Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

"Ah, thank you for your explanation, uh, Mr. Aoki." Jonouchi glanced at the office worker in front of him, whose hairline was slightly high and whose black hair had a few strands of white hair that seemed to have appeared early due to overwork. On the nameplate on his chest, next to the logo of the International Illusion Society, were the two words "Aoki", which was probably the other party's name.

After the deck was placed in the slot, the device that seemed to be used for registration closed automatically, and a countdown and red light lit up like a rice cooker. However, after only a few seconds, the countdown reached zero, the red light turned green, and the device reopened, allowing Jonouchi to retrieve the deck.

Meanwhile, Aoki, an ordinary office worker, pulled out a magnetic card from the other end of the device. After putting away the registration form, he handed the magnetic card to Jonouchi and said, "The registration for the GeneX competition is complete. Please keep your magnetic card safe. This is an important item to prove your identity and qualifications after the competition begins. The GeneX competition will officially begin on February 10th in Domino City, one month from now. Please be on time. I wish you great success in the competition."

Although his words were quite thoughtful, Jonouchi could tell that it seemed to be a set script. Nevertheless, he thanked Aoki, took the magnetic card, and stepped aside. The person behind him rubbed his nose and took a step forward.

"Hello, what is your name?"

"Malik Ishtar is me!"

"Okay, and then your date of birth." Even after hearing the name "Malik," the leader of the criminal organization Gurus, which had just been mentioned, Aoki maintained a calm and indifferent expression as he calmly filled out the form. It was unclear whether he was expressionless or simply lacked the energy to care about anything else due to the tedious and monotonous work.

"I've successfully registered!" Jonouchi excitedly approached his friends who were waiting in the registration line and showed them the magnetic card in his hand. "Hahaha, my successful registration basically means the champion has already been decided!"

"You're really confident, aren't you? Aren't you worried about running into some tough guys?" Honda pointed to Malik, who was at the front of the registration line not far away and was still going through the formalities in front of that office worker named Aoki. "Not to mention, Malik is also planning to sign up for the competition."

"Hmph? Malik is nothing to worry about." Jonouchi said arrogantly, "He was only in the top eight in Duel City, while I was in the top four. The advantage is mine."

“That’s because your opponents are completely different in strength. We can see very clearly how much of a difference there is between you and Miss Mai, while Malik’s opponent back then was Yugi.” Kyoko bluntly stated the truth, but Jonouchi didn’t seem to care much and remained as confident as ever.

After putting away the magnetic card, Jonouchi looked around Honda and Kyoko again, not seeing anyone else. "Speaking of which, how come there are only the two of you left here? Where did Yugi, Hayato, and Bakura go? I don't see them. Weren't they all here when we arrived?"

"When you went to line up to register, Keipai came over after he found out we were here. It seemed like he needed to find something about the game, and he also called Bakura over. I don't know what it was about." Honda shrugged. "As for Hayato, he seemed to have seen someone just now, and then suddenly left."

"Before he left, he seemed to say something like, 'I'm sorry everyone, please go back first. I'll catch up with you soon. I'm leaving now.'"

"It sounds like he's going to investigate some Black Organization and then get drugged and shrunk," Malik remarked as he approached Honda after registering, waving the magnetic card in his hand. "Speaking of which, the ambitions of the Hima Group are really quite obvious."

"Ambition? What do you mean?" Jonouchi looked at the GeneX tournament participant qualification card in Malik's hand with confusion. "Isn't this just a regular magnetic card?"

"Your judgment is poor, Jonouchi. Is this the level of the top four in Duel City?" It was clear that Malik had overheard more of Honda and Jonouchi's conversation than he had expected. "You can't judge something by its appearance alone. Think carefully about the meaning behind what this card represents."

"If it's just for the qualification to participate, there's absolutely no need to use a magnetic card that can be used multiple times, right? Where do you usually see magnetic cards? Also, that so-called reason for preventing rare card hunters is ridiculous. Seto Kaiba knows that I'm in Domino City. He's just using the once-existing but long-disbanded Grus as an excuse."

Hearing Malik's words, Honda followed his train of thought and muttered, "If you're talking about places where you see a lot of magnetic cards, it should be in factories. Every day when workers come to work, they need to clock in, and each magnetic card corresponds to the identity of each worker."

"Wait a minute, I remember—" As if he had just remembered something, Honda opened his phone and started looking up information online.

It must be said that with the existence of search engines, the difficulty for humans to acquire knowledge and information was greatly reduced in an instant. In just a moment, Honda found a news article that he had seen a few days ago using the keywords "Domino City", "Haima Group", and "government cooperation".

Looking at the photos posted in the news, Honda came to the same conclusion as Malik, raising an eyebrow: "Just as you thought, Malik, Seto Kaiba's ambitions are truly considerable. This is practically an open conspiracy, isn't it?"

