He clenched his fist, veins popping on his forehead: "It's just fancy words spoken by those who have won! Whether it's Muto Yuugi or Joey Wheeler, they don't understand at all!
The pain of falling from the highest point, being humiliated, being ridiculed, and having your self-esteem trampled until it's worth nothing! Do you think I enjoy this? But not everyone is Muto Yuugi!"
His eyes, glowing green, were filled with bloodshot lines.
"Not everyone can move forward so unfalteringly. I've tried, I've struggled, but nothing changed! Isn't that true for most people? In a duel, there can only be one winner, one victor; the rest are just stepping stones for them.
It's easy to speak prettily from the top, but the rest don't have that many options."
He looked sullenly at Yugen.
"You seem to be a young prodigy, right? You haven't gone through what I have. When you know what it's like to fall from high up into hell, you'll understand me.
By then, you'll know that all this talk of duelist's dignity and bond with cards is just child's play. Only power and victory matter!
To win, you can use any means, whether it's cheating, scheming, or even selling your soul to the devil, as long as you can win, nothing else matters!"
Yugen: "..."
"What?" Keith shouted angrily, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No." Yugen said calmly, "Indeed, in this world, even without the power of Orichalcos, you should already be stronger than most duelists, right?
And you are right. Only one person can stand at the pinnacle of dueling, not everyone is Muto Yuugi. But there's one thing you got wrong.
Whether it's Muto Yuugi or Joey Wheeler, before they are 'winners,' they are first 'duelists.'
A duel is not just a tool for winning. A true duelist is someone who always believes in their card deck, not a relationship where the strong enslave the weak. If you don't understand even this, then it's no wonder I say you're unworthy of being a duelist."
The Silent Magician, who had retreated from the stage, hovered in spirit form to listen, still silent, but its eyes towards its master were increasingly moved. If there were a progress bar for a strategy, it was probably rising steadily...
Yugen intended to take advantage of the moment to increase his affinity with the elf, but these words were genuinely a reflection he'd gained since coming to this world.
In the world of Yu-Gi-Oh!, pursuing victory isn't wrong, but using any means just to win would only take you further away from that throne.
Thief Keith is a typical example. Once unbeatable across America, he wasn't without talent, but he always had the mentality of a gambler as a duelist. Whether it was a Sleeve Concealment Card, stealing the opponent's entry ticket, he used every possible means. But in this extraordinary world, such disrespectful methods will not get you far.
Yugen had originally planned to seize the atmosphere to increase his coolness and the elf's affection, perhaps slightly increasing his Destiny Power. But unexpectedly, just as the atmosphere reached a peak, the sculpture on the cliff outside the duel field... suddenly lit up.
The sealed carving, in that instant, burst forth with blinding brilliance that made it impossible to open one's eyes. A powerful burst of magic emerged from it, creating a magical storm that engulfed the entire field of the barrier.
After adjusting to the strong light and barely managing to open their eyes, both saw that the image imprinted on the rock... had disappeared!
Keith's pupils contracted, immediately sensing that this development did not bode well.
This development... could it be!?
Meanwhile, as Yugen lowered his head, he was even more shocked to discover that the top card of his deck... was beginning to glow.
What the hell? What's happening?
Is it possible that his heartfelt words, which were meant for his Silent Magician, accidentally resonated with the elf sealed here?
The scene and atmosphere instantly reminded him of the CEO's iconic card pull from the floor...
He took a deep breath, placing his fingers on the deck.
Flash Draw—!
The card, glowing with golden light, traced a splendid arc as it was drawn. The moment the card left the deck, a shocking force exploded, creating a tornado of energy spiraling from him into the air.
Keith became increasingly flustered: "That aura, that power, that card... could it be...!?"
Indeed, as Yugen looked closely, the legendary warrior of forbidden card level appeared in his hand—
——Chaos Warrior - Messenger of Creation!
Of course, he knew well that his deck definitely did not contain this card.
But since he had already transcended worlds, drawing a card not in the deck was just another experience, like an unavoidable moment of admiration in Yu-Gi-Oh!...
This isn't cheating; it's called resonating with the elf, a mark of a powerful duelist.
Yes, that's right.
As the card joined his hand, he vaguely saw the majestic warrior's ethereal form materialize as a spirit, saluting him with its sword.
It seemed to indicate, 'My sword shall stand with you.'
So Yugen nodded in response to the warrior elf.
"Now, Keith!" he shouted, "Let me show you the strongest trump card that embodies the soul of my deck!"
"Tch, is it the legendary warrior... all right, who's afraid of who, let's do this."