No one would have expected that beneath such a dark and deserted alley, there was a hidden world.
After passing through the dim stairwell, the last door revealed a spacious hall. Suspended from the ceiling, more than a dozen meters high, was a dazzling crystal chandelier. The circular walls were painted red, and a curved staircase extended all the way to the second floor.
Darkness Game duelists were scattered around this hall in small groups. Some were drinking, some bragging, and, of course, some were playing cards, possibly honing their skills against companions.
As Youyu passed by a table, he glanced over...
Woah! Why is this table of Dark Duelists playing poker?
Could it be that they're tired of dueling and have switched to playing cards?
In theory, any game bound by "rules" can meet the conditions of a Darkness Game. As long as there are strict rules and clear conditions for victory and defeat, any form of game can serve as a medium for a Darkness Game.
Yes, that's why playing cards or mahjong also meets the conditions.
Heck, if you wanted, you could secretly start a Darkness Game while playing League of Legends on your computer. And who knows, maybe after a loss, the whole opposing team would drop dead or something...
However, only the game of Duel Monsters can maximize the effect of a Darkness Game. Winning a life through other games is far more challenging.
Youyu followed the burly Gatekeeper up the circular staircase to the second floor.
The big guy walked straight to the door at the end of the corridor—Youyu noticed a nameplate on the door marked "President's Office," carefully gilded around the edges.
The Gatekeeper reached straight out to push the door and walked right in.
Youyu was quite sure that, as he entered, he caught the president behind the desk hastily closing a certain page on his computer and quickly switching back to the desktop.
The movement was just like when he was a student secretly watching scrambled videos on the computer, suddenly surprised by his mom barging in.
His mom at the time would give him a good smack, yelling—who the heck would believe you were just staring at the desktop in a daze?
The President was angry, very angry.
He slammed the desk with a "thud," meaning to rise from his chair, but just as his butt was a few centimeters off the seat, he seemed to realize something amiss and awkwardly sat back down, like rewinding a tape.
"Before you enter, knock on the door first. Which word of that do you not understand!?" the President roared at the Gatekeeper from his chair, "Next time, you'll be a sacrifice for the Darkness Game! Understand?"
"Yes, I understand, President."
The President exhaled in annoyance, taking an irritable sip of tea, clearly frustrated for having his joy interrupted.
It felt just like being choked at the climax of a big show, at a loss for words.
Youyu knew that the president of the "Nightwalker World" was Tosawa Mukuro, a person you'd "never forget once you meet."
This wasn't because of some oppressive charisma or overpowering strength, but because of his rather... distinctive appearance.
It might sound a bit rude, but the first thought in Youyu's mind when he first encountered Tosawa Mukuro in the game was, "Wasn't this guy's character model some kind of accident?"
Because, no matter how you put it, that face, those features... they're just out of sync!
The already small eyes were narrowed into slits, pressing against a disproportionately large nose. And then there were those lips, like well-done sausages...
...one could only marvel at the modeler's carelessness in creating such a figure.
To top it off, this President Mukuro... was balding.
Rumor had it that he didn't always look like this; he once had lush, abundant black hair.
Until one day, he played a Darkness Game with another formidable rival in their world and lost due to a small mistake at a critical moment.
In that game, what President Mukuro lost was... his thick mane of hair.
And according to the wager, his hair would never grow back, even hair growth tonic wouldn't help...
After a sip of tea, President Tosawa Mukuro noticed Youyu at the side, raising an eyebrow as his immediate thought jumped to —
— What a handsome lad!
"Who is this?" he asked.
"A formidable Dark Duelist," replied the Gatekeeper, "I personally confirmed that I'm no match for him."
"Oh?" The president set his cup aside, intertwining his fingers and sitting up straight, "So what brings this young fellow to see me?"
Between fellow Dark Duelists, one would typically show respect when accessing each other's turf.
Strength determines status; this also holds true in the duelists' underworld.
Youyu chuckled lightly, "I've long admired your name, and hoped for a chance to join the 'Nightwalker World.'
"Oh? You wish to join us?" President Tosawa Mukuro raised an eyebrow.
After contemplating, he furrowed his brow and said, "Well, it's not that I'm unwilling to accept you. But you must know, our 'Nightwalker World' has its rules. Joining generally requires an introduction or having contributed to the organization in business..."
In truth, these rules aren't absolute. If it's given the president's approval, the members naturally have no objections.
The usual stance would be for President Mukuro to warmly welcome skilled Dark Duelists into the fold.
However, the problem now was... this guy was just too handsome.
Few know that President Mukuro suffers from an unusual ailment.
He would feel physically uncomfortable, like an allergic reaction, when seeing handsome men.
If he followed this instinct, he should immediately refuse and show this guy the door.
Yet, even more bizarre was that he found this fellow too pleasant to even dislike.
In short, too handsome to resist!
So, President Tosawa Mukuro was caught in a dilemma.
Should he let him stay or not?
Yet, Youyu seemed to slightly misunderstand the situation. He knew entering directly like this wasn't in line with the process.
His knowledge of this place came from seeing a guide shared by other players in his previous life. A player completed a series of prerequisite tasks, running around for half a month, until finally joining the "Nightwalker World" through the recommendation of a Dark Duelist.
This type of guild resembles a faction system seen in other online games. Joining means more privileges, opportunities, and chances to acquire tasks and rare cards.
But after reading the guide, Youyu had memorized the entrance to "Nightwalker World," so he skipped the complicated prerequisite tasks.
As for joining without a recommendation, there's always a way.
"But in the world of duelists, isn't it all about proving oneself?" Youyu lifted his left Duel Disc, "Why not consider giving me a chance to try, President?"
President Tosawa Mukuro pondered for a moment.
"Alright," he eventually agreed, "then it is settled. As long as you can defeat three of our chosen opponents consecutively, your entrance trial will be considered passed. How about that?"
Youyu nodded, "Deal."