Season 0: Theme Keycard #1 C1: It's time to D-D-Duel!

Season 0 • C1: It's time to D-D-DUEL!

"Bro, just let me play! Damn!" Lenix screeched to the heavens as his opponent discarded 'Ash Blossom' to negate his Phoenix's Descend. Not that it would have done much, mind you, not with how the board was looking. The Photon player had summoned not only 'C62: Neo Prime Photon Dragon,' but the resummoned the normal form of it through a combo of Spell cards and monster effects.

There's nothing in the Control Deck he had rebuilt that even came close to matching either monster's ridiculous ATK, and the opponent had done it in three turns as well! Right after Solemn Judgmenting his Spirit Reaper into the Shadow Realm. Lenix remembered clearly how cool it was to Synchro-Summon a bunch of monsters, but even back then, the average players would have to manage their resources and set up for a few turns.

His opponent hadn't set up at all.

He merely played a bunch of Spell and Monsters cards with a gazillion lines of text beneath, and here they were, with Lenix's board stripped completely bare, and the opponents full with an XYZ, two Synchros and a Link. Rechecking his Extra Deck, then the Neo Prime Photon Dragon's 'Unaffected by your opponent's monster effects,' Lenix sighed. Even if he could get Brionac or Black Rose Dragon the field, it'd not do him any good.

The power-creep had left his old Deck in the dust. Staring at the helpless situation, he banged the back of his head against the wall and smacked his lips. There was a whole host of things he wanted to say, but after four similar Duels hands-in-hands, his passion had been exhausted.

Pressing the 'Surrender' button, he groaned, exited the game, then dropped on the bed like a sack of potatoes; exhausted by the ordeal. "Man, that shit was cancer." He was never a good player, average at best, but he had never experienced so many losses in a row back in the day. It was disheartening, to say the least. A feeling he's sure old players who wanted to rejoin the scene all shared to some extent.

After a good minute of sulking, he caressed the Sacred Phoenix card in his hand.

Nephthys was his first Ultimate Rare.

While others were spamming Tele-Dad, Synchro-Centric, Gladiator Beasts and even the Fusion-Centric E-Heroes, he had stayed loyal to Nepthys, doing his very best to incorporate her into every Deck he was experimenting with.

He had returned to the old hobby, believing her annoyingly persistent presence on the field would give him an edge.

Even after losing several games in a row, Lenix had held onto hope, but now he couldn't fool himself anymore... His Ace's outdated.

Her ATK was too low compared to other more readily available Aces; her recursion too slow for the meta, and her board-clearing too ineffective in an era where Trap cards saw almost no play, and had practically been replaced by the new 'Hand Traps,' otherwise known as Effect Monsters that could be discarded at will like a Quick-Spell.

Even with her new Support; her cool new Cerulean Ritual card, and the 'Sacred Flame' with a whopping 4800 ATK if done right, she was still too vulnerable to different forms of removal. "Shame..." Running his nails along the encased card that sparkled, depicting a golden Phoenix, Lenix put on a wry smile and allowed the card to drop on his chest, right next to her trusty 'Hand.'

“I really liked you guys too.“ Fighting spirit battered; ego bruised, he rolled on his side and slowly drifted to sleep, gaze glued to the cards next to him. “But it's alright… You girls are still my favorite.“

Once. It took only one blink for him to awake from his slumber, and a second to realize the ceiling was not his. His was white, not chestnut wood that looked like it came out of a sitcom.

The third blink allowed the cogs in his foggy brain to whirl to life. “What?“

Right, left, down at the uncomfortably soft mattress, Lenix turned, flabbergasted by his surrounding.

The room he's in was not his…

The clothes on his back were far too colorful to be mistaken for the black shirt he had gone to sleep in…

Even his skin seemed to have a glow to it.

Stumbling to the floor, he held his breath, fearful that his kidnapper(s), whoever they were, would realize their hostage had awoken. No matter how hard Lenix wracked his brain, he couldn't come up with a plausible answer for his predicament. The worst thing he had ever been involved in were school fights, and never anything serious either. Just scuffles that all children at that age got into.

He didn't have any jealous, obssessive ex, and he definitely had no connection to the less than savory elements of the town either. Lenix, by all intents and purposes, was a completely normal guy. Who'd kidnap him? And for what?

Steadying his breath, he scanned the room for clues—anything would do at this point. Then, his gaze landed on the red Duel Disk hanging nearby.

