Good Brother

Somewhere in the city.

At the end of a narrow, dim alleyway, though technically within the city limits, it felt cut off from the world.

This was an area only accessible to those who knew the right way in.

A bar.

Soft light cast dappled shadows around. The air was a mix of alcohol and tobacco, along with something heavier and more murky. An old phonograph played an eerie melody, each note seemingly melting into the pervasive shadows.

As if an invisible darkness enveloped the entire space.

This was a gathering place for Dark Duelists.

But it wasn't the only one. Although Dark Duels were still just rumors among the general public—just like Judai in the first season of the GX anime who once believed in science and refused to accept the reality of Dark Duels—so many years had passed since the DM era, and now an Underground Network for Dark Duels had been established across the world.

And Dark Duelists were scattered everywhere, like assassins hiding in the shadows.

Many were freelancers, accepting commissions through the Underground Network, taking money to get the job done. There were also various organizations involved.

This situation was actually an inevitable trend of development. After all, Dark Duels were just too convenient and versatile. They left traditional assassination and espionage methods in the dust.

By Duelling, one could eliminate a target without firing a shot, leaving no trace. If necessary, additional restrictions could be added when initiating a Dark Duel to literally reduce the target to dust. Literally scattering even the ashes into particles, leaving absolutely no trace.

And what they could do wasn't limited to assassination. By winning a Duel with stakes against someone in a crucial position or holding significant power, they could easily pry open anyone's mouth to get any confidential information, or even directly brainwash the opponent into complete obedience, thereby influencing major events in the business world or even politics.

Of course, where there's a spear, there's a shield. The rise of this dark profession naturally drew the attention of the upper class to its threat. So these days, important figures either had exceptional Duelling skills themselves or were accompanied by Duel Bodyguards.

This bar, named "Blood Moon," was one such organization where Dark Duelists gathered.

The bartender was a woman with scarlet pupils. She had astonishing curves with max-level eye-catching ability, and she was generous in displaying her natural endowments to her colleagues.

This was why during the meeting, her colleagues' gazes were on her ninety percent of the time, even though she barely said anything.

A man in a suit at the bar slowly drank a glass. Putting down the glass, he said slowly, "One of our colleagues has left us."

"Oh."

"Too bad."

"What a shame."

The colleagues all expressed regret, but their eyes never left her. The beautiful bartender shook the glass in her hand with elegant and practiced movements. The liquid swirled in the glass, and the movement of her arm caused the rest of her body to sway as well, eliciting a chorus of "oohs" from the onlookers.

The man in the suit was slightly displeased. "We lost a comrade, couldn't you at least pretend to care a little?"

Someone pointed out, "But weren't you looking over there the whole time you were talking?"

The man in the suit pondered for two seconds before saying righteously, "I couldn't help it."

This immediately caused a burst of laughter, and the bar filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

"But seriously, Onizuka was my good brother," the man in the suit said gravely. "We knew each other before joining the organization. I can't pretend nothing happened."

A man with a middle part next to him advised, "We're all in this line of work; we know the rules. Win and you live, lose and you die. So many Duels, so many lives and deaths.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you die. That's just how it is. Onizuka knew that too."

"Besides," another person nearby added, "how do you even know who did it? Who among us in this line of work doesn't have ten or eight enemies?"

"The night before Onizuka left headquarters this trip, he was drinking with me, saying he'd heard some rumors, that the Legendary Duelist Ryuzaki was preparing to reappear."

The man in the suit said in a deep voice.

"Onizuka was very interested in this. Being a fellow Dinosaur user, he often said he wanted to find that Ryuzaki and challenge him..."

"Whoa, that's a Legendary Duelist," the man with the middle part said. "Are you sure you've thought this through, Fujimoto? And Onizuka's Duelling skill wasn't bad. If even he couldn't win..."

"Onizuka never beat me either."

The man in the suit, called Fujimoto, smiled slightly. He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, then, under the swirling smoke, he looked up at a forty-five-degree angle.

"There are times when a man just has to step up. Besides, we Duelists, if we always settle for the status quo and don't dare challenge the strong, how can we ever improve?"

The man with the middle part eyed him skeptically. "Since you're so ambitious, why don't you go challenge Yugi Mutou then?"

Fujimoto, who was just showing off, immediately choked. He held it in for several seconds before speaking dully.

"...Yugi Mutou is just too strong."

After all, he was talking about challenging the strong to reach new heights and improve, not going to his death.

Knowing the win rate is 0 and still going in is just plain giving up for free.

Fujimoto let out a soft sigh and began to reminisce.

"Onizuka and I were both people abandoned by the Duelling world. We met through underground Duels... Back then, I promised him that if anything ever happened to him, I'd look after his wife and children.

But I never expected him to leave so suddenly, without even leaving behind any offspring, only a gentle and beautiful girlfriend waiting for me to look after her..."

In that case, won't I have to personally figure out the matter of children for my brother?

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but shake his head repeatedly, sighing about how hard life was.

A large man next to him patted his shoulder. "Brother, don't be too sad. Brother Onizuka, with his spirit in heaven, knowing he has such a reliable brother in you, should be able to rest easy."

"You're right," Fujimoto patted his hand and nodded.

Then, he suddenly felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.

"Huh? Did you suddenly feel a cold gust of wind just now?"

The big guy blinked blankly. "No, I didn't."

"Strange... Could it be Brother Onizuka urging me to avenge him?"

Fujimoto tilted his head back and said solemnly.

"Brother Onizuka, don't worry. I'll quickly find that punk Dinosaur Ryuzaki and drag his soul into the darkness too, to avenge you!"

Elsewhere.

After his crushing defeat at the Moonflower Cup, Dinosaur Ryuzaki's comeback failed, so he returned to seclusion, once again seriously studying his Deck.

He had been full of confidence, thinking this return would be a big deal, but he never expected to fail so miserably in the end. The king failed to make a successful return and instead gave a kill to a rookie who was just starting out.

Especially since that rookie's record was completely blank before this tournament, so it was easy to imagine that whenever that guy showed up in the future, others' first reaction would definitely be: Holy crap, isn't that the guy who crushed Ryuzaki?

In other words, the further that newcomer went and the more he appeared, the more Ryuzaki's failure would be rubbed in his face.

Failing to take off after being in seclusion for so many years was bad enough, but failing and becoming a stepping stone? Who could stand this?

"Fujiki Kira... Very well, I remember you."

Ryuzaki muttered coldly to himself.

He had no other choice but to find an opportunity to Duel him again.

Until he Dueled and won against that kid, he would have to continue carrying this stain, until this joke got spread wider and wider.

Just as he was thinking this, his nose suddenly itched for no reason, and he let out an "Achoo".

"Strange, why do I suddenly feel a bit cold behind me."

Ryuzaki mysteriously wiped his nose.

What's with this feeling like someone's got it out for me for no reason?