Silence.
Until Watanabe Hideyuki's LP reached zero, and he was blasted to the ground, staring at the ceiling for a long time without anyone uttering a word.
Even the host was slack-jawed, dazed for quite a while, not knowing what to say.
Mamma mia, what on earth is happening here!?
It almost made him blurt out Professor Chronos's catchphrase in shock.
There have been instances in previous recruitment events where genius freshmen trounced the defending members. The host thought of himself as well-versed, having been in the Dueling Department for over two years, having seen all sorts of grand scenes.
But such a duel, such a scene, he truly hadn't witnessed before!
"Ah this..." A senior girl in the stands was momentarily stammering.
To think that in one duel, a player could simultaneously display both the "You're not playing today" Underworld style and the theoretically pseudo-infinite Attack Power of a dazzling LOOP...
It's quite hard to imagine such vastly different playstyles in the same game appearing in one person...
How can there be such a Duelist in this world?
Even Chazz stood up from his seat, his eyes fixated on Yugen on the stage without a moment's shift.
He had long known that guy was sly and knew the opponent was quite strong. But even so, the direction this duel took was beyond his expectations.
Why does this person constantly have so many bizarre combos?
Watching Yugen duel gave Chazz the sensation of watching a top student solve problems. These problems that leave average students racking their brains were effortlessly turned into magic by the top student with just a few strokes, leaving the average student exclaiming in shock about such an unexpected technique.
Sometimes, one truly feels like opening the brain of a top student to see what's different inside.
Of course, even if Yugen knew this, he would just smile and say, he's merely seeing farther standing on the shoulders of giants.
Even according to online rumors—playing cards in this world is truth, requiring locals to put in a hundred times the effort to discover what comes easily to reality card players, and as a high-dimensional transmigrator, Yugen could effortlessly find more combinations and scientific constructs. Yet even so, this game remains too vast for just one person.
The possibilities of combinations from such a large card pool resemble searching for a needle in a haystack, letting different cards produce unexpected reactions never presumed by predecessors, completing various feats that could either blind or enlighten. It's always been among the charms of Yu-Gi-Oh!
"Hmm, congratulations, Yugen, on passing the assessment."
Ultimately, it was the head of the Dueling Department who spoke.
"That's enough, Shuichi, come back now."
Seeing the head's stern look, Shuichi knew he seemed not satisfied with his performance and feared a reprimand when he returned.
Shuichi was near tears. He wanted to say, "Head, it's really not my fault! I tried my best."
But what to do when the opponent isn't human?
Until Yugen left the field, everyone's gaze was still involuntarily fixed on him.
He's just a new student...
At this rate, won't it be long before the head of the Dueling Department has to change?
"..."
"Here is your entry reward."
The senior girl smiled as she handed a badge to Yugen.
"This is the badge for members of the Dueling Department. Keep it safe. New members will receive five additional academic credits and can choose a card for free from here."
As she spoke, she handed over a box for Yugen to select from.
Opening the box revealed neatly organized rows of cards.
It seems that being more enthusiastic and taking the stage earlier gives students an advantage, as those who come up late would obviously find the good cards selected by earlier students.
Yugen gave a cursory glance. Overall, nothing seemed particularly valuable to him, possibly because they were free and appeared to be quite subpar...
Hmm?
He was oddly drawn to one card.
Meteor Black Dragon.
A Fusion Monster of True Red-Eyed Black Dragon and Meteor Dragon, Level 8, Attack Power 3500, just a Mortal Bone.
In the realm of physical cards, this was practically a useless card, but what surprised Yugen was that True Red-Eyed Black Dragon was considered a Super Rare Level card in this world?
In DM, it looked like Joey had one, and it was his signature monster. In the GX era, the rarity might have decreased somewhat, as Fubuki Tenjouin used two in a duel, possibly having a third in the deck.
But even so, it's considered top-tier rare, not something you'd casually find on the market.
"This is quite precious. The Dueling Department spent a fortune to obtain it!" The senior girl smiled as she spoke to him. "This is the evolved form of a legendary monster."
Yugen was puzzled, "But the Dueling Department's stock shouldn't have a 'True Red-Eyed Black Dragon', right? So it can't even be summoned..."
"Exactly, it can't be summoned." The senior girl blinked nonchalantly.
Yugen: "?"
"Come on, True Red-Eyed Black Dragon is a legendary monster. If it could be summoned, our budget couldn't afford it?" The senior girl chuckled, her body trembled as she laughed. "Although it's a Fusion evolved form of True Red-Eye, 'Meteor Black Dragon' isn't as rare. Besides, its practical value isn't high, so it's mainly for collection..."
"...Oh, but I've heard some Duelists choose it as a trump card, using 'King of the Swamp' to replace True Red-Eyed Black Dragon as Fusion Material. But, well, 'King of the Swamp' is also a Rare Card in itself..."
Yugen: "......"
So this was just a mascot?
Wait a minute...
Now that it's mentioned, he did recall getting a certain versatile card from the Academy recently.
If paired with that card... this thing might actually be useful.
"Then I'll take the 'Meteor Black Dragon'," Yugen said.
After all, nothing else in the box seemed particularly beneficial.
"Okay~."
The senior girl handed the card to him.
Yugen, having passed the assessment and received his reward, exchanged contacts with the senior girl for future communication.
The senior girl seemed quite happy to have his contact information.
"By the way, senior, I wanted to ask, where are the recruitment venues for other clubs?" Yugen asked. "Are they also happening soon?"
The senior girl's expression turned somewhat peculiar.
Asking me, a member of the Dueling Department, where other clubs' recruitment venues are, isn't that a bit unrelated?
But she still explained, "Different clubs have different recruitment timelines, but they should all be concentrated in the upcoming two weeks. As a senior, I'd advise against joining too many clubs since human energy is limited."
"Thank you, senior, for the advice. But it's fine," Yugen confidently smiled. "I know my limits."