Sunday morning sunlight spilled across the streets as Shin and Rex made their way through the bustling mall. The place was alive with chatter, the hum of music, and flashing digital ads for everything from holo-gear to limited-edition booster packs.
Rex stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket as they approached the glowing sign ahead:
[ARC-GENESIS | OFFICIAL CARD HUB]
"Man, haven't seen the mall this crowded in months," Rex said with a low whistle. "Guess everyone's scrambling for those Fusion upgrades."
"Yeah," Shin replied, eyes scanning the crowd. "Fusion cards were dead weight before, but now…" He tilted his head toward the sign, smirking faintly. "Now they might actually be worth something."
Rex chuckled. "About time they fixed that. I swear, who even ran Fusions before this update? People just threw 'em in for style points."
"Or for showing off in friendlies," Shin said, remembering a few over-the-top players back in school. "Never in ranked though. Too much space wasted in the Main Deck."
They rounded the last corner and froze.
The line outside the card shop stretched like a coiling dragon down the corridor, packed with duelists of every type — students in uniforms, freelancers in worn jackets, even older duelists who looked like they'd crawled out of retirement for this update.
Shin let out a low breath through his teeth. "Looks like we're not the only ones here…"
Rex's jaw nearly hit the floor. "No kidding. Dude—look at this line. We're gonna be here forever."
"Better get used to it," Shin said dryly as they joined the back of the line. "You're the one who wants those Knight fusions so bad."
"Bro, don't play like you're not excited," Rex shot back, pointing a finger at him. "You've been acting all calm but I know you've been thinking about how to break this update since last night."
Shin didn't answer. He didn't need to.
---
After nearly thirty minutes of inching forward, the sliding doors opened to welcome them into a different world — the official Arc-Nexus Hub, glowing with holographic displays of booster packs and promo decks suspended mid-air like pieces of art. Rows of shining glass cases stretched across the floor, filled with singles so rare they almost seemed to hum.
A massive projection flickered above:
NEW EXTRA-DECK UPDATE | HOT PICKS: Lumina-Tech Fusion Set | Archwing Spectral Fusion
"Damn, this place looks like a duel museum," Rex muttered as they stepped inside. His eyes immediately locked on a rack labeled Knight Ascension Fusion Series. "Oh hell yes. Please let them have something good for my Knight deck."
Shin didn't follow him right away. His eyes were drawn to a display farther down the aisle — two structure deck boxes glowing in their cases:
[LUMINA-TECH | Light/Machine]
…and beside it,
[ARCHWING | Fiend/Dark Dragon]
Both designs were sleek, almost predatory in their own way. Lumina-Tech shimmered in pale gold and silver, like a blade cutting through sunlight, while Archwing was draped in crimson and black, jagged wings arcing across the cover like talons in flight.
"Fifty thousand V-Coins each…" Shin muttered under his breath, the price flashing in his HUD when he scanned the boxes. "Figures."
Expensive. Way out of range for a casual pick-up. But something about Archwing made his fingers itch. Fiends and Dragons. A mix that screamed raw aggression.
He shook the thought off and kept moving. Not now. I'll work with what I've got.
He headed for the singles rack, his HUD flicking through card previews as he scanned the Fusion section. After a few minutes of deliberation, he settled on three Fusion monsters:
Umbra Tyrant (Fiend | Fusion | ATK 2800 / DEF 2100)
"1 'Fiend' monsters + 1 DARK monster | Once per turn: You can banish 1 Fiend from your Graveyard; destroy 1 card on the field."
Phantom Chimera – Dragshade (Fiend/Dragon | Fusion | ATK 2500 / DEF 1900)
"1 Fiendling + 1 Dragon | Gains 400 ATK for each Fiend in your Graveyard."
Oblivion Wraithlord (Fiend | Fusion | ATK 3200 / DEF 2500)
"3 'Fiendling' monsters | Cannot be targeted by card effects. When this card destroys a monster: Inflict 800 damage to your opponent."
He grabbed a couple of utility cards too, sliding them into his purchase list:
Dark Reforge (Spell): "Shuffle 2 Fiends from your GY into the deck; draw 2."
Spectral Gate: Abyss (Spell): "Special Summon 1 Fusion Monster by banishing materials from your Graveyard."
