"The boss is at the back," this might be one of the most devastating things for a working person to hear.
Although Youyu has never prided himself on being a "working person," his body instinctively reacted upon hearing this phrase. He turned his head and indeed saw the president's expressionless Sima face.
Kaiba crossed his arms expressionlessly: "What were you just talking about?"
"Uh..."
Youyu glanced at Mokuba from the corner of his eye, but all he got in return was a "helpless" expression that seemed almost schadenfreude.
Just knew this kid couldn't be relied upon.
"Uh...I meant to say, our president might be the most sincere and enthusiastic CEO towards users and players in the world.
Look, the head of Kent Chicken might not eat his own chicken, and the head of certain fruit company might not use his own phone, but the whole world knows our president would never put down his Duel Disc, right?"
Mokuba reminded: "Technically, brother has already retired from dueling."
Youyu was indifferent: "Technically, Jonouchi is still a Normal Monster."
President Haima walked in silently, took the terminal from Mokuba's hand, and glanced at it: "Domino Daily? Hmph, just a bunch of clownish sensationalism for sales."
So it seemed that Kaiba wasn't too fond of the article's portrayal of him as a "man who thinks with his Duel Disc."
But it seemed like the president indeed hadn't come to drag Youyu along as cannon fodder for a while, and Youyu figured it had something to do with his good buddy Yugi sharing the burden.
Youyu even casually asked Mokuba about it. Mokuba said he heard that Yugi had returned to Domino, and the president indeed couldn't wait to go find him for a card game.
However, while the president was full of spirit when he set out, like a commander determined to win, he returned with a steely expression, biting his lip without saying a word.
On the contrary, Yugi, after the card game, still had a kind and pleasant smile, waving them off as if to say, "Let's play a fun card game next time~"
As for the result of the duel...
...Mokuba said it's generally not mentioned.
After all, President Haima dragging the Duel King for a card game was nothing new, and the subordinates all knew what to do.
If the president came out full of spirit and high spirits after a game, everyone would naturally go flatter him, and the president might enjoy it very much.
But if the president came out with a steely expression and said nothing (which seemed to be the usual case), everyone would tacitly avoid mentioning it, as if the game never happened.
If there's anyone who doesn't know how to read the room and insists on bringing it up, well, that guy won't be entering the Kaiba Group's gate tomorrow.
Youyu verbally agreed to the president's proposal of "settling things between us once this competition is over," while secretly planning to hop on a plane back to Duel Academy right after the competition ends, not giving the president a chance to make a move.
Many outsiders think that these friends, who have weathered life and death together from the first Duel City tournament to now, have forged bonds as strong as steel.
However, in truth, while Youyu doesn't deny having a good relationship with these old friends from the DM era, if given a choice, he'd actually prefer to mingle with the fresh faces from GX.
Just take Jonouchi for instance, Dice War God, an absolute 'luck emperor,' entirely incompatible with someone like Youyu who has a Destiny 20. If Youyu had a "Duelist Opponent Candidate List," Jonouchi would definitely be at the bottom.
Muto Yugi needs no elaboration. Youyu feels that anyone on Earth with a sane mind and normal logic wouldn't want a second game after dueling Muto Yugi once. There might be only two exceptions: someone madly addicted to duels, or a masochist.
And then there's the president.
Technically, the president seems like a decent card buddy among them—especially being persistently pitted against by the other two card buddies over the years, yet still sticking to a strong offensive strategy in the mortal world, is quite commendable.
Playing cards with the president itself isn't an issue, but the frequency and repetitiveness are what get to you, anyone would be overwhelmed.
Initially, Youyu was somewhat puzzled. Clearly, everyone was so reluctant, why was the King so eager to return to the Netherworld? Anyway, he had been a wandering ghost for three thousand years, why not wait a few more decades until AIBO joined him for company?
It wasn't long after the King left that Youyu felt he had cracked the case. He figured the main reason might still be the president's relentless pursuit was simply too frequent for the King to handle physically...
...
Somewhere, in a hall filled with dazzling white light.
Saiou Takuma sat alone at the table, with a white tablecloth laid over it. He stared intently at the Tarot cards on the table, which were shuffling themselves swiftly.
The shuffling stopped. Saiou's wide eyes glowed with a dim crimson light as if trying to see through the trajectory of fate through the pile of cards.
Usually, this should have been quite easy for him, but not this time.
Because it involved that man named Youyu.
Since then, Saiou has attempted several times to foresee Youyu through Tarot cards, but every attempt resulted in unequivocal failure.
So now he decided to change his approach.
He dispatched one of his most capable subordinates—Alice, to probe this opponent whose depth he couldn't fathom. They would face off directly, intertwining their destinies through orchestrated means.
Alice's body already harbored his seed, the power of the Light of Destruction. Saiou believed that through the influence of that power, he might indirectly observe Youyu's fate from Alice's standpoint, while also figuring out why he was so unique on the chessboard of fate.
He flipped over the first card.
A King's chariot, with the victor standing triumphantly atop it, as if showcasing his accomplishments to the people.
The Chariot, symbolizing absolute victory.
The Tarot card turned over, rooting a future in the present, and setting it on the agenda of fate.
Through this Tarot card, he seemed to see the Light of Destruction dominating everything, illuminating the obstinate darkness on the chessboard of fate. The supreme light dyed everything in destructive white.
Even that Duel King.
Saiou revealed a cruel and sinister smile, with fangs extending from his mouth.
Though he didn't know why he could never directly predict Youyu's future, it no longer mattered.
Because he already saw that this stubborn stain would be wiped away, and the future would remain bright and clear.
The future belongs to the supreme Light of Destruction!