After Youmu's patient explanation, the young man opposite finally believed he wasn't a delinquent.
"So, you just wanted to learn Duel Monsters when you... uh... approached people?"
Hey! Were you about to say "threatened" just now?
"Yeah, but they ran off before I could even finish a sentence."
"No wonder, considering how you look."
"...That's just them being blind. Someone like me, in a few years, will definitely be a head-turning hottie on the street."
The black-haired young man glanced at Youmu again and couldn't help picturing him walking down the street a few years later, with surrounding shopkeepers dutifully paying protection money.
"I feel like you're thinking something very rude."
"Ahem, since you're a beginner, let's go to the second floor."
He was fooled!
But never mind — he finally found someone willing to teach him.
"Oh, I haven't asked your name yet."
"This great me is Jun Manjoume. You can call me Lightning."
I see, a chuunibyou?
The two arrived on the second floor and found a Duel table.
"By the way, how much do you know about Duel Monsters?"
"Besides the name, I know absolutely nothing else."
As expected, Youmu was met with a look of utter speechlessness.
What could he do? He had only just transmigrated today.
"But when I saw the Duel Monsters poster outside, I was drawn to it unconsciously. So, Azhun, can you teach me?"
At times like this, sincerity and enthusiasm were key. Youmu stepped forward and grabbed Manjoume's hand, asking.
"Don't call this great me Azhun!"
Manjoume tried to pull his hand away, but it was too tight to free.
"Then do you have a deck?"
A deck? Damn it — the unreliable system didn't even give him starting equipment!
Seeing Youmu's expression, Manjoume sighed and stood up.
"Go borrow one from the staff."
The Duel Center provided a number of decks for beginners to rent. Since it was a promotional activity, there was no charge.
Youmu randomly picked one from the ten default decks; for him, any of them would do.
As for Manjoume, he pulled a black card from his pocket and handed it to the staff member.
"Is that one still available today?"
The staff opened a safe, took out a deck, and handed it to Manjoume.
The surrounding onlookers seemed to have noticed.
"That card — it's only for the highest-level members, right?"
"And that deck — it couldn't be...?"
"That's right, it must be that..."
Manjoume walked over after getting the deck.
"Come on, for a practice duel, this deck is perfect."
It seemed to be an extraordinary deck. By the time Youmu and Manjoume returned to the table, a crowd had quickly gathered around them.
Duel start!
Manjoume first organized his deck and began.
"The Main Deck portion of a deck consists of 40–60 cards. It cannot be fewer or more than that. By the way, this great me's deck has 40 cards."
40–60 cards, huh? Youmu took out his deck and placed it next to Manjoume's. Hmm — they were even.
"Looks like mine also has 40 cards."
"So casual..." an onlooker couldn't help but comment.
Manjoume then explained the Extra Deck, the function of each zone on the Duel field, and then placed his deck. Youmu followed suit.
"First, each person draws five cards from the top of their deck."
Youmu drew five cards.
"Next, the person who goes first draws one more card. Normally the order is decided by rock-paper-scissors or a coin toss, but since you're a beginner, this great me will go first this time."
Manjoume said this and drew another card. Youmu had no objection.
"This great me Normal Summons Enemy-Flipping Swordsman (ATK 1400 / DEF 1200) in Attack Position."
[Enemy-Flipping Swordsman image]
Manjoume played a monster card.
"This is a Normal Summon. Each person gets one Normal Summon per turn. Standing it upright like this is Attack Position. If it's sideways, it's Defense Position. Of course, you can also Set it face-down, but if it's Set, it can only be in Defense Position."
Saying this, Manjoume manipulated his monster to demonstrate.
Youmu looked at the monster's name and thought, this isn't an Enemy-Flipping Swordsman; it's clearly a Swordsman being flipped.
The surrounding audience was very excited.
"It's here! It's indeed Duel King Muto Yugi's deck!"
Duel King? Such a striking term immediately caught Youmu's attention.
"That's right. This great me is using the Duel King's reconstructed deck. Only high-level members of Kaiba Duel Center can rent it, though it's not complete."
Duel King, huh? Youmu decided to look into it thoroughly later.
"Then this great me activates the Spell Card Pot of Greed! Its effect allows me to draw two cards from my deck."
"Spell Card?"
"That's right. Cards with the 'Magic' symbol are Spell Cards. It's important to note that except for Quick-Play Spells with a lightning-bolt symbol — which can be Set in advance and activated during your opponent's turn — other Spell Cards can only be activated during your own turn."
I see. Youmu glanced at his hand and found one Quick-Play Spell among them.
"This great me Sets one more card. Turn end."
"Youmu, the card this great me Set is a Trap Card, indicated by the 'Trap' symbol. Remember, most Trap Cards must be Set for one turn before they can be activated."
After watching Manjoume's series of actions, Youmu had a general understanding of the Duel process.
"My turn, draw!"
Youmu carefully examined the monsters in his hand and picked the one that looked most pleasing.
"I Normal Summon Green Tree Spirit King (ATK 500 / DEF 1600) in Attack Position."
[Green Tree Spirit King image]
"Youmu, you can attack starting this turn. Each of us has 4000 Life Points. The victory condition for Duel Monsters is for the player who reduces their opponent's Life Points to zero first to win. Of course, there are other win conditions, but today we'll start with the most conventional."
Youmu looked at the attack values of both monsters.
"I Set one card. Turn end."
"Not bad, Youmu — you're adapting quickly."
"Of course! Maybe tomorrow I'll be even better than you, Azhun."
"You kid, I praise you a little and you're already flying high!"
"It's this great me's turn, draw! This great me Summons Yellow Gadget (ATK 1200 / DEF 1200)! Its effect activates! When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can add one Green Gadget from my deck to my hand."
[Yellow Gadget image]
"Monster effect..." Youmu looked at the monster on his field. It said, 'Young King who rules the forest.'
"Then I also activate a monster effect! Since Enemy-Flipping Swordsman is a spirit, and spirits live in the forest, and Green Tree Spirit King is the master who rules the forest, that monster belongs to me!"