Knight?

So, this was how things stood now.

The Underworld Legion was bearing down on them, and every one of these people, including Noah Kaiba, looked as though they were facing a formidable enemy. They had even convened a special war council for it.

Yet after a whole series of seemingly sophisticated intelligence-gathering efforts and discussions, the conclusion was that all they needed to do was airdrop themselves in front of the enemy commander and play cards in his face.

There was no meticulous strategy, nor any need to discuss the battlefield situation.

The entire war council had discussed only one thing:

Hades's deck.

A meeting that should have been solemn had somehow turned into an analyst team offering advice to an esports player about to take the stage.

There seemed to be plenty to complain about, but on second thought, there had indeed been plenty of similar things from the manga to the anime.

For example, there was an organization called Doma. It claimed to have shaped human history, intervening in the course of events since Atlantis ten thousand years ago. It claimed to have agents all over the world and to manipulate the governments and powers of every nation at will. In the end, the enraged Pharaoh stormed their doorstep and wiped them out through a card game. From then on, the Doma organization vanished without a trace.

Then there was an organization called the Supreme King's Army. It claimed to have swept across the entire other world, leaving no grass growing wherever it went. Yet after someone fought their way into Darklord Castle and perished with them, the demon army scattered like monkeys from a fallen tree.

How should he put it...

"Just what you'd expect from Yu-Gi-Oh!."

"What did you say?"

When he looked ahead, he found the green-haired boy in white staring at him curiously.

Noah Kaiba...

"I said, just what you'd expect from a world of duelists. It feels like once you factor in that identity, so many things become simple."

Looking into those eyes that seemed free of all impurity and gloom, Yu Ming could not help but sigh.

"There is no need to consider elaborate plans for war. As long as you can play cards, everything will get better."

"Ah..."

"What is it?"

Seeing Noah's faintly amused smile, Yu Ming shrugged.

"I didn't say anything wrong, did I?"

"Yes, you are right."

"Exactly..."

"But that is only if you can win, and you..."

Before Yu Ming could finish speaking, the boy's even voice rang out again.

For some reason, Yu Ming suddenly found the boy's gaze a little scorching.

"What about me?"

"Nothing."

The boy smiled.

"I simply think that you seem very confident, as though you have never doubted your own victory."

"Is that so?"

Yu Ming merely shrugged at that.

"All I can say is that, in terms of deckbuilding, no opponent so far has exceeded my expectations."

Whether it was Keith, whom he had faced for the first time, his later match with Noah, or even the Big Five and the others, it had all been the same.

After all, he had an unimaginably vast card pool behind him.

He might not clearly remember the effects of certain obscure cards or broken cards that had yet to be printed, but figuring out their boards was obviously no difficult task.

Noah, however, clearly did not know that.

"What frightening control."

That was how he put it, seemingly elevating Yu Ming's personal abilities by several levels without realizing it.

"Thinking about it carefully, the calmness and rationality you display in duels are also intimidating."

Honestly, Yu Ming felt rather uncomfortable, but he had no way to explain any of it clearly.

In the end...

"I don't think you are qualified to say that to me. In that respect, you are even more excessive than I am."

Yu Ming chose to turn the fire on Noah himself.

"You look like a child, yet you single-handedly created an enormous city. You hold real power and have even become a thorn in the Necromancer King's side. That is far more impressive than anything I have done."

"Do you truly think so?"

"Of course."

"..."

Noah suddenly fell silent.

For a moment, the composed smile he had maintained all this time seemed unable to hold, and Yu Ming even saw something strange and complex that was difficult to describe.

"At the end of the day, this is merely a clumsy imitation."

"Hm?"

Yu Ming froze.

Noah's reaction was truly baffling, but unfortunately, the boy did not give him a chance to ask further.

"Forget it. Let us not talk about that. We should talk about you now."

The boy waved a hand and shifted the topic just like that.

"Me?"

"Yes. If I am not mistaken, the deck you are using is still incomplete, correct?"

"That's true. It is not unusable, but it lacks staying power and is easy to counter. If I want to face a hard battle, it does need some reinforcement."

Yu Ming had nothing to hide about that.

"Perhaps you can offer some help?"

"Of course. I had already intended to."

Faced with such an undisguised hint, Noah did not grow annoyed in the slightest. He simply smiled and nodded.

"If there are any cards you need, tell us. We will provide you with our full support."

"Really? Then I won't hold back."

Yu Ming brightened and rubbed his hands together eagerly.

"First, get me a Psychic Shockwave. I've had my eye on that card for a long time."

"We do not have it."

"Huh?"

"I said, we do not have it."

Perhaps afraid Yu Ming had not heard him clearly, Noah repeated himself seriously.

"Psychic Shockwave is Ogorou Daimon's card. Its ability to lock down Traps regardless of friend or foe reflects his inner self, and unfortunately, we have yet to master the technology needed to fully control it."

"Oh... Then give me one of your Yata-Garasus?"

"Spirit Monsters are rather special. I only have that one myself."

"Then how about a Monster Reborn? I still don't have a card that can freely interact with the Graveyard without conditions."

"If we truly possessed Monster Reborn, we would not be struggling here."

"...Then what exactly do you have?"

"If you mean cards that can be mass-produced, then only the military- and unmanned-control-focused 'Mecha,' the power-generating 'Gears' assembled from parts, and..."

"And what else?"

Yu Ming looked at Noah curiously and saw the boy rummaging through the inner pocket of his jacket.

At last, he pulled out a small box.

"This."

The moment Yu Ming instinctively reached out, he sensed what was inside.

"Cards?"

"Yes. I had intended to give them to you earlier, but too much happened, and it got delayed until now."

"True. I feel like I'm some kind of disaster magnet. The moment I arrive somewhere, all sorts of messy things happen one after another."

"But think of it positively. It is not too late for it to return to its rightful owner now, is it?"

"..."

In an instant, Yu Ming's previously relaxed and indifferent expression vanished.

When he instinctively looked up, he found that the boy who should have been standing before him had disappeared.

Then the sound of an announcement began to echo.

"Attention, all duelists. The enemy has entered the alert perimeter. Battle is about to begin. Please ensure you are in peak condition to engage."

"If you require anything, issue a request to the internal network through your Duel Disk. We will deliver the requested supplies and cards at once."

Facing that emotionless synthesized announcement, Yu Ming stared at the card box in his hand.

He slowly opened it, and the first card that came into view made him freeze.

"Dark Dragon of Combat?"

Honestly, it was not a rare card, but Yu Ming could not help pausing.

The reason was that it was a dedicated support card for Dark Blade, as well as a template for early Union Monsters.

But that no longer mattered much now. If Noah had not been joking about this...

"Dragon Rider, Knight of Dark Demise, Meteor Dragon."

Union Monsters, Fusion Monsters, Normal Monsters—one card after another appeared before his eyes, and Yu Ming's brow furrowed tighter and tighter.

At last came the blue that symbolized a Ritual:

"Paladin of Dark Dragon?"

For no apparent reason, Yu Ming felt his eyes grow hot, and a strange, dazed sensation rushed into his mind.

"This card..."

New career encounter detected

Encounter story discovered—"Red-Eyes Knight"

Is this knight of yours a Dragon Knight?

Bad news: relatives came over this morning, and I have been busy until now. Please wait a little longer for the second chapter; I am still writing it.