Chapter 156: Life is a Game, Two Friends of the Game
A hamburger.
In the grand encyclopedia of culinary arts, it is a dish that sits firmly in the realm of the mundane. Structurally, it is deceptively simple: two halves of a bun, a pile of raw vegetables acting as a crisp counterpoint, a slab of ground meat seasoned and seared, and a viscous layer of sauce to bind the chaos together. It is, for all intents and purposes, a sandwich where the steak and the salad have decided to forgo the knife and fork.
Yet, despite its simplicity—or perhaps because of it—this stack of ingredients holds a strange, almost hypnotic power over the human palate. It is a universal comfort, a handheld feast that requires no pretense, no etiquette, and no patience.
And right now, for Mutou Yugi, it was nothing short of salvation.
The boy held the burger with both hands, his fingers sinking slightly into the soft, toasted surface of the bun. He took a bite, and the sound was a satisfying crunch.
The lettuce, fresh and cold, shattered against his teeth, releasing a burst of moisture that cut through the richness of the meat. Then came the patty—juicy, savory, and charred to perfection on the outside while remaining tender within. The melted cheese coated his tongue in a blanket of creamy saltiness, and the tangy sauce tied the flavors together in a harmonious explosion of taste.
He chewed enthusiastically, his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk storing acorns for winter. He couldn't stop. Bite after bite, he devoured the burger with a fervor that suggested he hadn't eaten a proper meal in days, or perhaps, he had simply never tasted anything quite this real before.
While Yugi was lost in his carnivorous bliss, the atmosphere at the adjacent table was one of lazy domesticity.
Ren sat next to Lucifer, a book resting on his knee, though he hadn't yet opened it. The warm yellow light of the restaurant reflected off the polished wooden table, creating a cozy, amber-hued world separated from the darkness outside.
Bzzt.
The silence was broken by the vibration of a smartphone resting on the table.
Ren blinked, his hand pausing as he reached for his tea. He picked up the phone, the screen illuminating his face. As he read the message, his eyebrows rose slightly, a look of mild surprise crossing his features.
"Hmm?"
Lucifer, who had been idly stirring her tea and watching the steam rise, noticed his reaction. She leaned over, her silver hair cascading down her shoulder like a curtain of silk, brushing against Ren's arm. The faint scent of lavender and something darker—like ancient parchment—wafted from her.
"What is it?" she asked, her crimson eyes scanning the screen.
When she saw the content, her expression mirrored Ren's, shifting into a look of amused curiosity.
The message wasn't from a stranger. In fact, two identical messages had arrived almost simultaneously. One was from Kaolan Wongsawat, the Thai God of War. The other was from Momobami Kirari, the absolute ruler of Hyakkaou Private Academy.
"It looks like we'll get to see your performance in a while," Lucifer chuckled, her voice low and melodic. "But... isn't this location mentioned in the message a bit familiar? I feel like I've heard of it."
Ren tapped the screen, closing the message. "I'm not sure why the event is being held there, but it's certainly convenient. It's not far from here."
"Interesting," Lucifer mused, leaning back into her chair with a regal grace. "A gathering of fighters and gamblers... knowing those two, it won't be a peaceful tea party."
While the two adults discussed the potential chaos of the future, the third member of their table was currently fighting a losing battle against biology.
Cerberus was slumped over the table, her body practically melting into the wood. The three-headed demon, usually a boundless ball of energy, was currently defeated. Her arms hung limp at her sides, and her cheek was pressed against the cool surface of the table.
For Cerberus, the concepts of politics, fighting, or dimensional travel were currently irrelevant. The only reality that mattered was the sensation of her stomach being stretched to its absolute limit. She had, in a fugue state of gluttony, consumed enough food to feed a small army.
"Ugh..." The left head groaned.
"Too full..." The right head whimpered.
"Can't... move..." The middle head mumbled.
Ren looked at the miserable pile of demon and sighed, a small smile playing on his lips. "Cerberus, does rubbing your belly not work this time? You usually bounce back faster than this."
