Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

"You have a keen sense of things, Mr. Rafael. Your eyes are sharp too." Pegasus hadn't expected Rafael to notice his actions so quickly, which he shouldn't have been able to detect. He tried to brush it off with a fake smile. "It's clear that you have the talent of a very good duelist and a very good duel monster."

“【Aetos】She’s my family,” Rafael corrected him somewhat seriously. “And stop looking at me like that, Pegasus J. Crawford.”

"Hehe, serves you right, Pegasus. Who told you to always use the power of your eyes to look at others?" Malik, standing next to Pegasus, immediately mocked, "My brother-in-law warned you several times before that looking at people with those eyes would easily get you beaten up. See, you were caught right away."

"The Thousand-Year Eye has been gone from you for so long. Although its power still lingers, no one knows how much longer it will remain. You should try to get used to losing this power, Pegasus," Atum said with a smile, looking at Pegasus's dejected expression.

At the same time, I couldn't help but recall what Xia Di had said before.

Hayato paused his conversation with John, glanced at Pegasus, and said, "Since you've already seen it, why don't you tell them what you saw in front of them?" As he spoke, Hayato also glanced at Rafael.

Seeing John's expectant expression next to Hayato, Rafael frowned, thinking to himself that he must tell John when he got back that whatever he heard from Hayato Kobayashi today, he should not remember it and should forget it all so that he would not learn bad things from him. At the same time, he said to Pegasus, "So-called dissecting the mind? Some people with a guilty conscience might be very resistant to it."

"However, I don't care."

Rafael had always been indifferent to these things, and Pegasus, hearing Rafael say this, also spoke up: "Actually, when I first saw Mr. Rafael, what I saw was the deepest relief and ease in your heart."

“Although I don’t know what kind of burdens and pressures you carried in the past, Mr. Rafael, it seems that you have seen through it all and overcome that hurdle, ushering in a completely new state of mind, as if you were reborn.” Pegasus said, nodding as he spoke. “With this state of mind, you can probably unleash 1000% more power than you originally could in Duel Monster.”

"Besides that, I also saw your reflection on your past actions and the hope you placed in that boy over there. But what attracted my attention the most as the father of Duel Monster was your heartfelt love for Duel Monster, Mr. Rafael."

"They are even more than Hayato Boy and Game Boy. Rather than just friends, they regard them as family members that they must protect with their lives. What a touching love!"

Upon hearing Pegasus's words, Rafiru remained silent. Noticing Atum's gaze beside him, he nodded and said, "Yes, he's basically right. When you defeated Darz and his 'Orichalcos,' I, having been freed from the soul within them, encountered my parents who had passed away many years ago, as well as Julia and Sonia. After properly saying goodbye to them, perhaps I've finally shaken off the fog of the past that has haunted me for so many years."

“However, although I’ve lost that part of the obsession that compels me to move forward, it doesn’t mean I’ve become weaker. And I still believe in my family members—[Aetos] and the others—just like before.” Rafael smiled. “So don’t think I’m not the same as before. If I were to duel you again, I might still win.”

Atum responded with a smile: "You really dare to say that, Rafiru. Although your relationship with the Guardians is admirable, my combination with Aibo is invincible and we won't lose to you."

Atum and Rafiru exchanged glances, their fighting spirit palpable. Meanwhile, Jonouchi noticed that Pegasus's expression was clearly hesitant, as if he didn't know whether he should continue speaking.

"What's wrong, Pegasus?"

"Well, actually, I'm not sure if I saw it wrong, but there's something I've been thinking about that I should tell Mr. Rafael." Pegasus paused, his gaze towards Rafael slightly strange. "While the [Guardian Aetos] beside you, Mr. Rafael, is indeed a humanoid Duel Monster with a rather holy and magnificent appearance, she is, after all, a Duel Monster..."

Rafael's eyelids twitched upon hearing this, and he looked at Pegasus.

"While two-dimensional characters are cute, you should still look at the real world more often and not get lost in the virtual world. Although you say you consider each other family, Mr. Rafael, your feelings for [Guardian Etos] seem to me to have changed a bit. You two are incompatible—"

"Shut up! I'm not like that at all!" Rafael was clearly flustered. When he sensed the strange looks he was getting from the people around him, he urgently said to Pegasus, "You're definitely mistaken! How could you possibly see that and come to such an absurd conclusion!"

"If you dare to talk nonsense again, I will definitely correct you!"

"Ha, he's getting anxious." "Yeah, he's getting anxious, he's completely anxious." Malik and Hayato, standing together, were stirring things up, eagerly anticipating a fight between Rafael and Pegasus.

Seeing Rafael's intense reaction, Pegasus quickly smiled and reassured him, "Well, I guess I misread it. Now that I look at it again, Mr. Rafael, your feelings for [Guardian Ethos] are indeed pure familial affection."

