"One-turn kill Death God?"
Yugen furrowed his brow, resting his chin and trying to recall.
Hmm, it feels like I've heard this name somewhere before. But it seems like it's a distant memory now, hard to remember.
"Can you give me a hint?" Yugen asked.
"Apparently, it's a rumor that's been spreading in the Academy for a while, but I hadn't heard about it before."
Mina spoke while naturally walking into the room. She intended to sit by Yugen's bed but stopped abruptly midway, noticing that the Silent Magician in the school uniform was already sitting there.
As always, the Silent Magician wore a cold expression, seemingly engrossed in some ancient tome, not glancing this way at all, but exuding a silent aura of dominance, as if declaring territorial sovereignty.
Thus Mina retreated in defeat, not daring to advance further, awkwardly standing to the side, coughing before continuing.
"In fact, more students have been sent to the infirmary in the past couple of days. Many students become disoriented after the duel, suffering injuries that shouldn't be possible from a duel."
Yugen pondered.
"Could it be modified Duel Discs?" Yugen inquired, "We've had similar incidents before. Some criminals modify the holographic system for thrills, potentially causing harm beyond safe limits."
But such behavior is generally more common in underground dueling markets.
However, Mina shook her head.
"No, it's different from that type of injury. I am, after all, a professional school medic, and the distinction is quite evident."
Yugen squinted.
So you really are a professional school medic... not just a thief undercover moonlighting?
But Mina seemed deeply immersed in the role, seemingly genuinely concerned for the students' safety, truly seeing herself as the medic.
"Moreover," she lowered her voice, glancing out the window, speaking mysteriously, "some occasional passersby claim they've seen the Death God."
"Death God?"
Yugen pondered. His first thought was naturally the mythological Death God that reaps souls, but thinking further, realized it might not be the case. Here in the card game world, anything extraordinary is card-related, so the Death God might very well be a card.
"Yes, the appearance of that Duelist is always accompanied by the figure of the Death God, hence he's called the Death God Duelist. It's said he sold his soul to the Death God, obtaining an absolute one-turn kill Extraordinary Power, a power no one can escape. However, that power is cursed."
Yugen seemed to be remembering now.
In the original anime, there was indeed such a storyline. A student traded his soul with the Death God, exchanging his life for Divine Drawing Power.
At the time, Judai expressed great confusion.
Huh? Isn't it just drawing the desired card? Why pay with life?
Isn't such a thing just about sincerity, achievable if you want it badly enough?
But don't get me wrong, the Death God charges were steep, but the trade truly lived up to its cost. Once the contract was sealed, that student genuinely acquired the authentic Divine Drawing ability, reaching a level where he could get whatever he wanted, forming a card deck that maximized his Divine Drawing Power.
"Interesting. But messing around in my school, even the Death God better be prepared."
Yugen stood up and said.
"Let's investigate a bit. If there's a chance, we'll meet this Death God and see if he's as legendary as the rumors say."
...
...
Meanwhile, deep in the Duel Academy's dense forest, a secluded location.
A student in an Obelisk Blue uniform, wearing a Duel Disc, stood on one side of the dueling field, staring in terror at the man across from him.
A man shrouded in black fog, whose appearance had grown somewhat sinister.
His expression exaggerated, raising his arms high, seemingly chanting some ancient spell.
"The howl for victory from the skull in my right hand! Defeat! Defeat! Defeat!"
Indeed, on the back of his raised hand, there was a jet-black skull, black energy swirling around the arm like a Black Dragon formed from black fog.
Even the sky seemed to respond, dark red clouds gathered above, lightning crackled within, and bolts struck the ground. Dense black fog coalesced, forming a bizarre shadow.
A pitch-black robe, beneath the hood's shadow, faintly revealed sinister white bones. Holding a long scythe, like a ghost or specter, hovering above the man until the form nearly merged into his body.
The Obelisk Blue student across shivered like a sieve.
"De... Death God, you..."
The man continued chanting.
"Sacrifice, my life!"
"Draw, the one-turn kill card!"
Black tornado engulfed him, the hand with the skull reached for the card deck.
"Draw—Card!"
One draw seemed to transform into a lightning bolt tearing through the dark red sky. That one draw itself became a bolt of lightning, carrying an unstoppable surge of power towards the opposing student.
"Ahhhhhh!"
The student screamed in agony.
Just one draw, and the game was over. The student fainted, cards scattered all over the ground.
"Hahaha—"
The man spread his arms, head held high, laughing triumphantly.
"This is my power, a one-turn kill draw, the literal Power of Death God!"
"Now I'm absolutely invincible, the strongest Duelist in the realm with legendary drawing power! I will not lose to anyone, nor will I fear anyone!"
But as he reveled in his triumph, the Death God's shadow once again appeared, silently hovering behind him.
"Yet with victory comes the price, don't forget."
The voice ominously intoned.
"Hmm?"
The man turned, glanced at the eerily shadowy Death God behind him, yet showed no fear, instead smiling slightly.
"Ah, I know. Victory comes at the cost of my soul, right? Doesn't matter, take my life if you wish. But according to our agreement, the contract isn't yet completed."
He glanced at the deck in his Duel Disc.
"By the time I win the GeneX championship, proving this one-turn kill deck is the strongest. Then, I've reached the peak. If you want my life, just take it."
But as he spoke, his vision began to blur. He shook his head, trying to sit up, but ultimately collapsed from exhaustion, falling unconscious.
Yet just before losing consciousness, he vaguely heard someone calling from afar.
"Finally found you, Death God Duelist! Let's duel!"