Jonouchi moved closer to Honda and saw that the news article he was actually reading on his phone was from last week, around the time when they were still in Egypt, while Kaiba had already returned to Domino City with Keihei.

The headline of the news article is "Domino City Government and Kaima Entertainment Group Reach Cooperation Agreement to Vigorously Develop People's Livelihood". The content is roughly that Kaima Group will undertake a large number of infrastructure projects in Domino City and carry out a large-scale and extensive transformation and construction of Domino City. The photo posted as a case study shows a gate-like device at a tram station.

“Although it hasn’t been officially announced yet, connecting the magnetic cards issued by the GeneX competition with the card-swiping gate mentioned in that news article makes it easy to arrive at an answer,” Malik said, fiddling with the magnetic card in his hand.

"Once those turnstiles built at the main entrance to Domino City are completed, they will likely begin screening those entering. People who don't qualify as duelists will probably be expelled from the city."

"Given Seto Kaiba's personality, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to install surveillance equipment in every corner of this city. As a large amount of infrastructure is gradually completed, this city will gradually become a city that belongs to duelists and the Kaiba Corporation. And Seto Kaiba, who is in charge of the Kaiba Corporation, will become the ruler of this city."

Kyoko, somewhat surprised by Malik's words, said, "Is it really that exaggerated? Seto Kaiba is going to rule Domino City?"

“Actually, I’ve tried to downplay it as much as possible. Although Seto Kaiba himself may not have the intention of becoming a ruler, his actions are gradually bringing this city under his control.” Malik shrugged. “For example, with the current GeneX tournament, duelists from all over the world who want to become members of the Duel Academy will probably flock to this city.”

"Under the guidance of the Kaiba Group, those troublesome visa issues were easily resolved with a card issued by the Kaiba Group. It was as if Domino City had become independent from Japan and was completely controlled by the Kaiba Group. Moreover, because of the influence of the previous Duel City and the benefits of a large number of outsiders, the citizens of Domino City had no resistance to this GeneX tournament."

Jonouchi thought it was unnecessary, but even after thinking about it for a while, he came to the same conclusion as Honda and Malik: Kaiba seemed to really want to bring Domino City under its control, starting with the current GeneX race.

"Speaking of Duel City, I remember we met that guy named Gosaburo Kaiba before. He said that Kaiba had the talent to rule the world. I thought he was just trying to sway people. But now it seems that Kaiba has already taken the first step in ruling the world."

As Honda spoke, he glanced at the airships floating around in the sky above Domino City. The GeneX race advertisements were prominently displayed below the airships, and the huge poster with the Seahorse Group's "KC" logo seemed to be inspecting its territory on behalf of the seahorse, the king.

So, what is "King" Seto Kaiba doing now?

"Huh? I'm here to be the ambassador for the GeneX tournament?" Looking at Kaiba sitting in front of him, Bakura looked at him with disbelief, as if he had just misheard. "But I know absolutely nothing about Duel Monsters games!"

"It's alright, you don't need to fight in the arena anyway, you can just sit on the stage and watch the match with the commentators. It's a very simple job, right?" Guiping, dressed in a suit, persuaded Bakura. He paused halfway through his sentence and then sighed, "He's much better than me. My brother just came up with this match on a whim, and I had to handle all the preparations."

"And you're telling me that it was actually Hayato who suggested this tournament? Who would believe that?"

"Hmm, if there's no need for a duel, I think it's fine." Bakura thought for a moment, then looked at Yugi, who was acting as his "manager," and asked, "What do you think, Yugi-kun?"

Instead of answering Bakura immediately, Yugi looked at the silent Kaiba and said, "Can you tell me why you thought of making Bakura the ambassador for the GeneX tournament, Kaiba-kun?"

"Hmph, are you questioning me, Game? You think your performance in that duel is enough to make me think highly of you?"

'While it does seem to be true, I do have to admit that this guy is an excellent duelist,' he thought to himself, but Kaiba maintained his composure perfectly, crossing his arms and coldly saying, 'The reason I chose this guy to be my ambassador is simple, and you should know it.'

Upon hearing Kaiba's words, Yugi suddenly remembered what Hayato had told him: the fish they were "fishing" for had a significant grudge against Zorc Nelofa, who had once resided in Bakura's body, also known as "Dark Bakura." Now that "Dark Bakura" was dead, the other party might very well seek out trouble for Bakura, who was completely unrelated to them, out of hatred for him.

"Are you trying to use Bakura as bait, Kaiba? That's despicable. If that's the case, I won't let you use Bakura—"

"Hmph, do you think I'm the kind of scum who'll stop at nothing?" Kaiba snorted, somewhat annoyed. "I'm talking about that ranking list at Domino High School!"

"Uh, a ranking of 'most desirable partners'?"

