Ed Phoenix, champion!
The life value representing Krejuta on the electronic display dropped rapidly, finally stopping steadily at the "0" position.
Applause like thunder.
The cheers combined with the applause, like a sudden surge almost collapsing the entire venue. Even the commentator's excited congratulations were drowned in the people's enthusiasm, as if the stage itself resonated with it.
The young Ed Phoenix stood at the center of the stage, his expression as calm and composed as ever. He politely waved to the enthusiastic crowd, seemingly unfazed by the great glory, as if the victory had not surprised him at all.
It was as if, for him, the trophy had already been reserved as his own, originally placed here. All he did was step forward and take what belonged to him, as simple as that.
World champion, a dazzling title admired by countless people, representing the pinnacle of the pinnacle!
That evening, Ed's contacts were all blown up. Phone calls one after another, countless congratulatory messages almost overwhelmed him.
A large group, even those who might just be nodding acquaintances he barely remembered, sent him congratulations, trying to get closer by suggesting meals or card games, all of which he ignored without exception.
It seemed as if everyone around him was more enthusiastic about winning the championship than Ed himself. Instead, the person concerned didn't find it surprising, nor was he particularly joyful.
Because he felt that being a world champion... was just alright.
It's not that he's overly arrogant, nor did he think so from the beginning. The reason he had such thoughts was due to Youyu's influence.
That was when he informed Youyu of his intention to officially enter the professional circle.
"Oh, going pro," Youyu casually replied, "then aim to win the championship next year."
Ed was stunned for a long time: "Champion... do you mean divisional champion?"
"Huh? What's the use of that? Of course, the world champion."
Youyu spoke as if it was a matter of course, behaving as if "it's not a big deal."
His thought is simple. If you can't even win a championship, why are you competing?
Actually, the Yu-Gi-Oh professional league isn't quite the same as similar works. Although it's a global league, its significance isn't necessarily that high.
Not to mention, players like Yugi, Youyu, Kaiba, and Jonouchi aren't part of the league, and any of them could easily dominate the professional circle.
There are also characters like the Doma Three Musketeers—Rafael, Valon, and Amelda—or the Gravekeeper Race from the Ishtar Clan.
Not to mention the Duel Monsters series, even in the GX Animation, most of the notable strong players didn't come from the professional circle. Meanwhile, those claiming to be top-ranked in the professional league were mainly considered weak supporting roles in the animation.
Because almost every industry and field in the Yu-Gi-Oh World is linked to dueling, resulting in an endless stream of duel masters who generally aren't interested in "going professional" and have their reasons for not participating.
For a duelist of Youyu's caliber, professional leagues seem tiring and require constant international travel, barely giving him time to drink water. The income level to him seems ordinary, not sparking interest at all.
Take GX's "DD" possessed by the Light of Destruction—being able to repeatedly win championships shows the league's average level.
Notably, Ed defeated the DD with the world champion title. Therefore, Youyu believes the Ed in the original story had the potential to win the league championship, just needing time.
That's why Youyu thinks Ed has no reason not to win the championship after receiving guidance for years.
Sure enough, Ed did not disappoint in his first league entry, smoothly winning the championship.
Of course, that doesn't mean the professional league consists of just incompetents. In terms of the overall dueling world level, professional players can honestly represent high-level masters, and winning a championship in such a league is no small feat.
But Ed, having already adjusted his mindset, is ready to turn the page and move toward new goals.
After handling post-match interviews and evading persistent reporters, Ed returned straight home.
His dad was already waiting... with celebratory flowers and a grand dinner prepared.
Ed sighed, "I said no celebration was necessary..."
"That won't do."
Phoenix Sr. firmly seated him at the dining table, lovingly patting his head.
"Not every father gets the chance to see their child achieve such an honor."
Even when Ed was little, his father liked to pat his head. Now that Ed had grown up, his father hadn't broken the habit.
"Maybe we should thank Youyu," Ed said, watching his father sit down opposite the table. "The tactics I used in the matches were greatly influenced by Youyu's guidance."
"Did you tell him?"
"Of course, the first thing I did after leaving the venue was send him a message."
"That's how it should be," Phoenix Sr. smiled, "Meeting him was our good fortune. If we hadn't met him back then, maybe you wouldn't have a dad.
Ha, who knows? Maybe you'd become someone else's adoptive son... meet some strange people."
Ed paused his actions, frowning, "Dad, that's not funny at all."
"Alright, I apologize; it was just a hypothetical," Phoenix Sr. said, no longer dwelling on the topic. "Speaking of Youyu, he messaged me earlier today saying he plans to personally come and celebrate your win."
Ed's eyes lit up, "Really? But I just..."
"So it seems he anticipated the result before the finals even began," Phoenix Sr. chuckled, adjusting his glasses. "He has unwavering faith in you."
Ed smiled more happily than when he beat his opponent in the finals and became the world champion.
"Yes, he's always been that way."
Click.
The chandelier in the living room ceiling turned off, the sound of electronic devices shutting down echoed in the quickly engulfing darkness.
Phoenix Sr. turned his head curiously, "Power outage?"
What came next was a strong shaking. Everything on the cabinet was almost swept to the floor, and a mug smashed to pieces on the ground. Phoenix Sr., caught off guard, was thrown off his chair, a momentary blackout in his vision.
"Dad!"
Ed hurried to help him up, Phoenix Sr. waving a hand to signal he was fine, adjusting his glasses simultaneously.
"What's happening? An earthquake?"
Another wave followed, a strong tremor.
Though it seemed bizarre, Ed felt this sensation was akin to... unbearably heavy footsteps.
He stood, approached the window, drew the curtains, and froze.
He saw a kind of monster, huge, lumbering, like a moving fortress, walking slowly through the city's streets, with panicked and fleeing crowds and vehicles at its feet.
Towering, with a body resembling solid blue rock clearly reflected in the skyscraper's glass façade.
A monster.
Not the kind duelists refer to as the embodied creatures in cards, but a monster that resembles those from ancient special effects movie sets, like a walking disaster.