Perfect for his graveyard-heavy strategy.
"Man, I hope they've got Knight Imperator Fusion in stock," Rex said from the next aisle, holding a pair of holo-cards up to the light like they were holy relics. "If I can pull this off, my deck's gonna look nasty."
"Don't bankrupt yourself," Shin called over, though his tone carried the faintest smirk.
"Too late for that," Rex shot back.
By the time they got to the counter, their HUDs were flashing with total costs that made Rex groan out loud.
"Bro," Rex muttered, watching the numbers vanish from his V-Coin balance. "I could've bought a decent jacket with this."
"Or saved it for food," Shin said flatly.
"Priorities, my guy. Priorities." Rex slid his new cards into his deck box like he was cradling treasure.
Shin didn't answer. He just glanced at his HUD, seeing the new Extra Deck slot pulsing softly with three new cards. His mind was already racing with possible plays, graveyard loops, and how these fusions could reshape his tempo game.
----
The glass doors slid open, spilling them back into the noise and neon of the mall concourse. Shin and Rex were about to cut through the crowd toward the exit—when a sudden wave of cheers rolled like thunder through the hall.
"What the…?" Rex paused, craning his neck. The sound wasn't just excitement. It was hype. The kind of hype reserved for legends.
They pushed through the current of people until the crowd ahead came into view—thick, packed shoulder to shoulder around a glowing circle of cameras and projection drones.
Rex's voice faltered as his eyes widened. "Is that…"
"Yeah," Shin said quietly, his own voice trailing off.
Standing in the center of the crowd like twin pillars of charisma were Ryunosuke Shijo and Cynthia Bailey—two names every duelist in Arc-Genesis knew by heart. Two of the Top Five Ranked Duelists in the World.
Ryunosuke stood with that same relaxed confidence Shin had only ever seen on streams—a tall figure draped in a black urban coat lined with crimson, his duel disk folded like a weapon holstered at his side. His voice carried that easy swagger that could cut down any opponent without even drawing a card.
Across from him, Cynthia radiated sharp energy—lean and poised, dressed in a sleek silver jacket that shimmered under the holographic glow. Her duel disk gleamed in matching chrome, and when she smiled, it was like she already knew every move you'd make before you did.
They weren't dueling—not yet. They were just talking, throwing verbal jabs that sent sparks flying.
"Next year, the Championship Duels decide who takes the throne," Cynthia said, her tone dripping with certainty. "And newsflash, Shijo—it's not gonna be you."
A ripple of laughter and cheers erupted from the fans circling them.
Ryunosuke's grin widened like a blade being drawn. "Big words for someone who's still one title short of matching me. You can keep dreaming of the crown, Cynthia. Me? I'll just keep winning."
"Winning?" Cynthia tilted her head, letting the holo-lights flash against her sharp eyes. "You mean stalling. You've been running that same old Spectral Burn setup since last season. You're predictable, Ryun."
That hit got a roar from the crowd. Phones floated overhead as people streamed every second.
Ryunosuke laughed low in his chest. "You think I'm predictable? Just wait. Championship's introducing a brand-new mechanic. Not even you can theorycraft your way out of that."
Cynthia leaned in slightly, her voice soft enough to make everyone lean closer. "And when I master it before you," Her smirk could've cut glass. "They'll crown me Queen of Draw. You'll just be a relic of last season."
Ryunosuke chuckled again, slow and dangerous. "Keep dreaming."
The fans exploded as the two broke into easy smiles, shaking hands for the cameras like the professionals they were. Then came the flash of markers, the rustle of sleeves, and the hum of voices as they began signing cards for the flood of fans.
Shin didn't move. Didn't speak.
The noise of the crowd faded into static in his ears. All he saw were those two—duelists who weren't just strong. They were untouchable. Icons. Kings and Queens of the arena.
His eyes dropped to his hip, to the weight of his own deck resting in its holster. His hand closed around it, fingers brushing against the worn edge of the case.
King of the Draw…
The title echoed in his mind like a drumbeat. Not just a rank. Not just a crown. It was everything—power, answers, control.
He clenched his fist tighter around the deck, jaw setting with quiet resolve.
"Maybe…" His voice was barely a whisper against the roar of the crowd. "…after I win this tournament, that'll be my new goal."