"Heh, they really say fame is a curse. As soon as you make a name for yourself, everyone sets their sights on you." You Feng shook his head, thoroughly exasperated.
"That's only natural. Have you heard how people outside are hyping you up right now?" Mu Yuxi laughed, amused by his deflated expression.
"How are they hyping me?" You Feng honestly had no idea.
"Everyone is praising you to the high heavens! They're saying you've become the Child of God, the only person possessing an Egyptian God Cardand one that no one in the world even knows about yet. The media broadcasted it everywhere, so attention on you spread like wildfire."
"Now, everyone wants to challenge you. They're all after your Egyptian God Card. The Number One Seed of the Vocational Academy is one of them. He openly declared that his target is your overhyped title, along with that God Card. Believe me, he isn't the only one eyeing you," Mu Yuxi explained.
"Heh... I was only away for a few days, and suddenly I feel like public enemy number one?" The corner of You Feng's mouth twitched.
"Away for a few days? What nonsense are you talking about? You were right here this morning! What 'away for a few days'?" Mu Yuxi rolled her eyes at his bizarre remark.
"I'll go start dinner," she said, tying on an apron and walking into the kitchen.
"I'll help you!" Mana chimed in cheerfully, skipping after her.
You Feng leaned back, unbothered. Let them make him public enemy number one. In a dueling world, you were either in a duel or on your way to one, so what did it matter? A duel was bound to happen sooner or later, no matter who the opponent was. To him, there was no difference at all.
The only real issue was that with Mana around, he probably wouldn't get to share any intimate moments with Mu Yuxi tonight. Sleeping next to such a stunning beauty... who could handle that kind of temptation?
Jingcheng, the Vocational Academy.
Students from dozens of nations gathered at this premier institution of Dragon Country. Countless top-tier duelists walked its grounds, commanding all manner of bizarre and formidable decks. After all, the vast card pool of Yu-Gi-Oh! allowed for endless unconventional strategies.
Sitting at the very peak of the academy's Student Council were the Nine Great Rakshasas: Wind, Water, Fire, Earth, Light, Dark, Divine, Spell, and Trap.
Each represented the absolute pinnacle of their respective attribute or card type within the academy, their mastery of their cards bordering on the supernatural.
"Everyone, please look at the big screen. I'm sure you all know who this is?" the Student Council President asked with a warm smile.
He appeared perfectly gentle and pleasant, yet it was precisely that unwavering composure that gave others an unsettling chill.
Displayed across the large screen was none other than You Feng.
"Oh, please. Who doesn't know You Feng by now? The so-called Child of God," Wind Rakshasa scoffed in a sarcastic tone, adjusting his headphones.
"I heard he's coming to our academy. He's actually quite handsome. Having watched his duel recordings, I'd say he's far more charming than any of the men sitting here..." Water Rakshasa remarked languidly. She was a glamorous young woman with fair skin, striking blue eyes, and an unmistakable mixed heritage.
"Child of God? Hahaha..." Flame Rakshasa sneered in blatant contempt, his fiery red hair catching the light as the studs in his ears gleamed. "Haven't there been plenty of overhyped sensations in the news over the years? When it comes down to it, once someone actually arrives at this academy, has anyone ever managed to stand out against the few of us?"
"The Child of God might sound terrifying on paper... but can he break through my absolute defense?" murmured Earth Rakshasa. He was dressed in a sleek suit, blowing a bubble of gum with his hands tucked into his pockets and his feet propped up on the conference table.
"He is shrouded in mystery, both as a duelist and in terms of his cards. I don't think he should be underestimated," Light Rakshasa noted calmly. She was an elegant Western woman wearing a blindfold over her eyes, leaving it unclear whether she was blind or simply cloaking her sight.
"Hehehe, hahaha... I've been bored out of my mind with this mundane routine anyway. Slaying a god sounds way more fun, doesn't it?" Dark Rakshasa grinned, his mouth splitting into a wide, grotesque grin like a complete madman.
"Honestly, people these days just parrot whatever they hear," Demon Rakshasa, a dark-skinned youth, remarked lazily. "As long as you shut down his god-summoning plays, that guy is nothing more than a noob."
"Fun, so fun! Step by step, I'm going to lure this Child of God straight into my trap! Ga-ga-ga..." Trap Rakshasa chuckled, completely unhinged. Her pale face, crazed expression, and twisted laughter laid bare her manic nature.
"The reason I called everyone here today is twofold," the Student Council President said, resting his chin on his interlaced fingers with a composed smile. "First, to let you know that he will indeed be arriving shortly.
Second, the Dean has made an open declaration: whoever defeats him will be promoted an entire grade level and rewarded with a rare Prismatic Secret Rare Card of their choice!"
His smile broadened slightly.
"Therefore, our operation this time is officially designated: Project God-Catcher!"
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