This wasn't some cheap plastic replica from Amazon.

Its metallic form gleamed, coated in a chemical sealant to prevent rust and damage.

The orbs, far from plastic, shimmered like precious gems inserted within the Duel Disk. It was prettiest thing he had seen, but before he could check the device, rationality kicked in. It'd not do him any good to waste time when his kidnapper could return any minute now. With such thoughts in mind, Lenix glanced at the replica in appreciation, then tried to knob, which had surprisingly been left unlocked.

Whoever his kidnapper was, they were doing a piss-poor job.

Peeking down the corridor from the doorway, he narrowed his eyes at the old, dilapidated motel. It seemed an odd choice of lodging for someone sporting a LED-encrusted, metal Duel Disk replica, but he'd witnessed firsthand the obsessive nature of some players.

They might be behind on rent, have their utilities cut off by the city, but the latest Booster Pack? They had to have it. It was non-negotiable. Shit was wild. Stealthily making his exit, Lenix couldn't help but jump at the abrupy explosion which rocked the building to its foundation, followed by the howls of roaring beasts and people alike.

Fearful, he retreated back into the room, and ran to the window like a bat out of Hell.

Outside, a small boy and a man in his fifties were caught in an intense face-off.

Why were the two playing a card game with each other?

Where were the kid's parents?

Why was no one helping the kid who looked like he was having a Vietnam flashback?

Those were valid questions…

All were inconsequential in the face of the realistic Archfiend towering over both.

Lenix knew that monster. He had seen its depiction on a card before! That was—”Archfiend of Gilfer.“ Long ago, before the modern Yu-Gi-Oh landscape; before the so-called meta, Lenix used to loath that card. Unlike so many Effect Monster that directly destroyed a monster on the field, which usually benefited a Sacred Phoenix player like him, Gilfer could be equipped to a monster like an Equip Spell to decrease its ATK by a whopping 500 ATK, which used to be a big deal and a giant pain in the ass to deal with.

His friend used to run three of it in a Deck with three Zoma the Spirit, three Stronghold, three Metal Reflect Slime and a Spirit Reaper to stall. He'd wait for the opponent to Summon their Ace before sacrificing two to weaken the monster, and since he knew very well what Nephthys' effect was, the bastard would refuse to liberate the bird via Trap or Spell cards. Their Duel would end in either a draw, or him losing, until he integrated Nephthys with Caius and/or Dark Armed Dragon.

In retrospect, they were all relatively easy cards to counter. A Mystical Space Typhoon, or Nephthys' effects could've easily resolved it, but he was a dumb kid then. A dumb kid whose undeveloped brain could not think of any way in the face of such an unconventional tactic. “How?“

Lenix gasped, backing away in horror.

Unlike 4Kids, KaibaCorp and Pegasus had not shied away from gore and horror.

In fact, Gilfer looked, sounded and acted just as he expected it to, flapping the giant, bat-like wings to keep itself afloat as it snarled.

No technology on Earth could hope to achieve such realistic hologram… Not on his Earth, at least.

“Archfiend of Gilfer! Finish this Duel!“

“Relax, dude, you beat a kid, not Yugi Muto.“ Lenix snorted as the kid's LP plummeted to a big, fat 0, before turning to the Duel Disk that seemed to beckon him ever closer.

Gazing expectently at the device, he wondered briefly if he'd ever get to return home, but the excitement quickly chased away the depressing thoughts.

Fastening the Duel Disk over his arm, he marveled at the shiny, folded device, and yell-tested. “DUEL!“

Only for the Disk to really activate, straightening into an empty board he could set his cards on. “Ha…”

Jaw dropped to his chest, Lenix traced his fingers on its soft edges. “Ha!“

Another… Noise escaped his mouth as he grabbed the Deck inside the Duel Disk. “It was you, wasn't it?“ The Sacred Phoenix did not feel like paper and flattened foil to his touch. No.

It felt like a smooth, thin sheet of bendable metal that's as satisfying to touch as younger him used to pretend Yu-Gi-Oh cards were. “I guess it's Duel Monsters now.“ Now if only he had access to the local banlist, that'd be great. But first! “Let's see what I have to work with here…”

Putting asides Nephthys and Hand of Nephthys, Lenix ran over the collection. He wasn't a rock-troll who had never heard of the Transmigration / Reincarnation troupe.

Everything in this room must be his 'Newbie Package,' including the Starter Deck inside.

