Who Let Him Play Yugioh? (Re-Upload)

”The title of King of Games.”

This genuinely surprised Kira.

Ever since Yugi Muto retired, that title had remained vacant. After the first Duel City tournament ended, no other event had used that title as a selling point.

In fact, everyone knew that since the Pharaoh was gone and Yugi had retired, if Seto Kaiba wanted the title of King of Games, it would be his for the taking. There was hardly anyone left in the world who could be his match.

But all these years, Kaiba never did so.

Perhaps he felt that unless he defeated that person, even if he beat every other duelist alive, he would be unworthy of the title.

That’s why Kira was surprised. Not only had Kaiba decided to return to the tournament this time, but he was also reopening the title of Duel King.

What did this mean? Had the president finally accepted that Atem was gone, and decided to step out of the Pharaoh’s shadow?

The opening speech ended, and Mokuba stretched.

”Phew~ I barely slept last night, working on the tournament. I’m exhausted.”

Mokuba yawned and turned to Kira.

”Well, now that the tournament’s officially begun, shouldn’t you head out too? Your opponents are all the duelists in Domino City—you’d better hurry.

Spots are limited. If you don’t take one of the eight slots fast enough, you’ll be eliminated.”

Kira nodded in understanding.

Indeed, this was a throwback to the original Duel Monsters tournament rules. So even top-level duelists confident in their skills would feel the pressure—if they moved too slowly, someone else could get ahead.

”But this tournament isn’t going to be so simple,” Mokuba warned, ”Be careful. Some of our people investigated—there’s a chance New Doma agents have already slipped in.

I suspect there’s something in this tournament they absolutely have to win.”

Kira understood: ”The ’Sealing Device’, right?”

”Yeah. So stay sharp. Its appearance in this world is probably their signal for a decisive battle. Actually, one fox has already shown its tail.”

Mokuba swiped his hand, and a surveillance feed appeared before them.

On the screen was a shifty man in a black cloak, half-hidden in the shadows, watching something.

”This guy’s been hanging around for ages—just outside this building. We cross-referenced with our intel and confirmed he’s a dark duelist under New Doma.

I think… he’s looking for you.”

Mokuba snorted.

”He really underestimates the Kaiba Corporation. Does he really think our surveillance network hasn’t noticed him?”

Kira studied the man in the feed and smiled lightly.

Interesting.

”Thanks, Mokuba.” He stood up. ”Looks like my first prey—no, my first opponent—is settled.”

…

Yemo lurked in the shadows, staring fixedly at the Kaiba Corp tower.

Then he frowned slightly.

Strange. Why hadn’t his target come out yet?

The tournament had already started—shouldn’t everyone be rushing out to compete? Where was he?

Could he have slipped out another exit? Thinking this, Yemo considered checking a different location.

He turned to leave the alley but froze after taking just a few steps.

A dead end.

That shouldn’t be possible. He was sure he’d been heading toward the exit.

A sense of foreboding crept over him. He turned around and felt as if a sinister fog loomed before him. Under the dim yellow light, he pushed through the mist, only to find another dark wall blocking his path.

Still a dead end.

Being a dark duelist, Yemo quickly realized something was wrong. He frowned, turned again, and stood quietly for a moment.

Sure enough, a figure soon stepped through the darkness and mist.

”Looks like you’re looking for me,” Kira said with a light chuckle. ”Well, here I am.”

”How confident, kid,” Yemo narrowed his eyes, scanning the ominous mist around them.

”A Dark Duel barrier,” he muttered, ”Let me guess—only one of us leaves here alive?”

”Heh, no wonder you’re a New Doma assassin—you catch on quick,” Kira laughed. ”That’s right, this is a Dark Duel barrier. Anyway, you were planning to challenge me to one, weren’t you? I’m just saving you the trouble.”

He raised his duel disk.

”Shall we?”

”Interesting. That was my plan. Since you’re so fearless, I’ll finish this quickly and report back.”

Yemo also activated his duel disk. His was a special Doma edition, different from Kira’s.

Kira smiled without replying.

”Duel!” x2

[Kira, LP: 4000]

[Yemo, LP: 4000]

”I’ll go first. Draw,” Kira declared. ”I set a monster facedown in defense position, then set three cards facedown and end my turn.”

A simple opening, but typical of slower competitive formats. Early on, it was rare to go all-in and summon a high-attack boss monster on the first turn—there simply weren’t enough sturdy monsters. Spending three or five cards on one big monster, only to lose it to a single removal card, was usually a disaster. Outside of the anime, few people did that.

”My turn. Draw.”

Yemo drew and eyed Kira warily.

He was no longer as confident as he appeared.

He’d thought it was just a Duel Academy student—what could be hard about that? But meeting Kira in person, he began to feel uneasy.

He couldn’t say why, but it felt wrong.

He was supposed to be the hunter and Kira the prey, yet it suddenly felt the opposite.

He hadn’t expected Kira to initiate a Dark Duel.

And when had he circled behind him and set up this barrier?

Yemo realized that since Kira had noticed him, if Kira wanted to slip away unnoticed, he couldn’t stop it.

But Kira had appeared before him anyway.

What did that mean?

Was he completely disregarding this Doma elite?

”Arrogant geniuses always learn the hard way how wide the world really is.”

A glint flashed in Yemo’s eyes.

”Let’s use this duel to teach you that lesson!”