Chapter 1: The God of Cards Wears a Child's Face?
"Son, tell me—do you have the heart for the duel?"
Amidst the void, a silver-haired lass looked straight at Edmund Cross and asked.
Edmund Cross peered warily into the emptiness before him. He could still recall the walk home from the card emporium, the sunlight glinting off the shop windows… and then the screech of tyres, a crimson flash, and the truck that struck him without warning.
The void now stretched endlessly around him, yet the memory of that day clung stubbornly to his mind. Am I dead? Or is this… something else entirely?
"Yes… you are dead." The silver-haired girl's ethereal blue eyes bore into Edmund Cross."Now, depending on your answer, I shall decide whether to cast you into a realm where dueling reigns supreme… or allow you a chance to be reborn."
"You mean… if I say that I love dueling, you'll let me live?" Edmund Cross asked, his gaze dropping to the void beneath his feet, uncertainty flickering in his eyes.
The silver-haired girl offered no reply to Edmund Cross's question. Instead, her piercing blue eyes fixed on him as she asked once more:"Answer me, Edmund… do you truly love the duel?"
"Nonsense… of course it's… hateful," Edmund Cross said without a moment's hesitation, his voice sharp, though a flicker of uncertainty lingered behind his eyes.
"Reasons," she repeated, each syllable deliberate, as though weighing his very soul.
"Does that even require a reason?" Edmund Cross sneered, his eyes narrowing. "No matter how thrilling the Cards of Honour are, it's still a game where luck counts for half, deck strength for a third, and true skill barely scratches twenty percent, isn't it?"
"You've taken a game that's barely half-developed and raised it to the highest level imaginable. I can't even fathom how warped that world must be… utterly terrifying. Perhaps it's best I continue with reincarnation. By the way, although I shan't retain my memories, might I request to be reborn as a beautiful girl next time? I've always wondered what it feels like to live life in such a form…" Edmund Cross said, a wry smile flickering across his face despite the tension in the void.
"Well, it is decided. I shall send you to the Duel Continent," the silver-haired girl declared, nodding with serene authority.
"You agreed? That's… wait." Edmund Cross's eyes widened as a sudden chill ran down his spine. "What exactly did you just say?"
"I said I shall send you to the Duel Continent," the silver-haired girl repeated, her voice firm and unwavering, leaving no room for argument.
"Huh? Are you serious?" Edmund Cross frowned, voice rising in disbelief. "I said I hate you, not that I like you!"
"Because I hate it as well," the silver-haired girl explained, her small brow furrowing adorably. "I am the God of the Duel Continent… the God of Duels — Yi. I had once hoped that duels could bring joy to all, but ever since humans unearthed the immense power within them, duels have become… corrupted."
"Criminals can use duels as a means to elude the authorities;" the silver-haired girl explained, her voice steady, carrying the weight of hard-earned knowledge.
"Scoundrels are lauded for their dueling prowess;" the silver-haired girl continued, her voice calm yet heavy with disapproval, as though recounting a bitter truth of the Duel Continent.
"The focus of scientific research has always revolved around how to harness duel energy," the silver-haired girl explained, her tone measured, carrying the weight of knowledge and experience.
"If you lack the talent for dueling, you are deemed inferior," the silver-haired girl stated, her voice firm and unwavering, as though stating an unchangeable law of the Duel Continent.
"Dueling does not bring joy to all. Rather, countless people are compelled to wager everything they possess in a duel," Yi said, her expression darkening, voice tinged with sorrow. "I do not like this."
"…" Edmund Cross's eyelids twitched, a sinking feeling settling in his chest. "I see… but what exactly does this have to do with me?"
I require your aid," Yi said, stretching out her slender hand. "My aim is to abolish the law of duel supremacy and the power within duels, to return dueling to nothing more than an ordinary game.
"Then get on with it," Edmund Cross muttered, a note of complaint in his voice.
"A god cannot create a stone she cannot lift," Yi said, shaking her head. "I cannot defy my own laws."
"Why would you assume I could accomplish something even a god such as yourself cannot?" Edmund Cross asked, his brow furrowing in genuine puzzlement.
If technique and deck mastery make up fifty percent of a duel," Yi said, her gaze steady, "then you are the duelist who has honed these aspects to their utmost limit… even surpassing them, reaching fifty-one percent!
"Really? And how is it that I never realised I was this strong?" Edmund Cross asked, suspicion lacing his tone.
"Even if it isn't true, it must be true," Yi said, patting Edmund Cross's cheeks gently with her two small hands. "You have no choice. Now, come along—follow me to the Duel Continent!"
"Wait… I'm not ready yet… umm…" Edmund Cross stammered, his cheeks warming as he tried to collect himself.
Edmund Cross felt darkness sweep across his vision, followed by a wave of nausea that made his stomach churn violently… and then, he lost consciousness.
"Where… is this place?" Edmund Cross rubbed his head subconsciously, eyes scanning the strange surroundings.
"This is the stadium of the oldest duel academy in the Duel Continent—the Duelist Academy," a cold voice answered Edmund Cross's question.Edmund turned toward the sound and saw Yi Zheng, who had just claimed to be the God of Duels, hovering beside him like a spectral figure.
"It's not a ghost! It's my soul!" Yi said, as if reading Edmund Cross's thoughts. "And you are the only one granted the honour of seeing me. So… what do you think? Are you grateful?"
summary
Just know how to play cards. That's it—everything else can be learned along the way.
Treatment: At the start, you'll be granted a silver-haired Lolita, a high-intensity, endlessly sustainable card deck, and full plug-ins. You'll be free to outplay the mainstream duelists and strike down the villains. Fun is guaranteed from start to finish, with a 100% winning rate, making you the ultimate Duel King!
Edmund Cross, a seasoned card player merely passing by, glanced at the flyer and quietly slipped it into his pocket.