"Although this guy is ranked one place behind Kobayashi Hayato, besides that list, his name is also on the 'Most Desired Girl to Date' list, also in second place, only after a woman named Nosaka Miho. So, making him the most cost-effective promotional ambassador is..."

Kaiba stopped mid-sentence, his gaze meeting the strange looks he was getting from Keihei, Bakura, and Yugi. "What kind of looks are those?"

"No, I just didn't expect Kaiba-kun to care about those school rankings. I thought only Jonouchi and his friends paid attention to them."

"Oh dear, I'm ranked on the girls' list? How embarrassing~"

"Brother, you've finally grown up. I'm so happy for you."

"Hmph, boring, take it or leave it!" Hearing the others' teasing, the seahorse leaned back in dissatisfaction.

Chapter 940 Dreams and Reality

In the end, Bakura agreed to Kaiba's request and became the promotional ambassador for the GeneX tournament. After all, the job was really easy. The only requirement was that the person serving as the promotional ambassador had to be good-looking and popular enough to make even people who were indifferent to Duel Monsters interested in "paying a little attention" after seeing the promotional ambassador.

In short, one must have an attractive appearance and a friendly demeanor that can arouse desire at first sight. Bakura meets both of these criteria; otherwise, he wouldn't be at the top of both the "most desired to date him" and "most desired to date her" lists at Domino City High School.

What others didn't know was that Bakura had been in a rather confused state lately, especially when everyone else gathered together could clearly see the path they wanted to take and the goals they wanted to achieve.

Anzu had a dream since she was very young to go to America and become a professional dancer.

If Jonouchi wants to become a professional duelist, he must at least be on par with Mai Kujaku.

Honda knew the limits of his abilities and did not force himself to become a great person. Instead, he chose to go home and inherit the family business.

In the future, I want to become a game designer and bring smiles to more people through more fun games.

However, Bakura had no dreams or such. Ever since he lost his father during a trip to Egypt when he was very young, and ever since he was entangled by the evil will residing in something called the "Millennium Wisdom Wheel", he has been in a daze for a long time.

His life so far has been like that of a puppet, a puppet used and manipulated by that evil will.

Bakura certainly didn't want that state, but now that Hayato and Yugi had expelled and destroyed the evil will residing within him, the freed Bakura found himself in a state of disorientation. Without the impetus to move forward, Bakura, who had long been unable to decide what to do for himself, had long lost the motivation to move forward.

However, a few words that Kaiba and Yugi said unintentionally during their conversation made Bakura truly determined to "become an ambassador".

"...After this GeneX tournament, the passion for Duel Monsters that has been building up among the masses is about to explode. I can't predict how many people will be able to decide to abandon the paths that have already been explored by predecessors and instead step into the realm of Duel Monsters."

Looking out from his room at Domino City, who appeared much smaller due to his height, Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "Because not everyone has the same confidence, determination, and courage to fight monsters as I do."

“Kaiba, you’re as confident as ever, though not exactly bragging.” Yugi smiled, looking out the window as well, seemingly lost in thought. “Duel Monsters has been around for a long time, but it’s only become popular in the last few years. For most people, just looking at the world around them is already a struggle, let alone looking to the future.”

"In other words, for most people, Duel Monsters can only be considered a fun game at present, not a profession, because they can only see its performance in the last few years, which is not enough to support their courage, the courage to give up a profession such as a doctor or professor to become a duelist."

The seahorse frowned: "Reality and dreams? Hmph, to lack the courage to pursue dreams for such reasons is truly a cowardly act."

"Because not everyone is like you, Haima-kun, who can ignore material conditions and pursue their dreams with all their might."

Yugi looked at Kaiba helplessly. With the entire Kaiba Entertainment Group supporting him, Seto Kaiba could of course choose his dream without any worries. But how many people like him didn't have to worry about tomorrow's daily necessities?

Despite the reality, the game couldn't help but lament, "But it's also a very sad thing to watch your dreams gradually disappear into the memories of the past because you don't have the courage to break through reality."

How many ordinary, unremarkable office workers, whose edges have been worn down by society, were once talented young people with their own dreams? But the harsh reality eventually crushed them, forcing them to give up their dreams, with their daily work taking up all their energy.

When they see news reports about geniuses showcasing their talents, they might recall their own brilliant dreams and outstanding talents in that instant. But upon reflecting on the past, they realize they can only become ordinary office workers, unable to escape the heavy burden of reality.

“...Courage, huh?” Bakura also looked out the window. They were on a high floor of the Kaima Group building. The scenery on the street that they used to see became extremely small and insignificant from this height. Even the crowded people on the commercial street looked as tiny as ants.

Bakura stood up, drawing the attention of Yugi and Kaiba who were looking out the window back to him. A rare, determined expression appeared on the boy's face: "If I become the ambassador for the GeneX tournament, I can help more people muster the courage to pursue their dreams, right? In that case, I agree."