This is a lie. Pegasus did not use the remaining power of the Millennium Eye at all; he was merely verbally placating Rafael. Rafael, hearing that Pegasus had already said this to restore his reputation (which is questionable), said nothing more and fell silent.

Pegasus mentally checked off his earlier judgment, confirming it was absolutely true. Looking at the disgruntled Rafael, Pegasus continued, "Although a small part of what I saw in Mr. Rafael's mind was 'mistaken,' I can still make a generally positive judgment: Mr. Rafael, you are an excellent duelist."

"So I've decided that I'll give this card, which is still in the production process and I don't know when it will be finished, to Mr. Rafael as a token of my apology."

"A card currently being made? Mr. Pegasus, are you making any other cards?" Bakura looked at Pegasus with some curiosity and asked, but Pegasus shook his head. Bakura, who instantly understood, covered his mouth with his hand in slight surprise. "Could it be the [Jewel] card? Mr. Pegasus, are you planning to give the [Jewel] card to Mr. Rafael?"

Upon hearing Bakura's words, Rafael immediately noticed the boy, whose presence was barely noticeable, and narrowed his eyes. Was he seeing things? He felt like he'd seen him somewhere before. This boy resembled the rabbit-eared youth he'd worked with when he was still one of the Three Knights of Doma, but the difference in their auras was too great. It must be his imagination, right?

"Huh? But isn't the [Jade] card a super rare card that you poured a lot of effort into, Pegasus, and that requires a gem that's supposedly an artifact to make?" Jonouchi looked at Pegasus with confusion. "I thought you'd keep it for yourself."

"What kind of image do you have of me, Jonouchi-boy?" Pegasus sighed.

"A cunning card printer." "A cheater who prints his own powerful cards." "A white-haired guy who's good at cheating." "A peeping tom." "The person who designed the despicable Forbidden/Limited Card List."

Whether it's the game, Hayato, Kyoko, or Honda, they all shared their impressions of Pegasus.

“I can accept the rest, but wasn’t it you who suggested the Forbidden Card List to me and Kaiba Boy, Hayato Boy…” Pegasus complained, then said seriously, “While I can’t deny that I sometimes print powerful cards that are unique to myself, I am more of a card designer than a duelist.”

"【Cartoon】is the youth I cherish with Cynthia, and 【Narcissus】is the darkness and despair I felt after losing Cynthia. But that's enough. I'm not a pioneer like Hayato Boy or Game Boy who strides into the future. This alone has already exhausted my talents as a duelist. Any more cards that remain in my hands would only gather dust."

With a shrug, Pegasus continued, "Just like a craftsman who forges divine swords and weapons, he would never be content with his creations gathering dust and rusting on a weapon rack. The future of cards, the future of Duel Monsters, is what I want to see: more interesting cards appearing in the hands of the right people and shining with ultimate brilliance."

Interesting cards, huh? Okay, Isis already has an angel, so don't let me see you print out the teardrop.

While inwardly criticizing Pegasus's words, Hayato spoke up: "So here's the question, why did you only have the idea of ​​sending the card after you saw Rafael, Pegasus? Before that, Jonouchi, Yugi, and I were all right next to you."

Pegasus glanced at Hayato and shrugged: "Not everyone has a dueling style as versatile as you, Hayato boy. Although the design direction of the card hasn't been confirmed yet, I can sense the style that the card will suit. It's definitely not the type that's suitable for Yugi-boy and Jonouchi-boy. What's needed is a user with a heart that will never give up on monsters and sees them as things to protect."

“Now that you mention it, it suits me even better. After all, I’m the kindest person, and there’s no duelist more compassionate than me,” Hayato said confidently, patting his chest. However, not only Pegasus, but also Jonouchi, Yugi, and even Malik and Rafael cast helpless glances at Hayato.

Who would believe that? Protecting monsters? We'd be lucky if they weren't freed by you.

However, Rafael, as the recipient of the card, didn't even consider it and said bluntly, "No need, I don't need your card. This is not to question the strength of the card you gave me, Pegasus, the father of Duel Monsters, but simply because I only need [Guardian], and I don't need the other cards."

“However, I think Johnny is more suitable to accept that card.”

As Rafael pointed to himself, and everyone else turned to look at him, John blinked his clear eyes and asked, "Huh?"

Chapter 843

"Huh?" John was taken aback when Rafael suddenly brought him into the conversation.

"This child? Mr. Rafael said he has the power to see spirits. While that doesn't necessarily make someone an excellent duelist, it can certainly help them go further on their duelist path. That's proof of potential." Pegasus said, looking at John, but then changed the subject, "However, while the potential to unleash the power of a card is important to me, the most important thing is the heart."

"If I could use the power of the Millennium Eye to see what this child truly thinks about the Duel Monster and the Card Spirits, then I could entrust the cards to Johnboy with complete peace of mind."

