"What's this?" Jesse Anderson asked, taking the business card Pegasus offered him with both hands, a hint of confusion in his tone.
"With this card of mine, you can use it as an access card for Industrial Illusions and pass through security personnel, because that represents me's recognition," Pegasus said with a smile. "If one day me complete the Card Creation, sending it by express delivery wouldn't be very safe. It would be best for Jesse Anderson boy to pick it up himself."
"Huh?" Jesse Anderson hadn't yet grasped Pegasus's meaning, still waiting for Pegasus to comment on his Duel with Chumley. He really wanted to know if his performance in Duel Monsters could be recognized by the Father of Duel Monsters.
But Raphael naturally understood Pegasus's intentions and spoke for Jesse Anderson: "I thank you on Johnny's behalf, Pegasus."
"Don't mind, Mr. Raphael, for me, finding a Duelist who can fully utilize a Card's potential is also a happy thing," Pegasus said, wagging his finger. "Rather, it brings me immense joy that Duel Monsters can bring a smile to more people."
"That's right, Pegasus, you occasionally say something sensible. Duel Monsters should bring smiles to people, so..." Joey's words trailed off as he glanced at Chumley, who looked uncomfortable beside him. "Uh, what's wrong, Chumley?"
"Probably heard 'Duel with a Smile,' 'Umeh,' 'Smile' too many times. Just hearing 'Duel with a Smile' or anything like that makes my PTSD flare up," Chumley grumbled, rubbing his arm. Seeing Jesse Anderson still somewhat confused, he explained, "Still don't understand? Your will has received Pegasus's affirmation, Jesse Anderson."
"Rejoice!"
"Really?!" Jesse Anderson's face lit up with joy, apparently only just realizing Pegasus's meaning. Not only him, but Joey and Tristan also high-fived and cheered in unison: "That's great!"
"You two didn't just realize it too, did you?" Téa pursed her lips, then spoke gently to Jesse Anderson, "Jesse Anderson, you did wonderfully. Even using a Deck that wasn't quite suited, you persevered to the end, never abandoning or forfeiting a single monster. Even I think your performance was quite cool."
"Mm, thank you for the compliment, Big Sister Téa."
Pegasus was very happy to have found a user for the Cards he was still creating. Part of this was due to the reason that he could now offload some difficult choices to Jesse Anderson. He also explained the current difficulties he faced in Card Creation and informed Jesse Anderson that he could only choose one of the two options to be created.
"Now, Jesse Anderson boy, make your choice. Choose your partner that will accompany you long into the future. No matter which you ultimately choose, me will wholeheartedly create the perfect Cards!"
Looking at the two Card possibilities Pegasus presented, (Gem-Knight) and (Crystal Beast), Jesse Anderson wore a troubled expression: "I have to make a choice? Nobody told me about this before!"
"If I choose one, wouldn't that erase the possibility of the other type of Card coming into existence?"
"Teacher..."
Noticing Jesse Anderson's pleading gaze, Raphael shook his head: "I can't help you with this, Johnny. Don't put any expectations on me. These are your own partners; you must decide based on your own thoughts, not anyone else's words."
"Besides, although Pegasus said that once one type of Card is created, the other can't be, don't feel burdened by it. After all, even though Pegasus is a rather scummy card manufacturer, he's very talented in Card Creation. He wouldn't possibly let a good idea not come into being," Chumley enlightened Jesse Anderson.
Hearing Raphael and Chumley say this, Jesse Anderson tentatively believed their words, set aside his worries, and seriously examined the two sketches in Pegasus's notebook.
The (Gem-Knight) designs, referenced by (El Shaddoll Construct) but more accurately "restored" from it, were still only sketches. Yet, Jesse Anderson could faintly feel a sense of destiny within them, as if they were heroic figures arranged by grand destiny in a legendary epic.
Jesse Anderson instinctively felt that if he chose (Gem-Knight), even his weak self (compared to Chumley and Raphael), might be pushed by destiny onto a glorious path of a hero, becoming a great Savior or similar role.
In contrast, the (Crystal Beast) sketches, particularly the already completed (Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus), had a high degree of completion, allowing Jesse Anderson to more clearly understand the strength of the (Crystal Beast). They seemed to possess powerful willpower. Connected by bonds, even if individually weak, they could still unleash remarkable power.
However, compared to (Gem-Knight), even a collection of a certain number of (Crystal Beast) would likely struggle to surpass the former's power, unless there was an entity that could fully unleash and unify the power of numerous (Crystal Beast).