"Still full~" Cerberus whined in unison, her voice muffled by the table.
Lucifer looked at her subordinate with a mix of annoyance and second-hand embarrassment. She tapped her perfectly manicured fingernail against the teacup. Clink, clink.
"You are a disgrace to the Legions of Hell," Lucifer said, her voice sharp. "Use your magic! You have a metabolic furnace inside you designed to process souls. Surely it can handle a few extra plates of pork!"
Cerberus's dog ears twitched upon hearing the order.
"Oh! Right!"
She suddenly sat up, her eyes snapping open. She squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating hard. A faint, dark aura shimmered around her body for a split second—the sound of magical digestion, presumably.
Her tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed. The tension left her shoulders.
"Phew..."
She let out a long, synchronized sigh of relief that sounded like a tire deflating. The magical metabolism had done its work.
However, before Lucifer could offer a word of praise for her quick recovery, Cerberus's hand shot out. She grabbed the glass of sour plum juice that had been sitting untouched on the side.
Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.
She downed the tart, refreshing liquid in one go, slammed the glass down, and then slumped back into the chair with a satisfied groan.
"Ah... that hits the spot."
Ren and Lucifer exchanged a glance. Ren shook his head, laughing softly, while Lucifer pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Hopeless," Lucifer muttered affectionately.
"She's a living treasure," Ren corrected. "If Cerberus started acting like those overly worldly, sophisticated demons who worry about calorie counts, she wouldn't be Cerberus anymore. Her charm is in her honesty."
"Honesty? Is that what we're calling gluttony now?" Lucifer scoffed, though she didn't argue further.
At the other table, the sound of a wrapper crinkling drew their attention.
"Phew~ This burger is so delicious!"
Mutou Yugi placed the last scrap of the wrapper on the tray. He wiped his mouth with a napkin, looking at the empty space where the massive burger had been just minutes ago.
Ren turned his attention to the boy. "Eating so fast? You finished that in record time."
Yugi jumped slightly, realizing he had been observed. A blush crept up his neck to his ears. "Ah... because... because the burger Shopkeeper-san made was just too delicious! I couldn't help myself, so I ate a little faster than usual..."
He looked down at his hands, feeling a bit embarrassed about his lack of table manners.
Ren smiled warmly, his tone encouraging. "Mmm~ Eating more is a good thing. You're at the age where you need the energy to grow. Besides, the burgers here are very healthy. The meat is lean, the vegetables are fresh, and there are no preservatives. You can eat as much as you want without worry."
Yugi's heart warmed at these words.
Short in stature, with a voice that often wavered, and a personality that shied away from conflict, Yugi had always been a target. At school, bullies like Ushio saw him as easy prey. He was used to being told to move, to be quiet, or to hand over money.
To be spoken to with such genuine kindness by a stranger—an adult man who looked strong and capable—was a foreign experience.
He stared at Ren, his violet eyes slightly wide and unfocused as thoughts swirled in his head.
"Yugi?" Ren tilted his head. "What's wrong? Did you get a stomach ache?"
Yugi snapped back to reality. He shook his head vigorously, his tricolored hair bouncing.
"No! Nothing like that!" Yugi whispered, his voice trembling slightly with emotion. "It's just that... Shopkeeper-san, you're the first person besides my grandfather to talk to me like this..."
The restaurant fell silent for a moment. Even the wind chimes seemed to pause.
Ren looked at the boy. He saw the loneliness etched into the corners of his eyes, the posture of someone who spent his life trying to take up as little space as possible.
"I see," Ren said gently. "Well, since I am the first, that simply means the seal has been broken. There will soon be a second, and a third. Yugi, you will have more friends who talk to you like this. I guarantee it."
"Eh?" Yugi looked up, hope and doubt warring in his eyes. "Really? Me?"
Ren didn't get up. He remained seated, relaxed, projecting an aura of absolute certainty.
