Chapter 33: Me? Discount Pharaoh!
After temporarily parting ways with Finesse, Amano set out on the journey back to District 32 alone.
There was still a month until the new semester started at Duel Academy.
Finesse's most urgent task right now was bringing those fake cards from the bounty hunter Lutz back to the Wein Family for analysis.
On top of that, the young miss had to contact a mechanic to design custom mechanical prosthetics for Amano Shio.
[Finesse Affection: 86]
Standing at District 11's noon train station, Amano stared at the affection number displayed in the system interface, still feeling somewhat unreal about it all.
He'd managed to raise the Wein Family young miss's affection to nearly 90 points in just two days.
Though calling it "raising" wasn't quite right—it made Amano sound like some scumbag who'd stop at nothing to farm affection for rewards.
Everything that happened was simply because Amano did what he believed was right.
He believed he should win that underground duel. He believed he should use the guardian spirit skill to save Finesse. He believed he should work with Finesse to find and fight the Puppeteer.
Before he knew it, he was only 4 points away from the 90-point system reward.
What should've been good news instead left Amano conflicted.
Should he keep pursuing more rewards from the system?
To pursue more rewards, he'd need to raise other potential targets' affection levels.
For a Romance System, that was the only path to more rewards.
Even if it was a card game system disguised as a Romance System, it was the same deal.
But wouldn't that make him... kind of a scumbag?
Being honest with himself, Amano didn't think he was a scumbag.
If he had to evaluate himself, Amano believed he was the same in this life as his previous one.
A decent young man who respected his elders, loved his family, cherished his friends, lived earnestly, and had pretty solid moral values.
So when it came to romance, he shouldn't be the type to play around.
Although the young miss's overly direct statements always brought a smile to his face—
Unfortunately, while Finesse's affection for him was high, he didn't feel any romantic feelings toward her.
Just friendly affection. That didn't make him a scumbag, right?
Right—friends!
Look at Kikawayu with his 100 affection—he was Amano's best friend, wasn't he?
Amano suddenly found a way to rationalize it all.
This wasn't a Romance System—it was actually a Good Friends System~
He wouldn't do anything inappropriate. He'd just keep doing what he believed was right, naturally raising affection, naturally receiving system rewards.
Having adjusted his mindset, Amano's mood brightened considerably.
District 11's noon train station bustled with activity. Beyond the flowing crowds, numerous vendors had set up stalls along the station's perimeter, leeching off the foot traffic.
Should he bring back some local specialties for Shio and the others?
With his pockets gradually filling up, Amano no longer had to pinch pennies like before.
[Remaining Eva Points: 102,320]
This wasn't just ordinary wealth anymore.
Since he no longer had to pay for Shio's mechanical prosthetics himself, the hundred thousand Eva Points from the duel reward could only stay temporarily in his own pocket.
At this moment, Amano felt the illusion that he'd already reached the peak of his life.
He really had to thank his good friend Finesse for this generous gift.
Though a hundred thousand seemed like a lot, Amano knew perfectly well it wasn't.
If both he and Shio were going to Duel Academy, this money would barely be enough.
First off, Shio didn't have a deck. If you're attending Duel Academy, you need at least one deck, right?
Gene identification for 10 cards cost 5,000 points. Add another 30 cards at the cheapest rate of 1,000 points each, and you're looking at 35,000 total.
And that lowest-tier budget would only produce the most bargain-basement deck with the worst effects. Forget about getting any good staple cards.
A single Polymerization currently sold for 30,000 points on the market.
Three Polymerizations in a deck would cost ninety thousand Eva Points.
The more Amano thought about it, the more he realized Finesse was right—a hundred thousand really wasn't that much.
But those were worries for later.
The afternoon sunlight was perfect, and his life was gradually improving.
Though he couldn't spend extravagantly, as a reward for all his hard work, he could indulge in a little station-front shopping.
Scanning the various stalls before the station, Amano's attention was suddenly drawn to one shabby, mysterious-looking setup.
More accurately, he was drawn there by the system prompt.
[Potential Target Discovered. View Affection?]
In a place like this?
Amano had tried interacting with all sorts of people before—the uncle selling meat, the lady selling clothes—but none of them had triggered system prompts.
Walking toward the mysterious stall, Amano had to get quite close before he could barely make out the vendor squeezed between the gaps of neighboring stalls.
Simply because the vendor was so incredibly small.
