"Link System?"
Yugen and Keihei walked side by side in the long corridor, asking.
"Yes." Keihei said, "Actually, we started developing related things several years ago. At that time, my brother developed a new type of Duel Disc, which could connect the quantum information of card data with the memory areas of the brain.
All the duel information is visualized as images in the brain, realized within the space..."
"I seem to have heard about this."
Yugen quickly reacted.
It was the kind of Duel Disc developed by Kaiba in the movie "Dark Side of the Dimensions," a combination of technology and metaphysics. It can digitize card data and link with human memory, even enhancing the duelist's self-awareness, and under specific circumstances, it might even be able to bring cards to life from the memory data images.
The famous scene of President Kaiba's "floor draw" in the movie utilized the power of this system. In a desperate situation, Kaiba drew "Obelisk's Giant Divine Soldiers" from the floor, which was supposed to no longer exist in this world, shocking the Blue God for a whole year.
"But that development was actually just a prelude for a larger project, and it's only now finally about to be completed."
By this time, Keihei had led Yugen to another laboratory. As they entered, someone immediately handed over a Duel Disc and a headset-like device, which Keihei passed to Yugen.
"This is the key to opening a new world."
A light blue Duel Disc with an air of advanced technology, with its edges carved with delicate patterns, surrounded by a circle of transparent displays and indicator lights.
Keihei had already donned the Duel Disc and headset, giving him a mysterious smile: "You'll know once you start it."
Saying that, he had already activated the device first.
So Yugen followed suit and activated the system. The indicator lights on the Duel Disc lit up one by one, and a slight hum came through the headset. Immediately, he seemed to see a data stream rolling before his eyes, like an ocean of blue water composed of countless 0s and 1s, quickly occupying his entire vision until everything around was swallowed up.
When he regained his senses, he looked around to find himself standing on an unfamiliar street.
This was an unknown city.
The skyline was outlined by bizarre skyscrapers like those in a sci-fi movie, towering like giant towers piercing the clouds. But they were not made of concrete and glass but some structure presenting peculiar colors and textures that changed with the light, making the entire city look like a gigantic gem.
Yugen was stunned for a moment, looking down at his own body.
Vision, touch, all the senses were completely like in reality.
But some instinct told him, this was a false world.
"Impressive, isn't it?"
Keihei appeared beside him, smiling.
"Since this is still just a testing model, we're using the real-world imagery. Otherwise, you could log in with any virtual appearance."
"A fully immersive online game?" Yugen asked.
"Well, not quite like what you see in fantasy works, but from the outcome, you could understand it that way."
Keihei considered for a moment.
"In fact, the rudiments of this technology existed many years ago, even before my brother and I took over the company. Our foster father, Gozaburo Kaiba, had developed quite advanced technology at that time."
Yugen realized what he meant.
It was explained in the Naiya arc of the DM animation.
Gozaburo Kaiba's biological son, Naiya Kaiba, died in a car accident, and Gozaburo downloaded Naiya's consciousness data into a supercomputer used for military operations at Kaiba Company. That consciousness gradually evolved to possess high intelligence, and over years, it built an enormous virtual world.
In the Naiya arc of the animation, he secretly trapped Yugi and the Kaiba group into the virtual world he created, but at the end of the Naiya arc, that data space was destroyed.
However, the technology was presumably retained by President Kaiba.
It was on that foundation that they developed this "Link System." A vast virtual world-space similar to a giant open-world online game. According to the President's plan, duelists worldwide could log into this game for online dueling.
Yugen naturally thought of the sixth Yu-Gi-Oh! series, "Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains." Although that series is a parallel world, the worldview seems far in the future.
It was also the first time in Yu-Gi-Oh! history to set the main stage in an online game called "Link Vrains," where almost all duels took place online in the game.
Listening to this description now, could it be that President Kaiba's system development is related to that future thing...
Yugen tried summoning Silent, and moments later, the silver-haired Mage floated out from the Card Deck mounted on his Duel Disc, tilting his head.
What's up?
"Oh, nothing, just calling for fun." Yugen smiled.
Silent: "..."
Of course, he wasn't really just calling for fun. This confirmed for him that even though his state now was being consciousness-projected into a data world, the power of the elves still applied here, and the attribute of Destiny Power should apply as well.
But this was also foreseeable. Extraordinary Power is metaphysical and equally applies in a data space, as proven in DM.
In the original story, AI Naiya tried to seize Yugi's body in the virtual space relying on his authority but ended up encountering a backlash from the Millennium Puzzle Divine Power.
"Pretty cool, right?"
Keihei said proudly.
"It's still just a prototype, and only test personnel can log in for now. But we will quickly improve the facilities, so duelists from all over the world won't be limited by geography and can duel happily no matter where they are.
The brother previously invited you to participate in the 'Duel City GX' tournament, actually, we plan to host this competition in the Link System online, also serving as the Link System's grand opening..."
He suddenly stopped here.
He received a message from Kaiba Company's technicians outside.
"Unauthorized access? Here?" Keihei was surprised, "But the Link System hasn't even been officially open..."
He immediately thought of something.
"Could it be that hacker from last time?"
"We don't know, sir." The technician replied, "But we found an abnormal data space in the Link System. We are trying to clear it..."
"No, send me the coordinates first." Keihei interrupted, "I want to take a look personally."
"Yes, sir."
After receiving the coordinates sent from the headquarters, Keihei snapped his fingers. Then the scenes around the two began to twist rapidly, everything spinning wildly.
In just an instant, their coordinates shifted, instantly teleporting to another corner of the virtual map.
That was part of the GM privileges Keihei had, allowing free teleportation between any map coordinates.
And where the two teleported to was facing a grim castle. In stark contrast to the earlier futuristic architecture, the castle's outer walls were mottled and lurid, the giant shadow lengthened, like a massive monster silently lurking in darkness.
Keihei frowned, "Strange, we didn't design such a region..."
"Of course not."
A voice emerged from the shadows.
A man in black clothes and sunglasses stepped out slowly, smiling.
"Because it was designed by our master, right in the shadow of your splendid virtual world."
"Are you the hackers invading our company?" Keihei said solemnly, "Who are you people? What do you want?"
The man chuckled softly but did not answer directly, instead saying.
"Since we've already been discovered, whether you want to kick us out of the Link System or delete our shadow base is just a piece of cake for Kaiba Company.
But if you do that, then you won't get the answers to the questions you want to know, right?"
"Oh?" Keihei folded his arms and smiled, "I smell conditions. So what do you want?"
"Simple, we'll use the method President Seto Kaiba advocates most, and it's also the only rule in this 'Link System' to decide."
The man revealed a Duel Disc and Card Deck.
"Let's duel. If you win, we will gladly provide you with any answers to your questions."