"That's how this game is played... What do you think?"
The trial duel had ended, and the room fell quiet after Alexander asked that question.
The cards were still on the table, laid out in the final state of the duel. A frozen moment that carried the weight of everything that had just happened.
Roland stood there, unmoving. His gaze sharply rested on the field, observing the whole while replaying the duel he had just played.
Alexander didn't interrupt; he simply watched him, waiting for his response.
Then, after a few seconds that stretched just enough to matter, Roland reached forward and adjusted one of the cards slightly, aligning it with quiet precision. A small, unnecessary action, but deliberate.
His mind was clearly working, thinking about the rules, the structure, the flow of the game, all of it being processed, broken down, evaluated, 'When he first explained the game to me, it had seemed… very complicated. Different phases. Summoning conditions. Effects. Interactions. Too many moving parts. And yet... Once the game started, something changed. Each step followed naturally from the previous one. Draw. Main Phase. Battle. End. Simple in sequence, logical even. The complexity wasn't all that random but… layered in such a way that makes skill and knowledge matter.'
Roland's gaze shifted slightly as he picked up his deck and started to seriously go over the cards in it as he recalled specific moments of the duel, 'The decision I had to make. The need to anticipate Master Alexander's move, to react to them, to commit when the opportunity presented itself. On top of that, there was a strategy there. Real depth, even though we have played with the most basic rules. I can faintly see it from the cards that Master Alexander put in this deck. There is a theme that seems to revolve around insects and the traces of the strategy needed to support them and win. But more importantly, it was engaging...'
That realisation settled quietly, even for him, an old man who had no particular interest in games, who had seen countless trends rise and fall, who had long since stopped being impressed by novelty; he had paid attention.
He had been involved. He had, in his own way, enjoyed it.
Reaching that conclusion, Roland straightened slightly before finally speaking.
"The rules are…" he paused briefly, choosing his words with care, "…complex at first glance."
A small pause before he continued, "But once experienced, they become mostly intuitive."
His gaze lifted from the deck to Alexander, and he said, "The structure is sound. Each phase serves a purpose. The flow is consistent and smooth."
Another second passed before he added, "And the game itself is… engaging."
There was no exaggeration in his tone, no attempt to impress or soothe his ego; it was just a simple statement of fact.
Roland's eyes narrowed slightly in focus before he commented, "In its current form, it already holds a considerable degree of strategic depth."
Then, after a brief pause, he gave his final verdict, "Overall… It has potential. A great deal of it."
That was it.
He didn't give dramatic praise, nor an overstatement, but coming from Roland, it was more than enough.
Alexander felt it immediately; a subtle but genuine smile formed on his face as he quietly said, "Good."
That was the first confirmation he needed, an external validation, and from someone whose judgment both he and, more importantly, his father, trusted.
Roland's gaze lingered for a moment longer before he asked, "By the way, what is the name of this game?"
Alexander didn't hesitate as he had thought about it long ago, "It's Duel Monsters."
The words came out cleanly, confidently.
Roland repeated it once, testing the sound of it, "Hmn... Duel Monsters."
Alexander leaned back slightly and added, "It's easy to remember. Easy to say. And easy to market."
After a short pause, he concluded, "It also tells you exactly what it is."
Roland gave a small nod in agreement, "Indeed, it does."
There was no further comment, but the approval was there.
Alexander didn't waste the moment; he shifted the conversation immediately by saying, "I need you to arrange a meeting… with father."
Roland's attention sharpened slightly as Alexander added, "The sooner, the better. If possible, tomorrow. After school."
A brief silence followed as Roland considered his request. He understood what that meant.
Alexander was ready to advance his personal project to the next step.
In the end, he said, "I will make the necessary arrangements."
After a short pause, he added, "I cannot guarantee his availability on such short notice… but I will try my best."
"That's more than enough," Alexander replied.
Roland inclined his head, then turned and left the room without another word, and soon the door closed softly behind him, making an expectant silence fall into the study.
This time, Alexander remained still sitting on the chair in front of the messy playmat as he closed his eyes and his focus shifted inward, to the YGO System.
The faint chime from earlier resurfaced in his mind as he directed his attention toward it.
The interface responded instantly, forming itself in front of him.
[Ding!]