However, as soon as Pegasus finished speaking, Rafael refused without hesitation: "Then let's just pretend it never happened, Pegasus. I've experienced your mind-reading ability once, and that's enough. If you were to read Johnny's mind, I can't guarantee what I might do to you."

Hearing this, Atum looked at Rafael with a slightly puzzled expression and asked, "If I remember correctly, Rafael, didn't you just say that you were teaching John how to use Duel Monsters? Although I don't know how long you've been teaching him, even a beginner should have their own deck, right? Why do you think it's better for John to use Pegasus's cards?"

As a collectible card game, Duel Monsters' fun lies not only in the duels themselves, but also in the card collection and trading outside of duels. While playing cards is enjoyable, opening a card pack and getting a rare and powerful card can be incredibly exciting.

Furthermore, besides duelists like Hayato and Yugi who collect cards to build decks for dueling, there are also Duel Monsters card collectors who aren't particularly interested in dueling but simply enjoy collecting cards.

While John's future is uncertain, if he wants to go further in Duel Monsters, a deck he builds from scratch, integrating and nurturing bonds, would be more suitable for him than cards inherited from others.

“John does have his own deck now, but Atum, if it were you, you would understand the kind of fateful attraction between cards and duelists. It’s not just during duels that cards respond to duelists and come into their hands at the right time; during the process of collecting cards, cards also appear at the right time because of this attraction.”

Rafael spread his hands, revealing a rather helpless expression: "John only recently started playing Duel Monsters after I adopted him. It's been too short a time, and he hasn't been able to collect enough cards to suit him. So all he has now is a makeshift deck cobbled together from leftover card packs that were sold off cheaply at the card shop."

Generally speaking, when talking about buying Duel Monsters cards, people often say "buy individually" and "open packs." The former refers to buying powerful cards that have already been opened from card packs and are usually much more expensive than the card packs themselves. The latter refers to buying card packs that are sealed and whose contents are unknown until they are opened.

However, when people buy card packs, they usually buy them by the box or even the case, not by the "pack." This is because the unscrupulous card printer, Pegasus's International Illusion Company, sets up a box of twenty packs to ensure that there is always one rare card in order to distribute rare cards as evenly as possible.

Not everyone has the kind of incredible luck that Jonouchi possesses. If you only buy card packs, most people probably won't be able to collect any powerful cards. Since it's the same price anyway, it's better to open a box than buy individual packs. Moreover, although it's said that each box guarantees one rare card, in reality, after so many years of Duel Monsters' release, many people have noticed that the number of rare cards in a box fluctuates between one and three, with only a fourth or even fifth rare card appearing in very rare cases.

Therefore, many people, after opening the usual maximum of three rare cards from a card pack, will sell the remaining unopened packs to card shops at a discount, since even the discounted price is much higher than the price of opening a stack of ordinary cards. These recycled cards are then sold by card shops to Duel Monsters enthusiasts who cannot afford a full pack of cards.

It's nothing to be ashamed of. Even Hayato and Yugi often open these card packs and occasionally manage to get some good cards. Jonouchi, who basically has no pocket money, only opens these card packs. But even so, he still managed to build a pretty good deck.

However, Rafael should know that opening card boxes yields rarer cards than opening card packs. Even if it's for his claim that "duelists should collect cards themselves," why not let John buy card boxes? Jonouchi asked Rafael this question again.

Looking at the city, Rafael's face showed helplessness as he said, "Because I'm very poor."

"Huh?" Jonouchi blinked, wondering if he had misheard. Shouldn't such lines only come from the mouth of him, the poorest person among everyone present? How could Rafael say them?

“Although I was born into a very wealthy family, the family’s property was divided up by my relatives under various pretexts when I was young. After that, I joined Dorma as one of Darz’s ‘Three Knights’ until Dorma disintegrated. I did no other work, and Darz never paid me a salary, so I have no savings.”

"As for the legacy after the collapse of Doma, I did think that rather than letting others take what they could, I should also take a portion, but..." Rafiru paused, looked at Hayato who was suddenly looking up at the sky and admiring the white clouds, and sighed, "Although it's not like I've gained nothing, it's just enough to barely make ends meet."

Honda frowned and said, "That doesn't make sense either. Even if Rafael says so, if you don't have money, why did you come here? We heard that the entrance fee here is two thousand US dollars per person, regardless of age."

"Can't you come in without a ticket? Tickets aren't such an inconvenient thing." Hayato pushed up his non-existent glasses and said, "There's only one truth: you sneaked in with John, didn't you, Rafael!"

“Absolutely right, Mr. Hayato!” John chimed in mercilessly. “Not only that, he also spends a lot of money on maintenance cards. He’s incredibly extravagant and has absolutely no sense of saving!”

