I Choose All of Them!
After thinking for a moment, Tian Nan shook his head.
"I can't break it. Nope, not happening."
He had run through every board-breaking option in his deck.
None of them could break that.
It was exactly as Yuye had said at the very beginning—
His entire deck couldn't break a single monster.
What more was there to say?
He could only accept defeat wholeheartedly.
Soon after, it was Yuye's turn.
He used Utopia to assemble a clean OTK board and cut down Tian Nan directly, ending the duel.
"Yuye… won't you reconsider?" Zhao Jingqing spoke again, extending another invitation.
"The Duel Association really is a good choice. We provide card pools, connections, and even help you gather cards with spirit assistance.
Your Tearlaments—if you join us, you might complete the full archetype in a year. Maybe even half a year.
And we won't restrict you, nor force you into anything."
The latter part was actually beyond her authority, but she believed it was worth saying.
If she could recruit Yuye, she was certain the Duel Association would agree to those conditions.
Because of that duel just now, people like Wang Chengluo and Luo Hao might've only seen the overwhelming power of Rhongomyniad.
But Zhao Jingqing saw something else—
Knowledge. Terrifying knowledge.
Yes, Rhongo was strong.
But Yuye had said it himself—it wasn't "unbreakable."
People didn't know how to break it.
If Yuye's opponent had been the one using Rhongo instead,
Then, at the same Heavenly Rank, she was certain any Rhongo with five or more materials wouldn't survive a turn against him.
And more importantly—
When others finally learned how to break Rhongo,
Yuye wouldn't even need Rhongo to create Rhongo-tier suppression.
Just from what he said, Rhongomyniad was only one of the Five Great Rank-Up Xyz.
One Rhongo vs. a man who could potentially create countless Rhongos.
Which one was more valuable?
Anyone with a working brain knew the answer.
"Sorry. I'm truly not interested."
Yuye rejected without even the slightest hesitation.
"The cooperation offer is fine, though."
The Duel Association provides global search support—even spirit-realm support—
That was undeniably tempting.
But endless tasks disguised as "non-restrictions"?
He knew better.
Sure, they said, "we won't assign you missions,"
But the Duelist Regulation itself would assign tasks.
Without completing missions, you couldn't rise in rank.
That wasn't the Association restricting you.
Those were the rules.
You couldn't argue with that.
"…Fine."
Zhao Jingqing sighed softly.
Rejecting without even a second's hesitation—
She understood that persisting would only make him dislike her.
It would be smarter to cooperate and build rapport.
That way, if she needed his help in the future, he'd be far more likely to agree.
"There's no need to sigh," Yuye smiled.
"This time, I need a lot of cards. You'll have plenty of opportunities to cooperate."
"Ahem—Yuye, rather than later, why not now?"
Tian Nan coughed lightly.
"Look, right now we've got the heads of three major Hangzhou families here.
And looking further, Zhao Jingqing and I can represent the Eastern Region's Duel Association and the Inspectors Bureau.
Whatever cards you want, you can list them—we can get them for you immediately."
Everyone present except Muning was an old fox.
They instantly understood what Tian Nan really meant—
He wanted to secure the card list for himself.
But with the Duel Association present, he couldn't say that openly.
So he dragged the Association and the Hangzhou families in together.
"I think Tian Nan's suggestion is very good.
What do the rest of you think?"
Zhao Jingqing smiled meaningfully at the three family heads.
It wasn't a question.
It was an order disguised as a question.
Agree, and your families prosper.
Refuse, and your families disappear.
"Of course, we have no objection!"
The three immediately nodded.
Not that they would've refused anyway.
They were smart—
They could see that after today, Yuye was now the target of recruitment for the entire Eastern Region.
If they lost this chance, they might never get another.
"Alright then, let me think through the cards. Give me a moment."
Yuye understood everything instantly.
But as long as they weren't like the idiotic Zeng Family and were willing to cooperate normally,
He was fine working with them.
Faster card acquisition was always good.
Why refuse?
So he began planning:
Runick, Lightsworn-Tearlaments, Naturia-Horus, Tearlaments-Horus, Snake-Eyes,
and the restrictions that once applied in his previous life vs. the current environment.
He combined it all to decide what he needed.
He had already built connections.
He would never again lose money selling deck builds.
By evening, Chang Xingge drove Yuye and Muning home.
"Thank you, Senior Yuye."
She bowed deeply once he stepped out of the car.
"You passed the Ground-Rank test?" Yuye asked casually.
"Yes. Princess Baiyin sent me the necessary cards.
And with the deck you modified for me…
Not 100%, but at least a 95% chance to pass."
Chang Xingge answered respectfully.
It wasn't just gratitude for that—
Because of the Drytron deck he'd given her,
the Duel Association had already labeled her a Heavenly Rank seed.