She looked like an elementary schooler, but her expression was rather mature, with an air of shadiness between her brows.
As their eyes met, Amano even felt like he'd seen this blue-haired little girl somewhere before.
Where had he encountered her?
The loli vendor noticed Amano too. Her already somewhat shady eyes narrowed into two slits, radiating pure merchant scheming.
"Hey there, mister! Nice eye you've got, actually noticing my stall~"
At the same time, the system provided query results.
[Vail] [Affection: 53]
53 affection on first meeting?
The system said 50 points was the boundary for strangers.
But both times Amano met strangers, their affection was slightly higher than 50.
Could he really be that handsome? Auto-buffing first impressions?
More than the extra 3 points though, Amano cared about the name "Vail."
She looked familiar, and the name felt like he'd heard it somewhere too.
"Boss, what are you selling?"
"Selling~~~" Vail beckoned Amano over with a mysterious smile, pulling him up to her stall.
"Duel Monsters cards. Interested?"
That's it?
Why all the mystery over selling cards?
It's not like card trading was banned in Eden Tower. Plenty of people sold cards.
"These aren't ordinary cards."
Sensing the dismissiveness in Amano's eyes, Vail quickly added an explanation.
"These are custom cards—once in a lifetime opportunity."
"Custom cards?"
This was the first time Amano had heard that term.
Before he could finish speaking, Vail shoved a crystal glass orb into Amano's hands.
The orb reflected the sunlight, and as if magic flowed within, text gradually appeared.
[Vanilla]
"Oh, so you're using the Vanilla slot."
"Holy crap?"
Amano admitted he was genuinely shocked.
A duelist's deck archetype should be a closely guarded secret.
For her to see through it so easily—this shady loli boss actually had some skills.
"How much for custom cards?"
The mysterious atmosphere maxed out instantly, and Amano unconsciously lowered his voice.
"Hehe, looks like you know what's up, mister~"
Taking back the crystal ball, Vail pulled out a bag of card packs. The packs had opaque silver plating—you couldn't see what cards were inside.
"Attack Points, Defense Points, Type, Attribute. Pick any one of these four to specify. I'll match your archetype slot and pull cards from the pack that meet your specification."
"I can specify Attack Points?" Amano's deck currently lacked high-ATK monsters most.
"Of course. You can specify minimum Attack Points. Depending on your requirements, each card's price varies."
"Then I'll specify minimum 3000 Attack Points."
Hearing Amano's request, Vail's shady eyes narrowed into two cunning slits again.
"Eighty-seven million per card."
Well played—so you know the market too!
There was one and only one Vanilla monster with 3000+ ATK: Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Market price, currently Kaiba Corporation's bounty: 87 million.
"Just kidding, mister. If you're serious, I suggest specifying minimum 2000 ATK or lower. Otherwise the price gets very steep."
"How about 1900?"
Amano remembered there was a 4-star Vanilla with 1900 ATK called Battle Ox. Of course, there were other quality 1900 ATK Vanillas too.
If he could add these cards to his deck, they'd absolutely be a massive boost to his battle power.
"Minimum 1900 ATK, huh." Vail frowned in thought for a few seconds before answering: "3,000 points per card."
A subtle price point.
If Amano went to the Duelist Center to pull cards, 1,000 points got you one Vanilla.
But with Vail, specifying 1900+ ATK Vanillas cost 3,000 per card.
That merchant's smile bloomed again across the cute loli face.
"But if you buy five at once, I can discount them to 2,000 each."
The scheming merchant's tactics were undeniably brilliant. With that discount, Amano was instantly tempted.
2,000 points per card while specifying minimum 1900 ATK?
That seemed way better value than pulling at the Duelist Center.
"Deal. I'll take five!"
"Thank you for your patronage~ Scan here to pay~"
Ding. 10,000 points deducted.
A painful purchase. This was Amano's first time spending so much money on cards.
Honestly, looking at this somewhat charlatan-like loli, normally Amano would never make such an impulsive purchase.
But Vail had that affection number hovering above her head, granted by the system.
For Amano, people who displayed targetable affection were rare encounters. He firmly believed that as long as the system didn't misidentify them, they must share some kind of fate.
Like how after the purchase, Vail's affection jumped from 53 to 55 points.
Reaching into her skirt toward her butt area, Vail pulled out four more identical silver-plated packs, still warm from body heat.