Rafael was completely unable to refute this. His wealthy family background as a child and the constant reimbursement from Dartz's Paradis Group after returning to the human world had indeed made him accustomed to spending money lavishly and not knowing how to save. He could only argue, "But [Aetos] and the others are important family members of mine. This is a necessary sacrifice!"

"That's not the kind of thing to say," Malik retorted.

Pegasus shrugged helplessly: "In that case, it's probably not the right time for me to complete this deck and find a suitable person to entrust it to. It's a real shame. I finally found a duelist like Mr. Rafael, but without the power of the Millennium Eye, I really can't entrust the deck to a child."

Hayato glanced at John beside him and said to Pegasus, "No, it's not a regret. I told you before, don't rely too much on the remaining power of that unknown 'Millennium Eye.' There are other ways to identify a person besides the 'Millennium Eye.'"

As he spoke, Hayato raised the Duel Disk he was wearing on his wrist.

"What do you mean?" Pegasus glanced at Hayato and said, "In the way of the Duel Monsters? How shameful. I'm the one who created the Duel Monsters, yet I never thought of this. There's no better way to see someone's attitude towards the Duel Monsters than to have a straightforward duel."

Rafael frowned. "A duel would expose the duelists' will and mind completely, which is indeed a good method, and I can accept it. However, the opponent happens to be Kobayashi Hayato..."

After thinking for a moment, Rafael nodded: "No problem, let Johnny prove himself through a duel."

Hearing Rafael's words, John's expression showed a lack of confidence: "Eh, me? You want me to duel with Mr. Hayato? But I feel like I..."

Although John didn't finish his sentence, his meaning was clear: even as a child, he wouldn't have such outlandish fantasies. How could someone who hadn't been involved with Duel Monsters for very long possibly defeat the Duel King, Hayato Kobayashi?

Rafael immediately guessed John's thoughts and said, "Worried about losing to Kobayashi Hayato soon, Johnny? Do you think you can defeat the others here through duels? Don't overthink it. You'll lose anyway. Losing to the Duel King is no different from losing to a third-rate duelist."

While saying this aloud, Raphael was thinking to himself: 'That's absurd. Anyone who's ever fought Hayato Kobayashi's inhuman fighting style will be left with an indelible impression. Let him experience the hellish dueling experience at the pinnacle of Duel Monsters beforehand, kid…'

Since Rafael had said so, John glanced at Hayato, took several deep breaths to muster his courage, put on a small Duel Disk, and stood face to face with Hayato in an open space. He took out a card, put it into the slot, and unfolded the Duel Disk.

However, before Hayato inserted his deck into the Duel Disk, John didn't draw a card; he just stood there. This wasn't John waiting for Hayato; quite the opposite, Rafael sensed John's hesitation.

Seeing that John still looked hesitant and unable to make a decision, Rafael continued, "I know you're a little confused right now, but that's not how a duelist should behave, Johnny. A true duelist, even when faced with despair, will resolutely pour hope into their deck, and even if they lose confidence, they will still have faith in their cards."

“If you’re feeling lost, don’t draw cards. This is the second lesson I’m going to teach you, Lesson 2—Don’t let the cards sense your presence. As a duelist, you must give the cards unparalleled peace of mind and trust them.” Raphael paused, then added the last sentence, “Take the first step towards realizing your dream, Johnny!”

Chapter 844: The story of how I fell asleep and ended up posting an unfinished chapter, requiring me to update with another chapter.

"Duel!" x2

John: 4000 LP

[Hayato: 4000LP]

Encouraged by Rafael, John mustered his courage, looked Hayato in the eye, drew his card, and even took the first turn before Hayato could: "I understand, teacher. Then I'll take the first turn, Mr. Hayato. My turn, draw!"

As John drew his card, Hayato glanced at his own perfect hand and smiled calmly, "That's right, John, show us your willpower. I'm really looking forward to your performance."

"But what is your dream, as Rafiru mentioned?"

"Well, hehe, that's my secret. It's too embarrassing to tell anyone." John touched his nose shyly, looked at Hayato with clear eyes, and chose to change the subject with a duel.

John took out two cards and placed them on the Duel Disk, saying, "I Normal Summon [Earth Spider] face-up Defense Position from my hand, and equip it with the Equip Spell Card [Guardian Power]."

To the surprise of Jonouchi and the others watching from the sidelines, the monster used by the cute-looking John was a terrifying insect-type monster. A strange-looking spider landed on John's field along its silk thread, assuming a defense stance, and a strange light fell and enveloped it.

【Earth Spider】【4 stars/Earth】

[Insect Clan/Effect]

[0/1500]

However, Hayato wasn't too surprised that John was using an Insect-type deck. After all, in the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga timeline where Pegasus died, John Anderson, who didn't have the "Crystal Beast" card, used an Insect-type deck.