Yu-Gi-Oh! Special: A Duel

The evening in New Eridu looked like an overturned jar of syrup. Neon signs on the arcade pillars bled orange-red streaks across the wet flagstones.

Inside Whatever Temple, Yunkui Mountain's group had gathered together, each wearing a VR headset.

In the virtual space, they stood in a duel arena. Cards and monster projections surrounded them, drawing exclamations of admiration.

Pulchra said, "Those monster effects look so real!"

Ye Shiyuan said, "Generally speaking, the Hollow Investigation Association could do this too, but most of their catalog is Ethereals."

Belle asked, "Griseo, are you sure this is a game?"

Griseo said, "It is, Belle!"

Yixuan said, "Now you've got my attention. How do we play?"

Yixuan hadn't been interested at first. She had assumed Griseo's equipment was a virtual combat training tool, like the ones used by the Hollow Investigation Association.

But once she heard it was a game, that changed everything.

"Watch Fairy and me first. You'll get it after one round!"

Griseo brought up a control interface in the virtual space. "Fairy, have you learned the rules?"

[Affirmative. Master Griseo, I have studied the materials you uploaded.]

[Please select a difficulty.]

[1. Duel under simplified rules based on the beginner's guide.]

[2. Duel under the complete tournament rules.]

Fairy's electronic voice rang out. Ripples spread through the virtual space, and a small white dot appeared.

"Um, Fairy, what's the difference?"

Belle quietly raised her hand and voiced what everyone was thinking. They had all been too busy admiring the beautiful projections to look into the rules.

[Answer: Difficulty 1 uses the basic rules. Difficulty 2 includes detailed restrictions covering 300 pages of specific provisions...]

"Stop! Griseo, pick difficulty 1!" Belle hurriedly interrupted Fairy. Otherwise, it might still be talking tomorrow.

"Okay, Belle."

Griseo nodded, selected a deck, and turned to