"Of course," Ren said. "There's a saying: 'All things are difficult before they are easy.' The first step is always the hardest. But once you have a beginning, the things that follow won't be as complicated as you think. Friendship is like a chain reaction."
"But..." Yugi gripped the fabric of his oversized uniform trousers. "I'm... I'm not strong. I'm quiet. I like games. Most people think I'm weird."
Ren tapped his finger on the table, a thoughtful rhythm. "Yugi, you said your grandfather is a game fanatic, right? And you love games too."
Yugi nodded. "Yes. I love them."
"Then," Ren said, a playful glint appearing in his eyes, "You must have played many games. Have you ever played those games with 'Gacha' mechanics? Or capsule machines where you draw for prizes?"
[Akarin's Note: Gacha - A mechanic in video games (mostly mobile) where players spend currency to receive a random virtual item. Similar to capsule toy vending machines.]
Yugi was stunned for a moment by the sudden shift in topic. "Gacha? You mean... those games where you spend tokens and you're not sure what you'll get? And you try to complete the picture book or get the rare item?"
"Exactly," Ren nodded.
"Yes," Yugi said, his eyes lighting up with recognition. "I played those a long time ago. They can be frustrating."
Ren smiled. "That's right. You know the feeling then. You pull and pull, and you keep getting common items. Stones, sticks, basic potions. But then, suddenly, a rainbow light appears. A Super Rare character or a legendary weapon drops. You're incredibly happy, right? You cherish that item."
Yugi nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! That feeling is amazing!"
"But then," Ren continued, "once you have that first rare item, you keep playing. And eventually, you get another one. And another. Soon, your inventory is full of them. It becomes normal."
"That's exactly how it is!" Yugi agreed. "Eventually, you have a whole team of them."
"That is how friends work," Ren said softly.
Yugi froze.
"Friends are the rare drops in the Gacha of life," Ren explained. "Most people you meet are just passersby—the common items. They fill the background. But once you find that first true friend—that first SSR character—it opens the door. You realize you can make friends. And more people will be drawn to your party."
Mutou Yugi's eyes shone with a new light. The metaphor made perfect sense to him. It translated the complex, terrifying social world into mechanics he understood.
But the shadow of self-doubt lingered.
"But..." Yugi looked down at the Millennium Puzzle. "That's just a game, after all. In games, I can be strong. But in reality... my personality is too weak. I can't restart if I mess up."
Ren reached out to the fruit plate on the table. He used a small silver fork to spear a slice of rabbit-cut apple that Lucifer had been eyeing.
Lucifer let out a small "Hmph!" of indignation, puffing her cheeks out. She had been saving that specific piece.
Ren ignored her pout and popped the apple into his own mouth, chewing thoughtfully.
"Life is a big game, Yugi," Ren said, swallowing the fruit. "And your life is your own personal Dungeon. You are the Protagonist. However, unlike video games, this Dungeon doesn't have a 'Save' or 'Load' option. It's a permadeath run."
Yugi swallowed hard. The stakes suddenly felt incredibly high.
"If your personality is weak," Ren continued, "then that is simply a status effect. A debuff. In a game, if you have a debuff, what do you do? Do you quit the game?"
"No," Yugi whispered. "You use an item to cure it. Or... you get a Healer or a Support character to help you remove it."
"Exactly," Ren pointed the silver fork at him. "Your future friends will be your Support characters. They will help you remove that negative status. You don't have to clear the dungeon alone."
These words struck Yugi like a bolt of lightning.
I don't have to do it alone.
Even Lucifer, who was still throwing a silent tantrum about the stolen apple, froze. She looked at Ren, her expression softening. This man... he really knows how to talk to lost souls.
Ren smiled, seeing the realization dawn on Yugi's face. He forked another piece of apple. This time, instead of eating it himself, he brought it to Lucifer's lips.
"Here," Ren whispered to her. "Compensation."
Lucifer blinked, her cheeks flushing a light pink. She looked at the apple, then at Ren's teasing smile. She opened her mouth and took the bite, chewing aggressively to hide her embarrassment.