________________________________
[Victory Registered]
[Opponent: Roland Cooper]
[Reward Granted]
• Duel Points (DP): +5
• Duel Energy (DE): +5
_________________________________
Alexander's eyes opened before he blinked and muttered, "Five..."
The number was small but not completely unexpected; in fact, he was ready to receive only 1 DP and 1 DE.
Then a grin slowly spread across his face as he exclaimed, "Hell yeah...! I can finally check what the YGO System can truly do!"
His attention sharpened immediately as he moved to the next priority.
What is likely going to be the most important resource for his survival in this crazy world, the Duel Energy.
If the system allowed him to summon monsters to come to his aid, then that was his first real line of defence.
He focused, and the interface shifted, responding to his intent as clear and structured information surfaced.
[Ding!]
_______________________________________
Summoning Protocol:
• Bound cards may be manifested through Duel Energy expenditure.
• All manifestations last 5 minutes.
• After manifestation, the manifested card enters a 24-hour cooldown period.
Cost Structure:
• Level 1 → 1 DE
• Level 2 → 5 DE
• Level 3 → 25 DE
• Level 4 → 100 DE
• Level 5–6 → 1,000 DE + 1 Tribute
• Level 7+ → 10,000 DE + 2 Tributes
Additional Note: Tributed Monsters will enter a period of cooldown that lasts up to a year.
_______________________________________
Alexander's expression slowly flattened as he muttered, "I should've expected that it wouldn't be so easy..."
He leaned back on the chair slightly, exhaling through his nose as he realised that all he had was a mere 5 DE.
He did the math instantly.
"I can summon…" he muttered under his breath, "…five Level 1 monsters… or one Level 2. And they will only last five minutes."
A short pause before he exclaimed, "Damn it...! I have seen turns lasting longer than that..."
It wasn't a lot of time, he couldn't summon high-level monsters, and those that he could summon had no overwhelming power that could ensure his safety.
Alexander stared at the interface for a moment longer before shaking his head slightly, and he exhaled, "It's still better than nothing. And it isn't like Level 1 and Level 2 Monsters are completely useless."
At this point, he started to think more positively, 'In fact, many of them should be easily capable of dealing with a regular human. I can also use them to scout, as a distraction, or even as a shield. In a dangerous world like this, even a small advantage may make the difference between life and death.'
He let that thought settle before shifting focus again, this time to the Duel Points he earned and, more importantly, to the YGO System's shop.
If DE was necessary for immediate survival, DP was necessary to ensure his growth.
With a simple thought, he accessed the shop interface, making a list appear.
[Ding!]
___________________________________
YGO Shop:
– Personal Upgrade: Spirit Energy Awakening
• Enables detection of non-physical entities
• Unlocks Ba
Effect:
• Allows interaction with bound entities
• Enables advanced system functions
Cost: 50 DP
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.
.
.
___________________________________
His eyes started to scan the list, but then he stopped at the first available option as he immediately noticed an issue.
Alexander stared at it, then blinked and muttered, "Eh… Fifty?"
He let out a short, dry laugh, "Hehe... come on... I only have five, one-tenth of what I need. That's not even close to buying the cheapest option."
But that wasn't the only thing that caught his attention; he focused once more on the first item of the list and muttered, "Detection of non-physical entities… Unlock Ba..."
His eyes narrowed slightly as he thought, 'What the hell is this, Ba? Do I even need that? The system already allows me to summon monsters. So what was this for? Better communication? Control? Something deeper?'
He frowned slightly but then exhaled, "Oh well, it doesn't matter at the moment. I can't even afford it yet… I'll figure it out later. But now that I know for sure that I can earn DP from duel, maybe I should take a closer look at the shop and start to plan what to buy first once I have enough..."
Having reached that conclusion, Alexander quickly focused back on the shop and started to skim over the list, which seemed to be ordered from cheapest to priciest.
__________________________________
YGO Shop:
.
.
.
.
