"Huh? Not here?" Dream Card Shop, Xue Lang and In Jie Nandao looked surprised, "Youyu went out?"
"Yes, indeed." Chinai, behind the counter, nodded lightly, "He went out early in the morning."
The two exchanged glances, and after a moment, In Jie Nandao asked, "Then... did he say when he'd be back?"
"No, maybe it'll be a bit late, I think." Chinai said, "He's been running to Kaiba Company these past few days, seems like Kaiba Seto had something important to discuss with him, he's been coming back very late..."
The two players' eyes lit up, feeling they might have obtained some important information.
Kaiba Seto had important matters to discuss with Youyu? Does that mean they are quite familiar?
It seems he's indeed an important storyline NPC!
This detail might be linked to the main plotline.
"So how about... we wait for him to come back?" Xue Lang asked.
"...Let's wait!" In Jie Nandao gritted his teeth.
Although every moment is precious during the open beta, instead of running around for trivial newbie quest experience, it's better to wait for their golden ticket to return.
Right now, Youyu as an NPC is their direct ticket to joining the ranks of top players, no matter what, they must seize the benefits before other players!
...But they might be disappointed in this regard.
Because while they were patiently staying in the shop waiting for him to return, their golden ticket had already gone to look for new interests...
...
Domino City, on an open space in a certain park.
This park in Domino City is also a place duelists often like to visit. Although it isn't a Duel Hall with a formal Dueling Arena, thanks to Kaiba Company's new generation of Duel Discs, the era needing specific venues to duel is over.
As long as you have a Duel Disc, anyone can have a thrilling duel at any time and place.
And at this time, there was a large gathering of new players in the park.
"Oh my God, how do you even play this game? The starting deck is filled with low attack Normal Monsters, even fighting a passerby is challenging!"
"Help! Has anyone received that quest 'Complete a Tribute Summon during a duel with an NPC'? I don't even have a single monster above four stars to tribute!"
"I got a quest to defeat an NPC without taking any damage, it's ridiculous... my stamina is drained and the quest isn't even finished, with this junk starter deck it's impossible!"
"Can you believe the beginner quests are already roadblocks...?"
A group of new players chattered noisily, exchanging insights and experiences from the first day of the open beta. Suddenly someone shouted as though discovering a new world.
"There are two NPCs dueling over there!"
All the players who heard the shout reacted first with—what's so rare about NPC dueling?
After all, isn't it just you summon one, I summon one Normal Monster and beat each other up? What's so peculiar about that?
Though everyone had only played a few games on the first day of the open beta, players more or less understood the duelists' levels of the current era.
The road NPCs players encountered seemed only capable of summoning one Normal Monster per turn, just like the simple AI in traditional Yu-Gi-Oh games, with very few Magic Traps in their decks for combo play.
Where these duelists might be stronger than players using only the starter deck is perhaps because some NPCs might have Normal Monsters with higher attack points.
At this moment, one could hear someone shouting again: "Whoa! Check out that monster... doesn't it look like Clayman?"
"Huh? Which Clayman?"
"Elemental Hero Clayman, of course! If you don't recognize him you should leave the group, I suspect you're just a surface-level fan..."
"Whoa, how can there be Clayman in DM?"
Players quickly noticed the exciting part.
As a heap of players gathered upon receiving the news, they quickly saw the two NPCs dueling over here.
On the left stood a non-mainstream uncle who looked quite menacing, dressed in shiny black leather, and his arms exposed a tattoo of an unknown creature—a type of person who seemed tough to mess with at first glance.
The uncle's LP was an intact 4000, and there were two low-star Normal Monsters on the field.
And standing opposite this uncle... was an impressively handsome young NPC.
"Wow! That guy is so handsome!"
Instantly, female players began to stare with starry eyes... completely ignoring the resentful gaze of their boyfriends beside them.
"He really is so handsome! That style screams protagonist!"
"I think I'm in love..."
"Get outta here, why is a guy joining the fuss?"
Players began to stir.
But whether or not someone is handsome wasn't the primary factor attracting players, the key issue wasn't here.
"...Why does this NPC have Elemental Hero cards though? They shouldn't have this series now, right?"
Needless to say, the one with an "Elemental Hero Clayman" on the field was, of course, Youyu.
"My turn!" The non-mainstream uncle drew a card, and laughed loudly, "Haha! This draw already declared your defeat!
This turn you shall witness the trump card, an ultra-rare powerful monster from my deck!"
The uncle raised the card he just drew high into the air.
"I use the two monsters on my field as sacrifices, Tribute Summon!" the non-mainstream uncle shouted, "Come forth, my mightiest monster—Red Ogre!"
A rumbling sound came from beneath the ground, and black air evoking the Netherworld erupted vigorously. A crimson ghost emerged from underground, leaping high into the air, and landed heavily on the ground.
It was a ghost straight out of folklore, bearing black horns, a hulking muscular frame, wielding a black Wolf Fang Club, baring teeth in a fierce visage.
[Red Ogre, Attack Power 2800]
"Red Ogre's effect activates!" the non-mainstream uncle exclaimed, "When this monster is Tribute Summoned, you can send any number of hand cards to the graveyard, then choose cards of the same number on the field to bounce back to the owner's hand!
I discard two hand cards to bounce back your 'Elemental Hero Clayman' and your Set Card in the backfield to the hand!"
Red Ogre swung the Wolf Fang Club, a dark whirlwind swirled across the field. The sinister air transformed Clayman and Youyu's Set Card into golden lights, blowing them back into his hand, clearing Youyu's field entirely.
A player exclaimed in shock: "Whoa, is that Brionac!?"
"A low-tier Brionac, the effect is somewhat similar."
"In DM, that effect seems quite strong! This should be a Rare Card, right?"
Brionac, i.e., "Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier", a level 6 Synchro Monster, has an effect to discard any number of cards from the hand, to bounce the corresponding number of cards on the opponent's field back to the owner's hand.
Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier has been renowned for quite some time, being one of the most favored Synchro Monsters amongst physical card players.
"Now your field is completely empty!" the non-mainstream uncle laughed, "Red Ogre! Direct Attack!"
The field was bare both front and back, but Youyu remained unfazed. He looked up at the swiftly approaching gigantic figure and the heavily falling Wolf Fang Club, calmly drawing a card from his hand...
"I discard 'Kuriboh' from my hand to activate its Monster Effect." Youyu said calmly, "The battle damage is reduced to 0."
The players: "!?"
Did he just say... discard what!?