"Take these home to open, mister~ If you pull good cards, remember to come back~"
What do you mean take them home to open?
Are you kidding?
If he spent ten thousand on cards, obviously he'd open them right here! What if she scammed him?
"Hey, you there!"
But before Amano could tear open a pack, commotion erupted behind him.
Two uniformed District 11 station management personnel pushed through the vendor crowd, rushing toward Amano.
"That brat over there! You're pulling your scam again!"
"Oh crap!" Vail's expression changed instantly. She immediately scooped up her shabby stall along with the mat underneath.
"(๑·ڡ<☆)ᕘ Sorry mister, gotta bounce~! Bye bye!"
With that, the shady loli's stubby little legs spun like they had motors installed, kicking up those anime-style circular speed lines before vanishing into the station's chaotic crowds.
Leaving Amano standing alone in the wind, clutching card packs still warm from her body heat.
Had he just... met a scam artist?
Unable to catch the fleeing Vail, the station workers patted Amano's shoulder earnestly.
"That brat's been using 'custom cards' as a gimmick to sell garbage cards to duelists. We've received quite a few complaints. Kid, remember not to fall for these cheap tricks in the future."
So she really was a scammer.
Amano looked helplessly at the five unopened card packs in his hands.
Spent ten thousand Eva Points on five trash cards.
People's hearts are truly wicked!
But he'd already bought them. Amano figured he might as well open the packs anyway.
First card—
"Wait, Sky Dragon?"
Not the God Card Slifer the Sky Dragon, mind you.
By sheer coincidence, in Yu-Gi-Oh!'s massive card pool, there existed another card simply called Sky Dragon.
[Sky Dragon] [6✪ WIND]
[Dragon/Normal] [ATK: 1900] [DEF: 1800]
[A dragon with the shape of a bird with four wings. Attacks with feathers sharp as blades.]
You dare call yourself Sky Dragon?
Amano felt like he'd been scammed and yet... hadn't been scammed.
The cards Vail gave him were indeed Vanilla slot, and did meet the specified minimum 1900 ATK.
But what Amano wanted was the 4-star 1900 ATK Battle Ox!
A 6-star monster with 1900 ATK that needed Tribute Summoning—what's the point?
Summoned Skull completely outclassed it!
Still, this was just the first pack. If Vail's custom cards weren't lying, maybe the rest would have good pulls.
The loli just looked shady—maybe she wasn't actually a scam artist.
However, after Amano opened two more packs and got three identical Sky Dragons, all he wanted was to hang that loli scammer and capitalists from the same lamppost.
"Damn merchant, give me my money back!"
Two packs left unopened. Amano felt he didn't even need to open them—definitely more of these stupid Sky Dragons.
He complained verbally, but since he'd spent the money...
The silver pack tore cleanly along the seal.
The card he pulled out actually wasn't Sky Dragon.
[Guardian Knight] [5✪ LIGHT]
[Warrior/Normal] [ATK: 1900] [DEF: 1000]
[A warrior who has mastered all forms of swordsmanship. Has an intense sense of justice and fights to protect the weak.]
After Sky Dragon came tribute fodder!
If Amano remembered correctly, this card frequently appeared in the anime as tribute fodder for Slifer the Sky Dragon.
But a single Guardian Knight, 5-star with 1900 ATK, still requiring Tribute Summon—not much different from 6-star.
Bootleg Sky Dragon, Guardian Knight without King's or Queen's Knight.
Am I cosplaying discount Pharaoh here?
Amano reluctantly opened the last pack.
Probably just another absurd meme card.
[Dark Magician] [7✪ DARK]
[Spellcaster/Normal] [ATK: 2500] [DEF: 2100]
[The ultimate wizard in terms of attack and defense.]
No meme at all!!
Amano flipped the card over countless times in disbelief before confirming the truth.
It was genuine Dark Magician!
Sky Dragon, Guardian Knight, and Dark Magician.
Was this some kind of "Pharaoh's Greatest Hits Rate-Up" banner?
Though Dark Magician was an archetype card, it would undoubtedly play a huge role in Amano's deck too.
Because Dark Magician had numerous fusion forms, including branches of the Legendary Dragon series.
Those Legendary Dragon forms were undoubtedly Dragon-Type monsters in the Extra Deck.
He pulled Dark Magician for ten thousand points.
From now on, nobody's allowed to call Vail a scam artist!