Yu-Gi-Oh!: Starting With an Underworld Deck, Depressing the World

He should have known next to nothing about theory and the like.

"Just the simplest of basics," Jiang He said casually, waving a hand.

He really did mean that.

Syrus Truesdale and the others only knew nothing about things like monster Traps because they had rarely seen them.

Jiang He, on the other hand, knew a good deal of the story, so he naturally knew more about the effects of certain cards.

"It's hard to believe a man like you actually scored zero on the written exam." Alexis Rhodes walked over and spoke to Jiang He with a slight smile.

Beside her were her two followers and close friends, one with gray-black hair and the other with medium-short crimson hair.

"Because I didn't make it in time to take it at all. Isn't it normal for my written score to be zero?" Jiang He spread his hands helplessly.

As he did, he glanced at the two friends following Alexis.

If he remembered correctly,

they were called Mindy and Jasmine... right?

Jiang He's assessment of the two was:

Their hairstyles were far too normal. One look and you could tell they weren't much good at cards!

If their hairstyles were flipped upside down, their dueling strength would immediately multiply several times over!

Their looks were decent enough, though.

Although compared with Alexis in front of him, they were clearly a level below.

That went for both their looks and their figures.

Jiang He didn't pay much attention to any of that.

He had just made a questionable joke last night, and it seemed to have given Alexis Rhodes the wrong idea about something.

Right now, he really didn't want to stay in the same place as Alexis any longer.

The conversation might wander into some strange territory.

So Jiang He changed the subject and called out to Jaden Yuki and Syrus Truesdale. "Speaking of which, it's about time. The people I'm looking for should be coming to the dorm."

"Let's head back first."

"Huh? Jiang He, are you looking for someone?" Jaden Yuki and Syrus Truesdale were both taken aback.

They were a little confused.

But they soon remembered the mysterious expression Jiang He had worn yesterday.

It was very likely connected to this!

Both were immediately interested in seeing for themselves. They hurried after Jiang He and left the lecture hall.

"Hmph, I won't let you get away so easily!" Watching Jiang He hurry off after finding an excuse, Alexis gave a soft huff, then smiled confidently.

She had originally wanted to challenge Jiang He to a duel and had deliberately added a few Traps to counter him to her deck.

She had planned to see the "secret" Jiang He had refused to tell her last night.

But unexpectedly, before she could even ask, Jiang He had already "found an excuse" to leave!

Even if he got away this time, though, she would find another suitable opportunity!

If Jiang He knew what she was thinking, he would definitely have remarked that they weren't even on the same wavelength!

But even if Jiang He did know, he would still find an excuse to slip away for now.

After all, he hadn't yet had time to bring his remaining 800 emotion points up to 1,000 and exchange them for a new underworld deck from the system...

Against someone as strong as Alexis,

Jiang He really would have a hard time if she countered him.

"'I won't let you get away so easily'... So that's the type Alexis likes?!"

"And she sounds so forceful. Could this be the Duel Academy's aloof queen's declaration of love?"

While Alexis Rhodes was making her threat, her two followers and close friends had stepped back a couple of paces and huddled together, excitedly whispering and gossiping.

Both pictured Jiang He.

They had clearly misunderstood something from Alexis's ambiguous threat...

"You two, what are you talking about over there? It's time to go back to the dorm." Sensing something was off, Alexis turned around in puzzlement and called to them.

"Ah, nothing!"

"Right, right, let's head back too!" Jasmine and Mindy hurriedly laughed to cover up the "huge secret" they had discovered!

Alexis Rhodes looked puzzled.

Inside a room in the Osiris Red dorm.

"Classes at Duel Academy are really relaxed," Jiang He remarked, yawning as he lay on his bed.

There were only two classes all day.

One theory class in the morning and one indoor health class in the afternoon, where they only had to loosen up their joints and have some fun.

Sometimes there was even just one class for the entire day.

Compared with the class schedule he had experienced in his previous life, this was practically a vacation.

Of course, his previous life hadn't had supernatural powers like Duel Spirits either...

The power contained in certain cards could even fuse twelve parallel universes and destroy everything.