Giddy with excitement, he blanced at the first card. Feral Imp…

A card that's somehow even worse than Beaver Warrior. A Level 4 Fiend Normal Monster with 1300 ATK, 1400 DEF and absolutely no synergy with any Archetype. It's probably the last thing a Duelist wanted to see in their Deck, and was useful only as Tribute fodder, and it's not even good at that! “If I have a Level 6 Synchro…” The thought immediately caused Lenix to whirl.

He rushed to the window and bellowed, "HEY! WHAT YEAR IS IT?!"

"2004! Lay off the crack!" A grumpy voice shot back.

"I'M NOT USING ANY!!!“

“YOU SHOULD! IT FEELS GOOD!!!“

“YOU CAN'T SAY THAT! THIS IS A KID SHOW!!!“

“FUCK YOU! I SAY WHATEVER I WANT!!!“

The two shot back and forth for a good minute, before Lenix stormed back to the Deck neatly stacked on the desk. “Great… It's the GX Era.“ Admittedly, his love for Yu-Gi-Oh only solidified after GX, but as a somewhat modern player accustomed to multiple Special Summons a turn, the restrictions were definitely going to put a damper on his playmaking ability.

“At least there's no Ash Blossom.“

Solemn Judgment was still a pain, yes, but halving your Life Points was a steep price in GX, where Duelists started with only 4000, and if overused, even the tinniest burn damages might take a Duelist out. Flipping over the card beneath Feral Imp, Lenix barely suppressed a curse. Tatsunootoshigo stared back, tongue lolling from its grinning lips tauntingly.

The bizarre fish-horse hybrid was a Normal Monster with 1350 ATK and 1600 DEF, slightly better than Feral Imp, but its Level crippled its usefulness.

A Level 5… For comparison, Summoned Skull boasted 2500 ATK and 1200 DEF.

While a Level higher than Tatsunootoshigo, it required the same single Tribute.

Adding insult to injury, early Synchro Monsters were mostly Levels 6 and 8, with a rare few at 7 or 9.

Tatsunootoshigo's awkward Level made it practically useless as Synchro material. Lenix couldn't fathom why anyone with a sound body and sane mind would ever include such garbage in their deck, except as filler. “Oh God, please… Don't let the next one be as bad. I'll Tribute you my firstborn.”

He hadn't transmigrated to another world to lose at a children's card game, and he certainly hadn't come to see Feral Imp in action.

“PLEASE!!!”

The third card was somehow worse.

“Who unironically plays THIS?!”

The artwork wasn't even redeeming.

It was a downgraded Morphing Jar with no effects to compensate for its pathetic stats, and no synergy with anything in the Deck.

“God, why?! What am I supposed to do with this crap?” Duel Monsters was like real life—some cards were inherently better than others. There were monsters with 3000 ATK, 2500 DEF, summonable with a single Spell and no Tributes. Others could banish cards for advantage, attack multiple times, or double their ATK.

And then, “There’s this trash. Holy shit…”

It was Ancient. Fucking. Jar.

Not Morphing Jar.

Not Morphin Jar #2.

Not Cyber Jar, but Ancient Jar, a Normal Monster from the same Archetype.

Seeing the monster with no synergy, no support, not even a decent effect to compensate for its abysmal stats, Lenix almost threw the Deck at the wall. Cards like this made him question the sobriety of early Yu-Gi-Oh! designers. Not that the current designers were much better, considering the butchered state of the game balance, but this kind of monster would not see play at a local mall, let alone any competitive scene.

Tossing the Level 1 aside, Lenix sighed in relief as he saw the strange, misshapen Tomato meeting his gaze.

Any Yu-Gi-Oh! veteran would remember Mystic Tomato—a Level 4 Dark monster that Special Summoned a copy of itself when destroyed in battle. It was a decent stall card and provided handy Tribute fodder.

This Lenix could work with. “Okay, okay, playable.“

Afraid that his luck would suddenly plummet, he quickly flipped the card beneath the one copy of Mystic Tomato and grinned. “2 Man-Eater Bugs? Nice.“

Caius or Dark Armed Dragon were both better removal options, but it's as the saying went: Beggar can't be chooser. Frankly, after those useless first two monsters, Lenix was thankful his Starter Deck had any removal power at all.