"I have no dreams, but I can protect the dreams of others."

Meanwhile, Bakura signed a contract with Kaiba Entertainment Group, becoming a promotional ambassador for the GeneX competition, and began training under Kaiba's arrangement. With less than a month until the GeneX competition begins, the promotional activities for the ambassador also need to start quickly.

On the other hand, Pigsy is in a terrible situation—cough cough, he picked up the wrong manuscript—while Hayato is in a much more troublesome situation.

Although he went to Kaiba Park with everyone, shortly after Jonouchi and Malik went to queue up to register, he hurriedly said goodbye to Yugi and the others and left Kaiba Park.

As Hayato walked along the bustling commercial street, the area around him became increasingly secluded and quiet, with fewer and fewer people around, until he turned into a small alley and completely escaped the crowd.

After walking along the alley for a while, Hayato came to a dead end. He suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at the dark blue-haired boy in front of him, who was also wearing the uniform of Domino City High School. He calmly said, "Finally showing yourself, Mr. Stalker who has been following me all this way."

Chapter 941 Blue God

Upon hearing Hayato's words, the boy gave a strange look and said with some surprise, "Huh? What do you mean by that, Hayato-kun? Aren't we classmates? I'm Ayaka, who sits behind you."

"Really? Classmate, I completely forgot you were my classmate. Oh dear, how strange." Hayato's lips curled into a disdainful smile. "Stop spouting nonsense. Do you really think those underhanded tricks can affect me?"

The boy named "Blue God" frowned. Even after hearing Hayato's words, he still tried to persuade Hayato: "No, I didn't do anything, Hayato-kun. Think carefully, you definitely remember something related to me, right?"

As Ayakashi finished speaking, Hayato suddenly "remembered" many things, things from his three years of high school and how he met the classmate named "Ayakashi." From big things like when they mistakenly sat in the wrong seats on the first day of school and greeted each other, to small things like the dishes Ayakashi liked to eat, everything came flooding back in an instant.

For a fleeting moment, Hayato really did believe that Ayaka was indeed his classmate, but he had almost forgotten about him because he had been so busy lately.

However, just as Ayane was looking at Hayato with a "I remember now" expression, he heard Hayato say, "Grandma once said that overcooked food is the worst. No matter how you try to cover it up, the truth will come out eventually. You've stuffed too much into my mind, kid!"

Beside Hayato, the Cyber ​​Dragon's card Pokémon materialized and unleashed an evolutionary flame at Blue God, but Blue God dodged it so quickly that it landed in empty space, creating a deep crater in the alley and sending rubble flying.

A stray rock grazed Ayaka's cheek, but he paid no heed to the cut. Instead, he looked at Hayato with disbelief and said, "Impossible! How can you sense changes in memories?!"

"Do you believe in gravity? The mutual influence between people is a kind of gravity. Because of gravity, people meet and are changed by each other." The [Electronic Dragon] returned to Hayato's side and dissipated. Hayato reached out and brushed his bangs aside, looking at Blue God and saying, "But your gravity is insignificant in the face of the sun! You want to use such underhanded methods to change my consciousness? There's a limit to wishful thinking, you fool!"

Just as Hayato said, the Blue God tried to cram too many memories into his head, to an abnormal level. You see, Hayato's memories of this land began the moment he arrived, but the memories the Blue God added predated his arrival by a considerable margin, truly revealing his incompetence.

However, even though the memories that Blue God wanted to give Hayato were flawless, Hayato did not accept them so easily, after all, he was not standing here alone.

Beside Hayato, countless Pokémon appeared, one after another: Gaia, Disruptor, Entertainment Partner, Aleister, Cyberdragon, Hellfire, Shaddoll, and many more. These Pokémon seemed like meteorites caught by the sun's gravity and falling into the sun to become fuel, protecting Hayato at this moment.

A golden cube with a missing corner that had appeared in Blue God's hand at some unknown time began to flash with red and orange light, just like a communication device that had been affected by electromagnetic interference.

"Tch, still not quite there?" Looking at the golden cube in his hand flickering erratically as if it had malfunctioned, Blue God was somewhat annoyed but not surprised, as if he had anticipated this situation. "The Pharaoh's soul has clearly returned to the underworld, and the [Millennium Artifact] born in its era has been sealed and fallen underground. But why can't the [Quantum Cube] resonate and harmonize with it!"

"What exactly did you do, Hayato Kobayashi!"

"Huh? Finally stopped acting, huh, you self-proclaimed Blue God?" Hayato sneered, looking at the golden inverted triangle that appeared on the forehead of the person in front of him. "If you want someone to answer your questions, you'll have to exchange them for answers. I'm more curious about that Shady guy."