Even without any actually completed Cards, Jesse Anderson trusted that his judgment wouldn't be far off. Perhaps this was the "Duelist's intuition" Raphael had often mentioned to him.
The strength of the (Gem-Knight) should be higher than the (Crystal Beast). Pure intuition led Jesse Anderson to the same conclusion as Chumley, who knew the complete forms of both Decks. From a rational standpoint, Jesse Anderson should undoubtedly choose (Gem-Knight).
"If I had to make a comparison, (Gem-Knight) are like sturdy swords, while (Crystal Beast) are like a rainbow bridge. If I wanted to become a Duelist standing at the apex, I would undoubtedly choose the former."
Jesse Anderson extended his hand towards Pegasus's manuscript, resolutely tapping on one of the sketches, "But, perhaps I'll disappoint Teacher and Mr. Pegasus, I never actually wanted to become a Duelist standing at the apex."
"And perhaps it's a hallucination, but I think I heard a voice, right here, calling out to me—"
As Jesse Anderson extended his hand and tapped on the sketch in Pegasus's manuscript, a miraculous scene unfolded. The ordinary paper actually bloomed with seven-colored rainbow-like light, converging and enveloping Jesse Anderson's palm.
When the light dissipated, a Card appeared out of thin air in Jesse Anderson's hand. Its Card Art depicted a red gem emitting a faint glow, and its Card name was (Crystal Bond).
At the same time this Card appeared, the voice that had called to Jesse Anderson became even clearer than before, sounding again in his ear: "Hello, Jesse Anderson, it's good to meet you..."
"Uh, hello?" Jesse Anderson instinctively turned his head towards the source of the voice, but could only see the phantom of a Pegasus, dissolving into green light, vanishing into nothingness. The voice didn't respond to Jesse Anderson.
Jesse Anderson almost thought he had imagined it, but then he noticed Raphael and the others also looking at the spot beside him.
"That just now, was it a Duel Monster Spirit?"
Hearing Joey's words, Atem also nodded, indicating that he had seen it too: "That seemed to be a Duel Monster Spirit connected to the Card in Jesse Anderson's hand. Its appearance was also extremely similar to the (Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus) Pegasus designed."
"A Card not even fully created yet already has an Awakening Duel Monster Spirit? That's just too fitting for Jesse Anderson."
"Not only that, that Card is called (Crystal Bond), right? Does it represent the formation of a contract between them?" Marik, who also saw the (Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus) Duel Monster Spirit, remarked, "He's already started Card Creation. From all angles, this kid is definitely going to be extraordinary."
"Grandma said that children are the treasures of the world, and children's wishes are the reality of the future. In other words, the future of the world belongs to children," Chumley said, pointing to the sky in a meaningless but cool pose.
"While that sounds profound, I still have to ask, are you sure your Grandma said that, brother-in-law?"
"Don't worry about the details. Only three-year-olds worry about the details."
"Saying that just makes me worry more!"
The speaker didn't mean anything by it, but the listener took it to heart. Atem, watching Chumley still trying to correct Marik from calling him "brother-in-law," murmured, "The future of the world belongs to children, does it... Indeed, it does."
'Yami Yugi?'
Yugi, inside the (Millennium Puzzle), was in sync with Atem's thoughts, immediately sensing the idea that had surfaced in Atem's heart. Atem, with a smile on his face, returned control of his body to Yugi and went back into the (Millennium Puzzle).
'Hmm, but for now, let's keep it from everyone and talk about it later, Aibo.'
Jesse Anderson also noticed the subtle change in Yugi: "Ah, Mr. Yugi got shorter—huh? No, he didn't get shorter? But his aura changed, and there's an illusion that he shrunk."
"You don't need to understand everything about Duelists, Johnny. (Millennium Items), they're quite mysterious, aren't they?" Raphael said casually. However, despite his calm demeanor, having seen this scene before, he still felt that the power of the (Millennium Items) was indeed a wonderfully incomprehensible item.
Jesse Anderson nodded, half-understanding, then lowered his head to look at the (Crystal Bond) Card in his hand. He asked Raphael, "Teacher, was that really a Duel Monster Spirit just now? Do I really have a partner now?"
"But why did he disappear as soon as he appeared?"
"The Card in your hand, Jesse Anderson boy, is the symbol of you with the Duel Monster Spirit, so there's no need to doubt that this is a dream," Pegasus said with a smile. "As for the spirit appearing and then disappearing, that's inevitable, after all, me haven't completed the Card itself that can house the spirit."
