The Foundation of the Tower

"Urgh!"

Kaku Dixon staggered back, his face deathly pale, barely able to keep his footing.

So strong...

He understood now. When the other man said he was only this much, there had truly been no mockery in it at all. He had merely been stating a fact.

Before this man, he really was nothing more than fodder.

This was the power of sword dueling...

"Nothing more than the tip of the iceberg."

Mello slowly stepped forward.

"This Deck possesses powers beyond anything you can understand. Well, unfortunately, someone at your level will probably never get the chance to see any more of them."

Kaku Dixon gritted his teeth and tried to stand, but his lips would not stop trembling, and his entire body shook.

He could only force himself to raise his head.

"What exactly do you want?" Kaku asked with difficulty. "You already got the Deck you wanted, didn't you? Why did you come back? Why did you come looking for Illusion Industrial? Cough, cough..."

"Why?"

Mello stopped before him. His Duel Disk had already been put away, returning to the form of a cane.

He lightly tapped Kaku's head with the cane in a mocking gesture, then gave a soft laugh.

"As one of Industrial Illusions' top Card Professors, surely you understand how this world truly works?" Mello said. "Years ago, when Professor Pegasus of your company excavated the three-thousand-year-old Duel Monster Stone Slab in Ancient Egypt, the course of this world's fate began to change.

"Duel Monsters cards were initially nothing more than a game popular on every street corner. But gradually, they began to reveal extraordinary power.

"First came the ancient artifacts from three thousand years ago, displaying the ability to manipulate hearts and destroy the world.

"Then came their impact on technology. Cards entered all