Sadly, there were only two copies for the monster, but his disappointment did not last long, for the card under them was Mimicking Man-Eater Bug, a Level 4 monster that should not have existed during this period. In fact, it had been released 17 years early compared to its TCG counterpart. While it's true Nephthys and her 'Hands' would've worked much better in a Spellcaster, or even a Blackwing Deck, the saying “Beggar can't be chooser” was yet again applicable.

Insect would do…

Insect must do.

Lenix would find a way to make it work.

“Holy shit, where did 'I' get this?!“ Hurriedly, he put the card as though afraid of ruining it.

But that was as far as his luck went.

The next thirty cards were all underwhelming Normal Monsters.

There was even an Armored Lizard! Armored Lizard!!!

After triple-checking the Deck and finding nothing else of value, Lenix looked to the heavens and screamed, “GOD! WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?!”

Before going on a verbal rampage fit for a 3AM CoD 'Can't end on a loss' streak.

The Deck was so bad, not even Atem and his bullshit, spammable Destiny Draw(s) could make it playable.

It was less a Deck, and more a collection of old, obsolete cards.

After ransacking the room for better options and still coming up empty, Lenix chewed his nails.

He’d been playing a lot of Tag Force recently, and if it taught him anything, it was that when you needed cards, you hit the streets.

That’s where discarded cards ended up.

Sadly, he didn’t seem to be a Duel Academy student, or he could just raid the Well of Rejection. Alternatively, he could simply buy booster packs, but there's just one problem with that option: With what money? Huffing, he tried to conjure up the location of 'his' wallet, or phone perhaps to no avail. Left with little choices, he could only slot his Deck in the Duel Disk and slip outside in a strange bright red jacket and a fancy flat hat of the same color.

If he still couldn't make a whole Deck picking up abandoned cards from the roadside, Lenix would have to find an antique store and sell his the old cards.

Most of them had little value on the field anyways, but as old collectibles—the 1st Edition printed—they might still fetch a hefty sum, maybe even enough for the young Duelist to buy a few booster packs and rebuild his Deck from the ground up.

Journeying outside was a novel experience to say the least.

In every street, there seemed to be Duelists enjoying the game, even betting their DP and prized cards for a chance to get another's.

For someone who had enjoyed GX as much as he did, it was practically Heaven on Earth for Lenix.

He gapes and stares like a country bumpkin every time a monster hits the field.

The spectacle doesn't distract him from his purpose, though. Yet even after dusk, his finds were limited to two copies of "Book of the Moon" and a single "Breaker the Magical Warrior."

They're decent cards, sure, but not nearly enough to salvage the disastrous Deck Lenix's stuck with.

The young Duelist sprawled on the grass, panting from the long walk. 'A Yu-Gi-Oh player touching grass?! The Sun must've risen from the West today.'

“You alright, lad?" A concerned voice cut through Lenix's gloom.

He turned, the automatic "I'm fine, don't worry" Dying on his lips at the sight of old Mutou.

“You're–!“

Barely chest-high, with shaggy, ash-grey hair and eyes like vibrant amethysts, the grandfather of the King of Game stood with hands clasped tightly behind his back, a worried frown etched on his face. “Sugoroku Mutou (Solomon Muto)!”

“Do I know you?"

Sugoroku didn't recognize him, but Lenix certainly recognized him.

Grandfather to Yugi Muto; the wielder of Exodia; the man who kickstarted the events of the first Season. Lenix had not expected to run into him so soon, but despite its massive size and glamour, Domino City was proving to be a surprisingly small place, it seemed. “You're the Gameshop owner, aren't you?“

“Ah! I didn't know I was so popular!“ Beaming, Sugoroku came down the stairs and chuckled. “You're a Duelist too, I see!“

"A poor excuse for one, unfortunately." Lenix scratched the back of his head, and put on a self-deprecating smile. "Haven't played a single game myself."

"Why's that?"

"My Deck's garbage." He blurted.

“Now, that's not nice. Cards have Spirits, you know? You'll lose their 'Hearts' that way.“

“How else should I put it then? Never mind, I'll show you.“ Putting the Deck in Grandpa Mutou's hand, Lenix whistled, keeping only Nephthys, her Hand, Mystic Tomato and the three Man-Eater Bugs. “If you figure out a way to make 'that' work, I'll top my hat to you.“

“It can't be that bad. Here, let me have a try.“

Initially confident, Grandpa Mutou slowly began to pale, sweat beading his forehead. "W-Well, with a few more monsters..."

"And Spells," Lenix added.