Once she passed Ground Rank, huge resources would be allocated to her.
She knew clearly—
All of this came from Yuye.
Without him, she would still be worrying about Ground Rank.
If lucky, she'd stay Ground Rank for life.
If unlucky, she'd die a Black Iron-Rank duelist.
"Then let me congratulate you in advance, Master Chang."
Yuye smiled.
"Please don't joke, Senior. How could I dare call myself a 'Master' in front of you?"
She gave a strained smile.
"Work hard," Yuye said simply before leaving with Muning.
Chang Xingge watched his back, silently vowing:
If I ever have the chance to help Yuye, I absolutely will.
She bowed again before leaving.
After returning home, Yuye prepared to contact Aqua Sprite (Merli).
His intuition told him this time he would obtain several more Tearlaments cards.
Which ones, he didn't know.
"Night, can we talk to the Runick spirits first?
I want to help you get more of our core cards."
Muning looked at him with hopeful, puppy-like eyes.
"…Alright."
Faced with that expression, Yuye naturally agreed.
He planned to contact all the spirits tonight anyway.
Spirit Realm — Communication Space
"Greetings, Lord Yuye.
Seeing you like this… I think I finally understand why Lady Aqua Sprite favors you."
As soon as Yuye arrived, a girl about sixteen or seventeen in a small dress bowed politely.
"Hello, Huginn."
Yuye recognized her immediately.
But he was confused.
Aqua Sprite was a World of Sorrow spirit—
Why did she know a Runick spirit?
Aqua Sprite didn't strike him as someone who enjoyed making friends.
Before he could dwell on it, Runick Hugin's wolf (Geri) and tiger (Freki) circled his legs, acting like little animals begging for pats.
Yuye squatted down and rubbed both of their heads.
The two spirits instantly showed blissful expressions.
The giant horse spirit, Sleipnir, stood off to the side—
He also wanted pats, but he was too big to curl around Yuye like the others.
"Wait… why are you all so well-behaved?"
Muning was stunned.
She had only been away for twenty years.
The once-crazy wolf and violent tiger…
Now, they acted like spoiled pets?!
And even Hugin—
who was usually impossibly proud and wouldn't even spare other spirits a glance—
was behaving politely.
"What do you mean by 'why are we like this'?"
Hugin rolled her eyes.
"Yuye is your chosen duelist.
Did you want us to treat him coldly or rudely?"
Muning froze.
Fair point.
No flaws in that logic.
"True… anyway, about the cards—"
She had just begun to speak when she suddenly widened her eyes at the sight before her.
"Lord Yuye, here—take these."
Hugin grabbed his hand and shoved several cards into it.
"Fangs, Destruction, Freezing. All yours."
She pressed them into his palm as if afraid he might refuse.
The wolf, tiger, and horse spirits approached as well.
Each had two or three cards floating over their heads, looking at Yuye expectantly.
Yuye, seeing how welcoming they were, accepted everything without hesitation.
Just like that, among the Runick core cards,
he now only lacked one Runick Fountain, one Runick Fangs, one Destruction, one Freezing Curses, and one Blaze.
Everything else was complete.
"…Excuse me? They're giving you THIS much face?"
Muning was shocked.
"Please."
Hugin snorted, arms crossed.
"Come back home already. I'll protect Yuye for you.
Your brain rusted after twenty years living in the human world."
Runick spirits, "easy to talk to"?
Absolutely not.
But after a "friendly conversation" with Lady Aqua Sprite
and seeing Yuye's strength—
Only an idiot wouldn't cling to such a massive thigh.
"No way… this makes it look like I'm totally useless.
I even prepared negotiation lines…"
Muning broke mentally.
"If you're so competent, why don't you go talk to Fountain?"
Hugin shot her a glare.
"All the remaining cards are in her hands.
Convince that rules-obsessed fossil?
If you can, I'll call you my hero."
If it were any other duelist, she would've thrown them AND Muning out together.
What strength could dare covet the Runick field?
"…Next time, for sure."
Thinking of Fountain's personality, Muning gave up immediately.
It wasn't that she didn't want to help—
But Runick Fountain was too rigid.
If you wanted her to hand over the cards by force?
Sure—
Win a duel against her.
But among Runick spirits, duel permissions were based on rank.
Muning had one Fountain.
Fountain would have three.
How do you win that?
"Fountain's spirit won't give me cards?" Yuye asked curiously.
"Correct," Hugin replied.
"Under normal rules, she only gives two cards to Ground Rank duelists, and three to Heavenly Rank.
Fangs works the same.
You only received so many because your strength is overwhelming."
Yuye nodded thoughtfully.
Honestly, two Fountains were enough for him.
But since he was already here…
Leaving empty-handed wouldn't feel right.
A true duelist, when faced with cards—
Never chooses.
We take ALL of them.