Although he was speaking to Jesse Anderson, Pegasus's gaze never left the Card in Jesse Anderson's hand, constantly fixed on the (Crystal Bond): "But, if Jesse Anderson boy would lend that Card's data to me as a reference, it would definitely accelerate the Card's com—ugh!"
"Your abacus is clattering a little too loudly, Pegasus. I could hear it from 114,514 kilometers away. Why are your ulterior motives so thinly veiled?" Chumley said, tapping the back of Pegasus's neck, interrupting Pegasus's overly obvious intentions. "The kid just found a partner. Even if they can't communicate for now, it's at least a connection. How can you say you want to take the Card from him?"
Jesse Anderson chuckled foolishly at the remark, lowering his head to look at the Card in his hand with a smile, his eyes sparkling as if he had obtained a precious treasure.
——————A Team Trip to the Scenic Spot Divider——————
The enjoyable day quickly passed. In the evening, Raphael and Jesse Anderson, master and apprentice, bid farewell to Chumley and his group. Their presence in Egypt was originally because Raphael thought he might find suitable Cards for Jesse Anderson there. Now that Pegasus had decided to bestow the (Crystal Beast) upon Jesse Anderson, they no longer needed to continue their travels in Egypt.
After all, unlike Yugi and his group, whose expenses were covered by Pegasus, Raphael, an adult, still had to earn money. Unfortunately, despite being skilled in Duel Monsters, he didn't want to use his Cards, which he regarded as family, as tools for making money by participating in Duel Tournaments. His certain reputation in America back then was due to Dartz having ordered him to hunt down the Duel Champions of America.
Pegasus also provided them with contact information, so he could inform them as soon as the (Crystal Beast) Cards were completed.
However, although Pegasus claimed that once he decided to create the Cards in the direction of (Crystal Beast), he would quickly complete them, having already developed creative ideas, a full day had passed with Pegasus looking at many things, but not adding a single stroke to his manuscript. Even when pressed, he would only say, "I'm drawing it, I'm drawing it! Has your Uncle Pegasus ever lied to you?"
With such a procrastinating nature, one might doubt if he'd even finish creating this Set of Cards next year.
Yes, unknowingly, another year had passed. In the blink of an eye, it was New Year's Eve again, though this time it was the first time Chumley and the others were celebrating it abroad, not in Domino City.
"Sizzle~ Pop!"
"Serenity Wheeler, Serenity Wheeler, did you see that? They have fireworks here in Egypt too!" Joey exclaimed excitedly into his phone, filming the fireworks in the night sky, speaking to Serenity Wheeler on the other side of the Earth.
In the video call, Mai Valentine, who was with Serenity Wheeler, helplessly quipped, "Joey, you idiot, Domino City has fireworks tonight too!"
"Oh, but that's different. This is the first time Serenity Wheeler has watched fireworks without me by her side. Mai, you have to keep Serenity Wheeler company for me!"
Serenity Wheeler's eyesight had been restored during Battle City. Before that, she had only seen fireworks when she was very young. While fireworks were dazzling to others, merely an annual sight during New Year's Eve and festivals, Joey knew his sister truly cared about fireworks, which was why he made this international video call.
Also, the phone he was using was actually Tristan's, so he didn't have to pay for the call.
After exchanging a few words and blessings, Joey returned the phone to Tristan, who looked regretful as he hadn't been able to chat with Serenity Wheeler due to Joey's interruption. But Joey felt something was off.
"Hmm? Did I dial Serenity Wheeler's number just now? Why does it feel like this guy Tristan has Serenity Wheeler's contact information?"
Listening to Joey's mumble, Tristan abruptly interrupted him: "What are you rambling about? Look, look, the fireworks are starting again!"
"Oh, oh, oh!" Joey was easily distracted, watching the fireworks rise from the ground into the sky, exploding into huge flowers of light.
"Sizzle~ Pop!"
"So beautiful..."
Looking up at the sky, Téa smiled and said to Yugi beside her, "Next year, let's watch fireworks together too, Yugi."
Yugi, hearing this, hesitated: "About that..."
"There's something I think I should tell everyone..."
Thank you for reading, everyone. I wish you all a Happy New Year, family reunions, joy and cheer, and good health. May you always find your desired fan-works, get Single UR Pulls in gacha games, and always Top-Deck in your Duels!
(end of chapter)I think people don't understand it. I have a personal website where I post advanced free chapters — there are 10 new chapters per day, so you can check it out here: soollhooaf.com