"Yes, th—"

"And Traps. Maybe fifteen to twenty more Effect Monsters, too, while we're at it."

A nervous chuckle escaped the old man at Lenix's teasing.

Returning the Deck with an awkward smile, Grandpa Mutou scratched his shaggy beard.

“Perhaps you would like to trade some of those cards? Within the same deck, I fear these monsters won't be able to reach their full potential. It just so happens I run a Gameshop nearby…”

"Just be honest, old man, that Deck will brick every duel."

It wasn't just that most of the monsters were low-stat Normals, half the deck was Level 5 or higher with no way to Special Summon or even search for them.

The sole exception was Nephthys, and Lenix was fairly certain those cards had come with him to this world. “Don't worry, gramp, I won't take advantage of you. Once I have won a few games, I'll pay you back.“ Lenix had never been one to borrow money for luxuries.

He could save for what he truly needed; anything beyond his budget was probably unnecessary anyway.

But modern problems required modern solutions.

Given the unusual circumstances, Lenix considered it more of an investment than a loan Grandpa Mutou's giving him.

At least, that's how he justified it to himself.

“Nonsense!” The old man dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. “I'm not giving you anything. We're just trading cards like any other Duelists. One of my clients is bound to want these monsters; I'll still make a profit, and you'll have a stronger Deck.”

“Be that as it may…” Lenix grinned, gesturing down the road. “Lead the way, Gramps.”

Mr. Mutou hadn't lied. His shop was only a five-minute walk away.

Thirty minutes later, Lenix emerged, carrying a deck he deemed adequate for taking on less experienced Duelists.

It wasn't optimal yet, but the deck he really wanted would have put him tens of thousands of Duel Points—about $3600—in debt. This way, he was only $1600 in the hole, and after factoring in the value of his traded cards, that dropped to a manageable $900.

Not the ideal start to his new life, but not a total disaster either. As he left the shop, he spotted a group of thugs heading toward Mr. Mutou's door. It wasn't his problem, but the old man had been kind to him.

"Three on one." He didn't like those odds. No fighter would, however… "I can take 'em.“

Winning might be a long shot, but if he acted unhinged enough, he might be able to scare them off.

Turning back, Lenix arrived just in time to see several thugs sprinting out of the game shop, a Structure Deck clutched in their hands each.

Behind, Mr. Mutou chased after them, yelling, “Thieves! Stop, thieves!”

“… Are these guys nuts?” Of all the game shops to rob, they chose Yugi's grandfather's?

Lenix quietly moved out of sight.

The three thugs were running at roughly the same pace. If he timed it right…

Bracing himself, he slammed into the first robber, sending the man sprawling into his accomplices, before immediately breaking into a sprint and snatching the Structure Decks to return to their rightful owner. "Go inside and lock the door, I'll take care of this."

"But—!"

"It's fine," Lenix grinned, shoving the man inside just as the thugs surrounded him. "Just give me a discount next time."

Though worried, Mr. Mutou relented and headed for the landline to call for backup. The boy was spirited, yes, but it did not take a genius to see he was outnumbered three to one.

"You brat… You got a death wish?!"

"Oh, no!" Lenix replied, grinning foolishly. "On the contrary, I really, really treasure my life. I just happen to hold my principles above that. Now, c'mon! Put 'em paws up! Run dem hands!"

The leader of the robbers stepped forward with a huff, pulling a Duel Disk from his belt loop. "I got a better idea… Are you a Duelist?"

"Fresh meat, practically," Lenix replied. "Why? Wanna resolve this with a Duel?"

"Why not? If I win, you pay for those Structure Decks and hand them over."

Lenix raised his brows. "And if I win?" That was a steep bet; he wouldn't risk it without an appropriate reward.

“You can take three cards of your liking from my Deck."

"Three cards for three Decks?" Lenix scoffed. “What kind of bullshit bet is that?"

"Or we can beat you up and take the whole thing," The robber threatened. "Your choice."

“Tsk…” Clicking his tongue, the young Duelist inserted his new Deck into the Duel Disk. “Have at it then!“

“”DUEL!!!“”

They yelled, and their Duel Disks responded in kind, projecting the holographic image of a coin engraved with the Millennium Eye.

"I love me some heads!" The robber howled, his friends joining in his laughter.

"Tails it is, then," Lenix replied, picking the roaring head of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. He flipped the coin, and it landed on—"Tails... I'll go first."

Lenix Owens: 4000LP

Takimaru: 4000LP