“Don’t be late like last time, and don’t forget the way home!” Katsumi’s mother yelled at the top of her lungs.
“I am not a kid!” Katsumi protested.
“Well, you are!”
Katsumi left his home and sprinted toward a nearby card shop.
The hunger for cards was driving him insane.
Before he started playing, however, he needed information.
Skipping past the crowd on the road, he arrived at a card shop that looked more like a pirate’s tavern than an actual store.
Pushing open the door, he stepped inside.
Instantly, he was hit by the scent of nerdy passion.
Children crowded around the counter buying packs while cardfighters occupied nearly every table, locked in intense battles.
Arguments erupted from one side of the shop while cheers exploded from another.
It was complete chaos.
“Hey, kid.
Are you lost?”
An unfamiliar voice called from behind him.
Katsumi turned around.
A middle-aged man wearing a vest stood there.
Probably the manager.
“Hello.
I wanted to play Vanguard.”
He bowed politely while pointing toward the bustling players.
“Oh?
But you look a little young to be coming here by yourself.”
The concern in the man’s voice was genuine, but Katsumi didn’t have time for delays.
“I can take care of myself, Uncle.
But could you help me with something?”
“What do you need?”
“Where can I find information on every card?”
Some sort of complete card catalogue.
Blue-Eyes existed in Yu-Gi-Oh, not in this world.
If he simply brought out those cards without knowing the rules here, he might even be banned from official tournaments.
Searching the internet would’ve solved everything.
Unfortunately, his mother still believed giving a child unrestricted internet access would only distract him.
Cheap…
“Hmm…
information on every card…”
The man scratched his chin thoughtfully.
“Oh!
I think I have exactly what you’re looking for.
Come with me.”
His eyes brightened as though he had finally remembered something.
“Wait here.
I’ll bring it out.”
“As for the wait…”
He gestured toward the display behind the counter.
“Why don’t you take a look at what’s popular these days?”
The manager disappeared into the room behind the counter.
Katsumi quietly waited while maintaining awkward eye contact with the assistant.
“Want a pack?”
The assistant held up a booster pack with a black wrapper.
“Um.”
“Then which clan do you like?
Royal Paladin?
Kagero?
Or maybe Dimension Police?”
He pointed toward several different booster boxes.
There really weren’t that many.
Nothing like Yu-Gi-Oh’s endless sea of archetypes.
Katsumi reached into his pouch.
Eight hundred yen.
“How much is one pack, Uncle?”
“Oh?
One hundred and eight yen per pack.”
The assistant answered before suddenly looking a little depressed after hearing the word “Uncle.”
‘Father.
Are we buying weapons?’
Blue finally spoke after remaining quiet for a while.
‘No.’
‘Just some friends.’
‘Can friends be bought?’
‘…Sometimes.’
Katsumi counted his money again.
Ten…
Twenty…
…
Eight hundred yen.
Enough for seven packs.
The only downside…
He’d be completely broke afterward.
‘As a great man once said…’
‘You either go all in…
or never.’
‘I don’t remember that quote.’
‘It sounds like something a gambler would say.’
Katsumi’s left eyebrow twitched.
“Uncle, I’ll take five of those.”
He pointed toward the packs featuring the King of Knights.
“Coming right up.”
“That’ll be five hundred and forty yen.”
Handing over the money, Katsumi accepted the packs.
Their glossy wrappers shimmered beneath the shop lights, almost inviting him to open them immediately.
Just then, the door behind the counter opened.
“Kid.”
The manager returned carrying several magazines.
“You can have these if they help.”
The covers featured several familiar faces.
Blaster Blade.
Dragonic Overlord.
“Thank you, Uncle!”
Sliding the booster packs into his pocket, Katsumi accepted the magazines.
Inside were complete introductions to the featured clans, along with many of their important units.
Perfect.
Humming to himself, he walked toward an empty bench.
The manager smiled before suddenly remembering something.
“Hey, kid!”
Katsumi looked back.
“Since you’re new, there’s something you should know.”
“When opening booster packs, there’s a tiny chance you’ll find a strange unit that doesn’t belong to the featured clan.”
