"Welcome to the Link Arena."
Saito Tomoki stepped onto the circular arena with a light blue flow of data. The azure ripples, as if water flowed over them, transformed into the dueling field, and Tomoki arrived at the center of the virtual arena full of anticipation.
Next week would be his first battle in the professional realm.
The Professional Duelist League, a dream stage for countless duelists worldwide. After years of relentless effort, Tomoki finally made it to this vast stage, where he would embark on a new life as a professional duelist.
The identity of a professional duelist often signifies fame, status, and an unimaginable amount of money and power.
As a player born from a certain dueling dojo, Tomoki now felt that the people around him couldn't satisfy him.
He needed pressure and challenges!
The recent acquisition of the Kaiba Group's online arena link system was his perfect opportunity. He hoped to find motivation in this online venue, ideally encountering some veteran bigwigs who also had beta access.
Actually, his ultimate target for a match was the new star in the professional league, "Ed Phoenix," who uses a Hero Card Deck and has maintained a flawless record so far. Only by confronting such top-level experts can he better enhance himself.
Otherwise, Tomoki felt it would be hard for him, as a genius newcomer, to lose.
Link Arena matchmaking completed. Tomoki checks opponent ID...
...Joyful Duel?
An image of a young, passionate boy, full of enthusiasm for dueling, immediately surfaced in Tomoki's mind.
He must be a passionate type of duelist who loves dueling, right?
Online IDs are, of course, virtual, but as a professional, Tomoki chose to use his real name as his ID. Not for anything else, but to highlight the confidence of a genius newcomer.
The virtual identities met in the arena, and Tomoki got straight to the point: "In the professional realm?"
Yugen, who had just logged in, was taken aback and then smiled, honestly admitting: "No."
Tomoki was a bit disappointed: "Amateur player?"
"Yes, yes, purely amateur."
"Alright then."
Oh, it seems like it's going to be another easy game, probably boring.
Tomoki activated his duel disc: "Then come on, don't hold back. Let me test your strength."
Letting an expert like me give you a tip or two could benefit you for a lifetime, Tomoki thought.
At the same time, Keihei also came to watch from the sidelines.
"Hmm, right off the bat, the opponent is a professional player... semi-professional."
Keihei checked the opponent's information.
Saito Tomoki, a newly signed professional rookie, with his debut in the professional realm next week.
After reading it, Keihei suddenly looked at Tomoki with a complex expression.
Speaking of which, this person has a match next week, hope his mentality isn't broken today...
"Duel!" x2
[Yugen, LP 4000]
[Tomoki, LP 4000]
The duel disc indicator light turned on, indicating that Tomoki won the right to choose turn order.
The genius boy glanced at the duel disc and said: "I won't slack off just because my opponent is an amateur. My turn, draw!
Activate the Magic Card 'Ancient Rules' from my hand to Special Summon a five-star or higher ordinary monster from my hand!"
An ancient scroll appeared on his field, displaying the image of "Electric Tail Dragon" in an ancient art style, with golden light surging on the scroll.
"Special Summon a Six-Star ordinary monster from my hand!
The strongest of the Demon Race, wielded by the Duel King —
——Demon's Summon!"
Black clouds churned like an invisible hand stirring a giant vortex. Lightning flickered among the clouds, as if a silver dragon was weaving through them.
The massive body of the demon emerged from the black clouds, covered in white skeletons, appearing ferocious and terrifying under the electric illumination, with each bone seemingly telling of endless slaughter and bloodshed.
[Demon's Summon, Attack Power 2500]
"The monster of the game..." Keihei murmured.
Demon's Summon, a Six-Star that only requires one tribute to summon but has 2500 Attack Power, remains a favored powerhouse and a rare card even today. It has also been developed with new evolutionary forms and recognized by professional teams as having potential for further evolution.
Of course, most of the game's trump cards used back then have now been proven to have evolutionary development potential.
"Then, I set a card in the back row and end my turn," Tomoki said.
"Then my turn, draw a card." Yugen drew two cards, "Set a monster in the front row and a card in the back row. Turn ends."
Hmm?
Tomoki raised an eyebrow, his eyes showing a bit of disdain.
Is that it?
"Such a slow-paced duel would definitely be educated in the harsh professional world... well, let me educate you about the harshness of the professional world." Tomoki smiled confidently.
"Then I trouble you for guidance, senior," Yugen responded politely.
"Naturally. My turn, draw a card!"
Tomoki drew a card, then immediately took out two cards from his hand. He discarded one to the graveyard and played the other directly.
"Magic Card 'Cost Reduction'! Discard a card from my hand to reduce the Level of all monsters in my hand by 2 stars.
Therefore, the Six-Star 'Thunder Demon King - Skeleton Demon' in my hand drops to Level Four, allowing me to Normal Summon without a tribute!"
Tomoki raised the card in his hand high.
"After long evolution, the King of Demons transforms into a new form, arriving as the ruler of thunder—
——Summon Thunder Demon King - Skeleton Demon!"
Thunder roared from the black clouds, exploding on the field. With a form almost like that of Demon's Summon, it was enveloped in startling lightning. The skeleton was like armor on its body, and its roar was like thunder.
[Thunder Demon King - Skeleton Demon, Attack Power 2500]
"Indeed, the evolved form of Demon's Summon has appeared," Keihei mused, "Summoning two major demons on the field at once, this newcomer isn't too bad either."
It's just a pity he encountered the wrong opponent.
Hopefully, today's duel won't affect his state for next week's debut match...
"Then activate the cover card," Tomoki said deeply, "Equipment Magic 'Rare Silver Armor'!
As long as the monster equipped with this card exists on the field, all effects of the opponent's cards can only select the equipped monster as the effect target.
I will equip 'Rare Silver Armor' to 'Thunder Demon King - Skeleton Demon'!"
"Oh?" Yugen stroked his chin and nodded, "That move is interesting."
"The range of Rare Silver Armor's effect is not limited only to monsters on the field," Tomoki sneered, "Both of our graveyards, as well as banished monsters, cannot be selected as effect targets now.
Moreover, activating Equipment Magic on one's own field is also a 'target action,' which you cannot perform. Even if you want to activate Equipment Magic, you can only equip it to my 'Thunder Demon King - Skeleton Demon.'
Even if you want to activate 'Revive the Dead,' it's not possible, as Revive the Dead also activates by targeting monsters in the graveyard."
Tomoki's mouth curved upward, revealing a cold smile.
Yugen nodded: "And when 'Thunder Demon King - Skeleton Demon' becomes the target of an effect, it triggers an additional effect, right?"
"Heh, your knowledge reserve is quite rich," Tomoki said confidently, "Indeed! When Skeleton Demon becomes the target of the opponent's effect, I can roll a die.
If I roll a 1, 3, or 6, that effect is negated and destroyed."
"So it's only a fifty percent success rate," Yugen realized.
"Whoa, this newcomer has some skills."
Keihei began to look at Tomoki with fresh eyes.
"If that's the case, haven't a large number of Yugen's card uses been sealed?"