"So why did you two come over here instead of going back to your own dorm room next door?"

Hearing the commotion, Jiang He then sat up and looked speechlessly at the two sitting nearby on the tatami floor in his room,

Jaden Yuki and Syrus Truesdale, who had laid out a pile of cards and were building a deck.

"Chumley, our other roommate, sleeps there all day. When Syrus and I talk, we might disturb him."

Jaden Yuki looked up, scratching his head with an embarrassed laugh.

His sidekick Syrus Truesdale laughed sheepishly along with him.

"So coming over here won't disturb me...?" The corner of Jiang He's eye twitched as he stared at the guy, dark lines covering his face.

What the hell kind of thing was that to say?!

"We're friends! That makes it completely different!" Jaden Yuki said at once.

"If you put it that way... I really can't argue with you." Jiang He stared at him speechlessly and rolled his eyes.

Fortunately, construction of his private luxury cabin was already proceeding at a rapid pace.

So he didn't care as much about this room.

When he, Jaden Yuki, and Syrus Truesdale had returned to the Osiris Red dorm just now, they had seen the Chazz Princeton Group's construction crew arriving by helicopter.

They had also brought in plenty of materials and machinery and had already begun building rapidly according to the requirements he had sent over yesterday!

He could even hear plenty of noise coming from nearby.

Chapter 21: Syrus Truesdale Goes Numb

The plan to build the luxury cabin was already underway. For Jiang He, the most important thing now

was naturally to keep earning emotion points... bah, to do good deeds!

To bring others "warmth" and "joy"!

And exchange them for a new underworld deck from the system.

Before long,

seeing Syrus Truesdale building a deck on the tatami floor in front of him with Jaden's advice,

Jiang He suddenly had a flash of inspiration and came up with a plan.

"Syrus, since you've got nothing to do, how about a duel with me?" Jiang He coaxed Jaden's sidekick, Syrus Truesdale.

"As long as you add a few cards to counter me, you should still have a pretty good chance of beating this deck of mine!"

"I'm doing this so you can experience the feeling of successfully defeating someone who once one-turn killed Chazz Princeton, the top-ranked Obelisk Blue elite, and gain the confidence you lack most!"

Jiang He almost believed his own words!

Sacrificing himself to take the blow of defeat, letting someone else win a duel and gain confidence.

"Jiang He...!" Both Syrus Truesdale and Jaden Yuki were deeply moved by his words.

He was such a good friend!

Until, just one short minute later, there was a bang in the room, accompanied by an explosive flash and smoke.

After watching Jiang He talk through his plays for a minute and getting instantly one-turn killed, Syrus Truesdale fell to his knees with a blank expression.

[Ding, Syrus Truesdale's emotion points +200.]

"Looks like your luck wasn't very good this time, Syrus. Even though you got to go first, not a single card you put in to counter my Exodia the Forbidden One deck appeared in your hand."

Jiang He encouraged Syrus Truesdale with great sympathy.

He even continued coaxing him.

Seeing the encouraging expression on his face and Jaden Yuki nodding in agreement,

Syrus Truesdale immediately perked up.

He thought Jiang He was right!

"Jiang He-san, please duel me again!" Syrus Truesdale was full of fighting spirit.

"Duel!"

Another short minute passed.

Once again, there was a bang in the room, accompanied by an explosive flash and smoke.

After once again watching Jiang He talk through his plays for a minute and getting instantly one-turn killed, Syrus Truesdale fell to his knees, looking as though he were questioning his life.

[Ding, Syrus Truesdale's emotion points +400.]

He had been one-turn killed again!

He had drawn a Trap Card in his opening hand that could destroy one monster.

And with Jiang He letting him go first, he had successfully dealt with the first [Royal Magical Library] Jiang He summoned.

But the very next moment, Jiang He used the Spell Card [Double Summon] to summon a second [Royal Magical Library].

Then came another familiar string of plays, and another round of horror stories for him.

"Jiang He, I'd better..." Before Syrus Truesdale could say he was giving up,

Jiang He had already served him a dose of inspirational platitudes. "Syrus, haven't you noticed you've already improved?"