He pointed toward Katsumi’s unopened packs.
“Those cards belong to hidden clans.”
“They’re incredibly rare.”
“If you pull one…”
“Don’t throw it away.”
Katsumi’s eyes widened.
“Hidden clans?”
“If Blue-Eyes belongs to one…”
He quickly stood up.
“Is there any information about them?”
“Hmm…”
The manager rubbed his chin.
“From what I remember…”
“There were five hidden clans.”
“One of them was called…”
‘Say Blue-Eyes…’
“…Dark Magicians.”
Katsumi froze.
Dark…
Magicians?
“I don’t remember the others.”
The manager shrugged apologetically.
Katsumi thanked him before rushing toward the bench.
His thoughts became increasingly chaotic.
The manager hadn’t mentioned Blue-Eyes.
But if Dark Magicians existed…
Then Blue-Eyes almost certainly existed as well.
“Flügel…”
“Epuna…
Ten-thousand shield…”
He absentmindedly flipped through the magazine.
The game Yu-Gi-Oh didn’t exist in this world.
Neither did its archetypes.
So…
Who possessed them?
Was he the only reincarnated person?
Or…
Were there others?
‘Father…’
Blue’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
The game of Yu-Gi-Oh had been harmless.
Just cardboard.
Just strategy.
Just fun.
The anime…
Wasn’t.
There…
Cards could kill.
‘Father!’
Blue’s existence alone proved that.
‘FATHERRRR!!’
“AGH!”
Katsumi nearly jumped off the bench as Blue’s screech echoed through his mind.
Several customers looked over.
Finding nothing more than a small child sitting alone, they quickly returned to their own games.
‘You ignored me.’
‘You looked lost.’
‘I…’
‘Okay.’
‘I was ignoring you.’
‘About what?’
‘Some friends from my previous world.’
‘…I see.’
Katsumi picked up the first booster pack.
The wrapper tore open with a satisfying rip.
First pack.
Royal Paladin.
Royal Paladin.
Kagero.
Oracle Think Tank.
Kagero.
Nothing remarkable.
Second pack.
Dimension Police.
Royal Paladin.
Kagero.
Oracle Think Tank.
Royal Paladin.
Again.
Nothing.
One after another, the packs disappeared until only a single unopened pack remained.
The fifth.
Katsumi carefully tore open the black wrapper.
Royal Paladin.
Kagero.
Kagero.
Oracle Think Tank.
“…”
Disappointment washed over him.
‘Father.’
‘The last card.’
Katsumi blinked.
‘What about it?’
His fingers touched the final card.
It felt…
Cold.
Not physically.
Rather, a strange chill seeped into his fingertips.
Blue’s voice became unusually serious.
‘Reveal it.’
Slowly…
Katsumi turned the card over.
“…”
His breathing stopped.
A silver-white dragon dominated the artwork.
Its body was leaner than Blue’s.
Its wings were sharper.
Azure eyes glowed with quiet pride.
At the bottom of the card…
A single line made his heart skip.
Clan: Blue-Eyes
Below it…
Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon
“…Alternative?”
Katsumi whispered.
He had spent years chasing this card in his previous life.
Building decks around it.
Opening countless packs.
Watching others summon it.
Yet fate had never allowed him to own one.
Until now.
Blue laughed proudly.
‘Father.’
‘One of our brothers has answered your call.’
Katsumi stared silently.
Then…
A grin slowly spread across his face.
“So there really are more of you.”
His grip tightened around the card.
If Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon existed…
Then somewhere…
Chaos MAX Dragon existed.
Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon.
Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.
Perhaps even dragons he had never seen before.
This wasn’t just another card game anymore.
It had become a treasure hunt.
And Katsumi had no intention of stopping until every last Blue-Eyes card belonged to him.
“Aye!”
A childish yell suddenly interrupted his thoughts.
Katsumi looked up.
A boy about his age stood a few meters away, pointing directly at the card in his hand.
“I want that card!”
“So fight me!”
Blue roared excitedly.
‘FIGHT!!’