It was over.
The moment Noah set his card face-down, Yu Ming received a system notification:
Congratulations, Host, for defeating duelist 'Noah Kaiba.' You have gained 100 Duel Points from this duel.
Naturally, Yu Ming was not surprised by the result itself.
The unrestricted versions of "Crush Card Virus" and "Magic Deck Devastation Virus" had delivered devastating blows to the hand and field.
And "Dimension Fusion" had been even more decisive. As another "criminal" that had been banned early in his previous life's format, its effect was as follows:
"Pay 2,000 LP. Both players can Special Summon as many banished monsters as possible."
In other words, unless a card had summoning restrictions of its own, it could be brought out simply by paying 2,000 LP.
Although Yu Ming did not have things like "Chaos Dark Magician" or "Mass Driver," he had banished four Normal Monsters using "Soul Release."
Once his turn came around, a single card could call all four large fellows from the banished zone, their fighting spirit and resilience enough to amaze anyone.
Even with "Machine Drive Night" reducing their ATK by 500, the combined attack power of four monsters was more than enough to finish things.
Then again, "Machine Drive Night" could turn all monsters on the field into Machine-types.
As Yu Ming began gathering the cards from the table, he could not help staring at the four monster cards retrieved from the banished zone.
"So, does this count as four machine heads too...?"
Of course, he was joking.
Whenever such inexplicable thoughts surfaced in his mind, even Yu Ming could not help wanting to laugh.
But after reining in those bizarre thoughts, there was still something before him that deserved attention.
"Though it may be a little late to say this now, but..."
When he looked up, he saw Noah smiling right in front of him.
"You really are strong."
At that moment, the boy seemed to have completely forgotten about his defeat. Even the disappointment he had shown earlier seemed like some kind of illusion.
Looking at the smile on Noah's face, Yu Ming merely shook his head.
"Forget that. I was just a little luckier, that's all."
After reorganizing his deck and putting it back into his card case, Yu Ming looked toward Noah.
Although he had already received the reward and the system had acknowledged the outcome, he would not let down his guard over it.
"Leaving aside the fact that you weren't even using your own deck, more importantly..."
Instinctively drawing out his words, Yu Ming glanced at the system notification only he could see.
100 Duel Points had been credited.
If Duel Points depended on an opponent's strength, that was far too little.
Not to mention the walking corpses and stray demons outside that could only provide a few dozen points, it should not have been like this even with Keith as a benchmark.
At the very least, Yu Ming did not believe Noah was necessarily weaker than Keith.
Clearly, there was only one answer:
"You weren't serious either, were you?"
Yu Ming said.
"After all, the result of this match wasn't important to you."
At that, Noah merely raised an eyebrow.
After sorting away that parts-and-mecha deck, he once again propped his chin up like a commander.
"Then... what do you think is important?"
"Testing me, of course. After all, I'm a stranger who just arrived here. As the administrator, there's no way you'd determine what I'm made of based on a single report, and then..."
He looked at the deck on the table.
"Try to recruit me—to represent your Kaiba Corporation."
Noah's blue eyes seemed to widen instinctively.
He could not help staring at the older boy before him, as though he wanted to say something, only to see the other side yawning.
"Just like what I'm doing right now, you've been showing me the capabilities and foundation you possess, constantly trying through your words to give me a good impression of Kaiba Corporation."
Yu Ming stretched lazily.
When he looked at Noah again, he only saw the boy's expression gradually turn subtle.
Honestly, Yu Ming had always felt that some of Yu-Gi-Oh!'s early settings had been written with someone's feet. Putting aside the wildly exaggerated GX, Noah Kaiba alone was already absurd enough.
With the anime's backing, Kaiba Corporation was already an arms company involved in satellite weapons, capable even of independently developing and controlling missiles. Yet this guy before him had been independently researching plans to conquer and rule the world at the age of ten.
Playing mind games with someone like that made Yu Ming feel as though it would shorten his life. Fortunately, this was a world where people settled things with cards.
Just like high-martial worlds and all kinds of settings that emphasized individual strength, as long as your card skills were strong enough here, no matter who the other party was, they had to respect your wishes.
"So, what do you think?"
Facing Noah's somewhat helpless expression, Yu Ming smiled faintly.
At the end of the day, he only had one request right now:
"I hope to have somewhere to settle down and avoid struggling alone in this damned world. So I can work for you and accept jobs assigned by you, but..."
