Your talent shouldn't be buried on the streets, Pandora. I came to offer you a way out... a chance to start your life anew."
Pandora's eyes flickered: "What do you mean?"
"I told you, you have comedic talent," Youyu smiled, "Although going the professional path might be tough, you can go the entertainment route!
Are you familiar with 'entertainment dueling'? Not familiar? No problem. Simply put, it should be funny enough for your duels to make spectators—even opponents smile.
I think you have this talent. For example, after the duel we just had, I felt genuinely happy, able to smile from the heart."
Pandora: "......"
But what about me? I'm furious!
Yet he somewhat grasped Youyu's point: "You're saying you can offer me a chance to become..."
"An entertainment duelist, exactly," Youyu nodded, "President Haima's vision of dueling is too professional; he thinks duelists should be technical, following a competitive path as strong players. But I see dueling as an entertainment activity, with much potential for exploration in its fun aspect.
I've had this idea for a while, recently teaming up with colleagues interested in exploring this field.
If you're willing, we can package you as one of the Duel World's first entertainment duelists, the comedy star of the Duel World.
Picture this: even if not a strong player in the professional league, you can become widely recognized, like a celebrity. You can rise from your low point and find a new direction in life."
Pandora had to admit, he was tempted.
Or rather, what did he have left to lose?
He was already at the lowest point in his life. He lost everything, paying for the wrongs he committed. Now, he had nothing.
This was a chance for a turnaround... an opportunity he must seize!
"Alright, Mr. Youyu!" Pandora nodded vigorously, "From now on, I'm yours! I'll absolutely follow your orders!"
Although the expression seemed off, such minor details didn't matter.
"Okay." Youyu nodded briskly, meanwhile activating the Duel Disc's call function, "Hold on, I'll call those colleagues now to introduce you all."
"Okay!" Pandora looked forward eagerly.
...
Twenty minutes later.
"A warm welcome to the new member!!!"
Pandora, held aloft in an "Aruba" hold by a bunch of muscular guys reeking of alcohol, had his shrill cries drowned by their thunderous roars.
With skinny arms and legs, Pandora appeared as a helpless lamb tossed into a wolf pack. Tears streamed down his face, as he screamed silently in his heart—
—Duel King, you damn well scammed me!!!