– Personal Upgrade: Spirit Capacity Enhancement
• Increases Ba reserves
• Improves Ka stability
Effect:
• Reduces strain from high-output actions
• Improves compatibility with high-tier entities
Cost Scaling:
• First upgrade: 50 DP
• Next: 100 DP
• Next: 200 DP
• Next: 400 DP
• Next: 800 DP
• Next: 1600 DP
– Blueprint: Duel Monsters Card Microchips
• Encodes card data into physical format
• Enables compatibility with projection systems
Effect:
• Stores monster, spell, and trap data
• Allows activation within Solid Vision systems
• Required for advanced duel infrastructure
Cost: 100 DP
– Blueprint: Battle Box
• Stationary duel system prototype
• First-generation projection platform
Effect:
• Enables localised duels
• Activates card microchips
• Generates basic holographic fields
Limitations:
• Non-portable
• Requires fixed installation
Cost: 200 DP
– System Upgrade: Expand Card Database Series 2
• Unlocks additional card templates
• Expands accessible archetypes
Effect:
• Increases available card pool
• Enables creation of higher-tier cards
• Improves system recognition range
Cost: 200 DP
– Technology: Solid Vision Knowledge
• Grants access to holographic projection principles
• Enables creation of interactive combat simulations
Effect:
• Allows projection of monsters using card data
• Converts encoded card information into visual constructs
• Enables integration with compatible devices
Note:
• Requires compatible hardware to operate
Cost: 500 DP
– Blueprint: Dueling Arena
• Large-scale duel environment
• Advanced projection field generator
Effect:
• Supports multiple observers
• Enhances the realism of projections
• Stabilises large-scale holograms
Note:
• Suitable for tournaments and public events
Cost: 500 DP
– Blueprint: Duel Disk
• Portable dueling device
• Standard tool for duelists
Effect:
• Enables real-time card activation
• Projects holographic monsters
• Tracks Life Points and game state
Note:
• Designed for mobility and combat scenarios
Cost: 800 DP
– Blueprint: Duel Runner
• High-speed dueling vehicle
• Integrated duel system platform
Effect:
• Enables duels during movement
• Enhances reaction-based gameplay
• Integrates with Duel Disk systems
Warning:
• High risk during operation
• Requires advanced control systems
Cost: 1000 DP
– System Upgrade: Duel Network Synchronisation Tier 1
• Unlock the ability to harvest DP and DE from nearby duel
Effect:
• Gain 1/10 of the DE generated by nearby duels
• Gain 1/10 of the DP generated by nearby duels
.
.
.
.
– System Upgrade: Signature Card Embodiment Tier 1
• Unlocks the embodiment of the signature entity
Effect:
• Allows transformation into a signature card
• Converts Duel Energy or compatible energy into a physical manifestation
• Grants temporary access to enhanced abilities
• The stronger the bond, the more potential can be unlocked
Limitations:
• High energy consumption
• High strain on body and spirit
Cost: 5000 DP
.
.
.
.
.
– Technology: Human Sealing Technology
• Enables binding of physical entities into confined states
• Derived from advanced Shadow Game principles
Effect:
• Allows temporary or permanent containment of targets
• Converts biological existence into data-bound or dimensional states
• Can be integrated into Duel Systems
Warning:
• High instability
• Psychological and metaphysical backlash possible
Cost: 20000 DP
.
.
.
.
– Technology: Interdimensional Travel Technology
• Grants access to cross-dimensional transit systems
• Enables interaction with higher-dimensional spaces
Effect:
• Allows transportation between parallel dimensions
• Enables access to Spirit World layers
• Supports large-scale spatial manipulation
Warning:
• Extreme energy requirements
• Risk of structural collapse between dimensions
Cost: 10000000 DP
.
.
.
.
– Item: Millennium Puzzle
• One of the ancient Millennium Items
• Contains immense spiritual power
Effect:
• Enhances connection with spirits
• Grant immense powers
• Allows the use of Ancient Magic
• Allows manifestation of higher-tier entities
• May contain bound consciousness
Warning:
• Requires compatibility
• High risk of psychological influence
Cost: 5000000000 DP
– Item: Quantum Cube
• Dimensional artefact of unknown origin
• Identified as an additional Millennium-class item
Effect:
• Enables dimensional transport
• Can disintegrate or relocate targets
• May convert into an advanced duel interface
Warning:
• Highly unstable
• Susceptible to corruption
Cost: 5000000000 DP
___________________________________
The more Alexander scrolled down, the more absurd the elements of the list became, making his eyes go wide, and his breath became shallower, and when he noticed some of the pricier elements of the list, he couldn't help but exclaim, "HOLY FREAKING FUCK!"