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Early in the morning, the Dueling Dojo was already alive with activity.
This particular day, Fujiki Yugen rose earlier than usual. After grabbing some breakfast, he made his way to the dojo well ahead of schedule. As he approached the entrance, he nearly collided with Sato Koji, who greeted him enthusiastically.
"Good morning, Master Yugen! You're here early today!" Koji exclaimed, eyes lighting up at the sight of his senior.
"Uh, Koji, there's no need to call me 'Master.' Just 'senior' is fine..." Yugen replied awkwardly.
"Got it, Master Yugen!" Koji grinned, completely ignoring the correction. "By the way, are you here to see Master Takeshi? He's inside."
Yugen sighed inwardly but didn't press further. Somehow, over time, he had become the de facto "eldest disciple" of the dojo, despite not being particularly older or more experienced than many of his peers.
Koji himself had attempted the Duel Academy entrance exam, but unfortunately failed during the written portion. Yugen couldn't fathom how anyone could struggle with such simple questions, though apparently, the pass rate for the written test was notoriously low. From what he'd seen in the anime, even Yuuki Judai barely scraped by in the rankings, placing 110th out of hundreds—or perhaps thousands—of applicants. Clearly, the competition was fierce.
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Entering the dojo, Yugen headed straight for Master Takeshi's office. To his surprise, the door was wide open. Peering inside, he spotted Master Takeshi seated at his desk, a bulky VR headset perched on his nose. The old man was chuckling softly to himself—"Hehe... hehehe"—his face flushed and expression oddly sheepish.
Yugen paused thoughtfully.
Could it be that he's currently piloting a Gundam-style duel monster?
Deciding it would be impolite to interrupt, Yugen quietly backed out of the room. Standing just outside the doorway, he knocked twice on the open door and called out in a loud, clear voice: "Master, are you here?"
The sound of hurried scrambling erupted from within, followed by a loud thud as if something—or someone—had fallen to the floor. After a brief pause, a slightly flustered voice responded: "Come in."
Stepping back inside, Yugen maintained an impassive expression, pretending not to notice the disheveled state of Master Takeshi's hair or the suspiciously guilty look on his face.
"Just arrived?" Master Takeshi asked cautiously.
"Yes, just now," Yugen replied calmly.
"Hmm... Did you happen to see anything strange?" the master probed, glancing around nervously.
"Nope," Yugen feigned innocence, looking left and right. "Should I have seen something?"
"Oh, oh no, nothing at all!" Takeshi laughed nervously, adjusting his glasses. "I was just studying deck construction, you know, very important research..." He yawned conspicuously. "Anyway, why are you here so early?"
"You told me to come find you this morning after my exams," Yugen reminded him gently.
Takeshi smacked his forehead dramatically. "Ah yes, of course! My apologies, my memory isn't what it used to be... Age does that to you, I suppose."
Internally, Yugen smirked. It's probably less about age and more about your late-night VR escapades, he mused. With the advanced holographic technology available in this world, it wasn't surprising that certain industries—particularly those catering to otaku culture—were thriving. For someone like Master Takeshi, who seemed to spend quite a bit of time indulging in virtual duels, the toll on his stamina must have been significant.
"Well, congratulations on passing the exam!" Takeshi said warmly, changing the subject. "I've heard excellent things about your performance. You've done us proud, and I expect you to continue excelling once you enter the academy. The future of our dojo rests on your shoulders!"
"I understand, Master," Yugen replied respectfully.
"Excellent, excellent." Takeshi nodded approvingly. "Now, the reason I asked you to come today isn't urgent, but there's an opportunity you might find interesting. Have you been keeping up with the news lately? Specifically, the ruins discovered north of the city?"
"Ruins?" Yugen tilted his head, genuinely surprised. "No, I haven't heard anything about that."
"Indeed! A team from Kaiba Corporation recently unearthed them. They're located just outside the city limits, about an hour's drive from here. While they aren't open to the public yet, I have a friend on the inside who offered to let some of my students visit. If you're interested, that is."
Yugen immediately understood the significance.
In the lore of Yu-Gi-Oh!, modern card games originated from archaeological discoveries. Pegasus J. Crawford famously excavated ancient stone tablets in Egypt, awakening dormant spirits and kickstarting the era of Duel Monsters. Even decades later, new cards and strategies continued to emerge from similar archaeological finds.
For instance, artifacts linked to ancient civilizations—such as Atlantis, Norse mythology, and Nazca geoglyphs in Peru—had yielded powerful cards like the "Gem Beasts" and "Earthbound Immortals." These relics served as critical sources for new card designs, making each discovery potentially groundbreaking.
Though Yugen had never seen a real-life ruin or stone tablet before, the prospect intrigued him. Many ruins were eventually converted into tourist attractions, and there were documented cases of duelists forming bonds with spirits residing within these ancient sites.
"While details remain under wraps, my friend hinted that this site might be particularly significant," Takeshi added cryptically.
"Does Master have connections within Kaiba Corporation?" Yugen asked curiously, suddenly realizing his teacher might wield more influence than he'd assumed.
"Heh," Takeshi puffed out his chest proudly. "Let's just say I wasn't always a humble dojo instructor. Back in my prime, I was quite the figure in certain circles. But I grew weary of fame and fortune, choosing instead to live a quiet life..."
Yugen bowed deeply, impressed. "So, is your friend a high-ranking executive within Kaiba Corp.? Or perhaps a renowned duelist? Does he have access to exclusive card releases?"
The proud gleam in Takeshi's eyes dimmed instantly. "Well... not exactly. He's actually part of the excavation crew."
Yugen blinked. "...The excavation crew?"
"Cough, cough!" Takeshi cleared his throat awkwardly. "To be fair, he used to be a skilled duelist, but life took him down a different path. Apparently, Kaiba Corporation requires everyone working on-site—from researchers to construction workers—to be proficient duelists. It's one of Seto Kaiba's personal stipulations."
Yugen raised an eyebrow. So even construction workers need to know how to duel these days? Still, it made sense. Many ruins were imbued with supernatural forces that could pose risks to ordinary people. In a world where dueling skills often determined survival, requiring duelists for such sensitive tasks wasn't entirely unreasonable.
"Coincidentally, there's a 'White Dragon Festival' event happening at Kaiba Land in two days. Our dojo plans to attend as a group outing. My friend will also be there, so we can discuss the ruins then."
"Alright..." Yugen nodded absently, though something about the situation still felt off.
Wait a second... There's a festival called the 'White Dragon Festival'?