"Welcome to the Link System."
"Identity verification successful. Deck scan complete."
"Please enter your ID."
So I need an ID too... Yu Xuan mused.
He was currently testing the updated Link System equipment he had received from KaibaCorp. It seemed that during his last login with Mokuba, they had either skipped the formal testing phase or used a GM account, as he hadn't been required to create an identity or enter an ID then.
After a brief moment of thought, Yu Xuan casually typed in a few words: "Happy Dueling."
Simple and unpretentious, it was the phrase that best represented his dueling philosophy. He believed that through this Link System, more and more people would come to recognize the true joy of dueling in the future.
"Logging into Virtual Domino City. Countdown: ten seconds... nine..."
As the counter hit zero, a torrent of azure water composed of countless zeros and ones surged toward him, drowning his vision. Yu Xuan felt his body suspended in the air, as if swept into a cool ocean wave, spinning with the current before being pulled into a swirling vortex.
His feet eventually touched solid ground. He landed in a half-crouch and looked down at himself, feeling his body transition from a blurred state into a solid entity, with faint ripples of data still dissipating around him.
He remembered Mokuba's explanation of the Link System. This body was merely virtual data a simulation. However, the state of being logged into the system was akin to a projection of his consciousness.
It was metaphysical technology with distinct KaibaCorp characteristics.
Yu Xuan stood up and looked around, finding himself in a massive city.
Skyscrapers reached toward the heavens, seemingly breaking through the constraints of the atmosphere. Unlike the structures of the real world, the architectural design here fused the essence of streamlined curves with geometric aesthetics, their surfaces shimmering with a silver luster like transparent data flowing over them.
In the center of the city stood a colossal energy tower. From a distance, it looked like a giant crystal covered in a pale blue flow of light. At its very center was the "KC" logo representing the Kaiba Corporation.
However, the vast city was quiet and lonely, looking more like a static painting. There was no urban clamor, no vitality; even time seemed to pass slowly and heavily.
"A ghost town since it's still in closed beta, I guess..."
Yu Xuan began walking down the street.
He casually swiped open the player interface, which contained simple auxiliary functions. For instance, he could edit his current Deck, query the cards already registered in his inventory, check the city map, view marked locations of interest, and see his in-game friends.
Most of the buildings and facilities were not yet open, but the map revealed a shop and an arena. Curious, Yu Xuan followed the map's guidance and found the shop.
"Welcome," a young clerk said with a smile. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"You've done a good job with this place," Yu Xuan said, looking around the interior. "As expected of the President's high tech, it looks just like the real thing."
The clerk maintained her smile. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
Yu Xuan hesitated for two seconds and stepped closer to the counter. A few buttons appeared before him.
"Talk; Buy; Sell; Leave."
Yu Xuan was speechless. One moment he was admiring how realistic the place was, and the next, the art style shifted into an old-school RPG.
After attempting to converse a few times, he realized the clerk was just a basic NPC. Her level of intelligence was merely that of an old RPG program, nothing advanced. Perhaps KaibaCorp would replace her with something smarter once the system officially launched.
"Buy."
Yu Xuan tapped the button.
There was nothing particularly special. The cards available for purchase seemed to be the same standard ones found at regular retail outlets in the real world nowhere near as diverse as the selection provided through Duel Academy's internal channels.
Yu Xuan tried buying a card at random and discovered that it couldn't be obtained directly in the game. Even if purchased here, one still had to receive the physical card in reality. After all, the cards used in the Link System were not virtual data; they were physical cards that duelists had to scan into the system before logging in.
Aside from cards, the shop offered other items usable within the Link System, such as various outfits and props. Yu Xuan even saw motorcycles and hoverboards. These virtual goods could be purchased by earning in-game points through dueling activities in the linked world.
Yu Xuan didn't have any points yet. He exited the shop for now and continued wandering the city.
The arena was also open, serving as the core of the Link System. Here, anyone could be matched with duelists from all over the world, ignoring all geographical restrictions. Mokuba had mentioned that quite a few people had been granted beta access; Yu Xuan thought it might be nice to take this opportunity to trade blows with some experts from the Pro League.
As Yu Xuan wandered toward the arena, the phantom image of Black Luster Soldier suddenly drifted out beside him.
"What is it?" Yu Xuan looked at him.
He had already tested the fact that the power of spirits worked just as well in the virtual world during his last visit with Mokuba.
Black Luster Soldier hovered there as if deep in thought. "Incredible," he suddenly remarked.
"What do you mean?"
"This place," Black Luster Soldier said. "This space created by humans... it is so real."
"Oh, this? It's just a digital world. It's all fake," Yu Xuan explained. "Well, it's hard to explain to you guys. But everything on the internet is virtual..."
"No." Black Luster Soldier shook his head. "I understand what you mean by a digital world. But this? While it may be a space created based on data, it has already become more than just that."
Yu Xuan was stunned. "What do you mean?"
He then remembered that the Envoy of the Beginning was a powerful spirit with spatial abilities. Perhaps he could see or feel things that Yu Xuan could not perceive.
"As I said, this place is nearly an independent dimension created by artificial power. To be honest, it is hard for me to imagine that this is a realm built solely on the current strength of humanity," the spirit said.
Yu Xuan didn't fully understand for a moment, but he thought to himself: No, no, don't use 'current human strength' to define the President.
After all, Kaiba was the man who had successfully charged into the Afterlife just a few years ago to find the Pharaoh for a game of cards. His technological prowess was not something common sense could restrain.
"Compared to the world you usually inhabit, this place is much closer to ours," Black Luster Soldier added.
"The Duel Spirit World?" Yu Xuan asked.
"Correct. I can feel it now with this place as a starting point, there seems to be only a thin wall separating us from a certain spirit dimension."
As he spoke, Black Luster Soldier gestured with the sword in his hand.
"If you wish, I can reveal it to you."
Could this Link System actually connect to the world of spirits?
Yu Xuan suddenly realized that what President Kaiba had developed might be much more than a simple online card game simulator. And the Envoy of the Beginning happened to be exactly the kind of spirit who could unearth the potential of this system.
"Sure. Let's go have a look."
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