"Is it delicious?" Ren asked.
"Hmph," Lucifer snorted, looking away. "It's acceptable."
Ren turned back to Yugi. "Perhaps the Boss of this dungeon for you is courage, or maybe it's facing your bullies. But you'll gradually adapt to the difficulty curve once you find teammates to clear it with."
A glimmer of determination appeared in Mutou Yugi's violet eyes. The hesitation was still there—he couldn't change overnight—but the crushing weight of loneliness had lifted significantly.
"A good realization," Ren noted, seeing the change. "I once said to a guest very much like you: 'Continue to be gentle; the world will not mistreat gentle people.' I'm giving this same saying to you today. Consider it the title of the instruction manual for the start of the Game of Friendship."
"The Game of Friendship..." Yugi repeated the words, savoring them.
"And," Ren added, "because you asked me to call you by your name... Good friends call each other by their names, right?"
Yugi was stunned. He looked at the Millennium Puzzle on his chest, his hand trembling as he touched it.
"It really... came true..." he whispered. "I made a wish for friends... and it's starting."
Yugi took a deep breath. He sat up straighter, his small frame seeming to occupy a bit more space in the room.
"Shopkeeper-san," Yugi said, a shy but genuine smile breaking across his face. "How much for the meal?"
"That one card you just gave me is enough," Ren replied, gesturing to the Big Shield Gardna card on the table.
"Eh?!" Yugi gasped. "But... that's just a common card! The meal was worth way more than that! That's too cheap!"
"It's a Friendship Price," Ren winked. "Friends get discounts."
Yugi felt a lump in his throat. He nodded rapidly, unable to speak for a moment. He asked if he could come again, and after Ren assured him the door was always open, Yugi finally relaxed completely.
He stood up, gathered his bag, and walked towards the door.
He reached for the handle. The bell chimed softly. Ding-ling.
He opened the door, and a soft, swirling white light appeared, marking the passage back to Domino City.
Yugi held the door open, but he didn't step through immediately. He paused on the threshold.
Lucifer and Cerberus, who were watching him leave, suddenly stiffened.
The air in the room changed. It became heavier, charged with static electricity. It was subtle, but to sensitive beings like demons, it was undeniable.
Yugi's shadow stretched long across the floor, and for a split second, the shadow didn't look like a small boy. It looked like a king in a flowing cape.
Yugi—or the entity sharing his body—turned his head slightly.
The violet eyes were no longer timid or round with innocence. They were sharp, narrowed, and burned with an intensity that commanded absolute respect. The posture was no longer hunched; it was regal, confident, and powerful.
It was as if the boy had grown taller in the span of a second.
The entity spoke. The voice was Yugi's, but the tone was deeper, resonating with an authority that echoed from three thousand years ago.
"What is your name?"
Ren didn't flinch. He looked directly into those ancient eyes and smiled.
"Ren."
The corner of the boy's mouth lifted in a smirk—not a shy smile, but a confident, almost arrogant grin.
"I have remembered it for him," the entity said. "Ren."
He paused, his gaze lingering on the Shopkeeper who had shown kindness to his vessel.
"Friend... indeed. Life is a game with no do-overs. But a game worth playing."
With that, he stepped into the light. The door clicked shut.
The heavy pressure in the room vanished instantly.
Lucifer let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She chuckled, a low, throaty sound.
"It seems there's a very interesting soul residing in that puzzle on Yugi's body," she remarked, picking up her tea again. "A King, by the looks of it."
"They're both very interesting," Ren agreed, standing up to clear the table. "Two players, one character. It's a unique co-op mode."
He looked down at Lucifer, who was eyeing the fruit plate again.
"Lucifer, are you not throwing a tantrum anymore?"
Lucifer crossed her arms, turning her head away with a huff.
"Hmph! Just one apple slice... two won't do either! I require at least three to forgive you!"
[Akarin Note:
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