But there was one condition.
"I don't want to get involved in all that messy stuff."
Yu Ming said.
"Factional disputes, conflicts of interest... honestly, I don't care what ambitions Kaiba Corporation has, but I don't want to be affected by those things."
He stared at Noah, focusing on the hesitant expression of this heir.
In the end, all he received was a helpless look.
"It seems we haven't left you with a very good impression."
You know that too? Seeing Noah's regretful expression, the corner of Yu Ming's mouth twitched.
Although Yu Ming did not know what difference there was between the Noah Kaiba now appearing in the underworld and the Noah AI from the Noah arc, who could calmly say, "Destroy the entire world in thirty days,"
a child skillfully using tactics of reward and intimidation like that, the maturity lurking beneath his childish voice, gave Yu Ming an inexplicable chill.
What was more...
"After all, you're Kaibas."
Though later on, card players would mention that surname with more than a little teasing.
Though President was often mocked for having a card addiction that was the true driving force of productivity, he had genuinely pushed the world forward.
But that was not the case now.
"You are an arms company. You can casually start wars just to test new weapons. Your 'kingdom of arms' is built entirely upon the misfortune and sacrifice of others."
Yu Ming looked at the boy before him—Noah Kaiba.
The boy whom Gozaburo Kaiba had raised to become a ruler, according to the setting.
"Can you tell me why a group like this, a blood-soaked force like this, raised its banner in rebellion against the current Necromancer King?"
"To save this world."
"...?"
Damn it, where did my moral high ground go?
Yu Ming really wanted to ask that, but the atmosphere did not allow him to joke around.
"I'm serious. The reason I set about establishing the current Kaiba Corporation was also to protect those around me."
When Yu Ming came back to his senses, he saw Noah wearing a serious expression.
"I know I cannot possibly earn your trust right now, but please give me... give the current Kaiba Corporation some time. I will prove it."
There was no teasing, no evasiveness.
After making that solemn promise, a smile instead appeared on his face.
"For now, please allow me to formally introduce our base."
Beep.
Noah pressed a button on the table.
Accompanied by a faint vibration, the wall behind him opened to both sides like a massive door, revealing enormous floor-to-ceiling windows.
As light emerged, a wide-open "new world" appeared before Yu Ming:
High-rises and residential homes stood in orderly layers, while factories and gardens were scattered in pleasing arrangements.
In the distance stood a modern port, opposite ancient-style buildings centered around an unknown shrine.
With just one glance, Yu Ming felt as though time and space had become tangled, as if architecture from every era had been piled together.
"This is...?"
"A city."
When his gaze shifted from that vast landscape of layered buildings back to Noah's face, he saw a confident smile.
"Welcome to New Domino City."
Location discovered—New Domino City
So can this New Domino City ride D-Wheels?
Of course, he knew the answer without saying such a complaint aloud.
There was no Perpetual Motion Machine here, nor were there any elevated highways for riding duels in sight. That city, seemingly based on the DM era yet mixed with all manner of other elements, was merely the settlement of the resistance here.
"I can personally show you around the city. That should also provide some help for your future life..."
Ring ring ring.
Suddenly, the piercing telephone rang, bringing everything to a halt.
When Yu Ming instinctively looked toward the telephone on the table, he found that Noah had already picked it up.
"It's me. What is it?"
Then, the smile on his face was replaced by shock.
"What did you say?!"
In an instant, the previously pleasant atmosphere of cooperation vanished completely.
Noah Kaiba's face darkened, and Yu Ming could even feel an unprecedented pressure radiating from him.
Then he raised his head.
"I was planning to show you around, but there's no time for that now."
"What happened?"
Facing that grave and stern expression, Yu Ming asked.
At that moment, the pressure around Noah vanished without a trace, leaving only a bitter smile.
"I'm afraid we'll need your help after all."
At that moment, Yu Ming even felt as though the air had frozen and time itself had come to a complete stop.
"Huh?"
What did that mean?
But before he could ask, the answer had already arrived before him.
Boom!
A violent tremor rang out alongside the roar of an explosion, and the door that should have remained shut collapsed with a thunderous crash.
From within the smoke and dust came a gloomy voice:
"Finally found you, you filthy rats."
"..."
Come on, wasn't this moving way too fast?
Before you continue