The Kaiba Group is now almost the world's number one conglomerate, with its owner, Kaiba Seto, topping the world's billionaire rankings twice due to his leading position in various industries (but mostly in the card world).
This company boasts the world's top technology, cutting-edge talent, the strongest card players, and even has its own spy team, with a strength unimaginable to most people.
Only one shortcoming that is not for outsiders to know...
...is that their security system is practically a big leaking pot.
It's quite bizarre, clearly a company with such amazing technology, yet their system gets hacked every few days, physically infiltrated every few weeks, with entry and exit casually and outrageously free.
And today, Saiou Takuma is precisely going to this company to retrieve something critical.
However, doing it himself might be quite difficult. After a card battle with Youyu, he has been exposed and is practically a fugitive in the Duel World.
According to the information he obtained, his profile has widely circulated in multiple duelist circles, including professional circles and underground organizations. He has been marked as a 'malicious outsider intruder,' with a rating of 'extremely dangerous.'
Saiou was utterly furious about finding this out.
Slander! It's all slander!
Even toe-thinking would tell it's definitely the handiwork of that shameless Duel King!
Although he is indeed an intruder and does intend to destroy the world, the issue is he hasn't done anything yet, and while he was sitting in his living room, that Duel King suddenly came from the sky and pinned him down!
Do your planet's affairs require no evidence and laws? Can the Duel King just do whatever he wants?
Of course, he's angry, but Saiou has no choice. Anyway, his face is now famous.
Considering the information was spread by Youyu, and connecting Youyu's social circle, he must assume the Legendary Duelists on this planet have also memorized his appearance.
So now he must act low-key and can't appear in person.
Of course, the "Light of Destruction" power can handle this for Saiou.
Brain control is one of his specialties, he can make the entire Light Society loyal to him without question, and naturally, he can brainwash others inside Kaiba Group.
He managed to find a high-ranking board member—at the time this board member was in a bed at a countryside villa, diligently trying to learn a foreign language overnight.
Saiou directly pulled that person out of bed to forcibly play cards. After the game, the board member had a sudden revelation, transforming into a shape embraced by light, losing interest in the charming blonde teacher in bed, with a mind full only of dedicating himself to the cause of light.
The security at Kaiba Group is already like a public restroom, so it's naturally not hard to infiltrate with an insider.
So, taking advantage of the late night when most staff had gone home, he arranged for this board member to sneak into the group headquarters, to find the thing he needed.
Saiou himself wore a wide white robe, with a wide-brimmed hood covering most of his face, hiding in a dim alley across the street, waiting patiently for the result.
Plant a pawn to infiltrate, retrieve the items, and then conveniently erase all related memories from this board member cutting all ties. By the time Kaiba Group reacts, he, Saiou, will have long escaped with what he needed.
The plan was perfect.
...if it weren't for those unexpected changes.
Late night, when ordinary people already finished counting sheep and sleeping deeply.
Silhouettes appeared at the entrance to the alley. They were several young people with punk style, one sporting a silver skull accessory around his neck, puffing cigarettes and making a ruckus, creating a loud scene on the night's street.
They were a group of local hooligans.
Soon someone noticed Saiou cloaked with the white robe and hood. The youngsters became boisterous, swarming over, and the leader quickly pressed him against the wall.
"What? It's a guy."
"Such a letdown..."
The punks murmured.
Soon someone jeered, saying a guy might be even better...
Saiou frowned.
He increasingly felt that his grasp over the power of fate appeared to be fading. The future was slipping out of control, and fate didn't seem as steadfastly on his side anymore as it once did.
Ultimately, it was all that wretched Youyu's fault!
Although Saiou wasn't sure of the reason, it's likely that Duel King's power had to some extent crushed his power of fate!
Thinking of this, Saiou found himself increasingly full of hatred.
This enmity must be avenged!
But now, he had to first deal with the few before him.
These ignorant punks posed no significant threat against the power of the "Light of Destruction." He could easily transform them into his form, and if desired, simply make them disappear.
But before he moved, he heard a shout from the alley entrance: "Hey, you lot! What are you doing?!"
Behold, a righteous and valiant blond youth appeared at the alley entrance, like a partner of justice descending from the sky.
The punk leader raised an eyebrow.
This area still has someone daring to challenge us?
Feeling his authority and status threatened, the punk swung his hand, motioning for his crew to attack!
A group of punks promptly charged forward under their leader's command, surrounding the blond youth intending to pin him down.
The punk leader smirked inwardly.
He knew these brash hot-blooded youths well, just young naive folks who watched too many superhero films, fantasizing as movie protagonists capable of solo feats.
Who the heck do you think you are? Kiryu Kazuma?
Could you possibly defeat us all single-handedly?
...
Seconds later, the punks lay scattered across the ground.
The punk leader, bruised and battered, lay on the ground, helplessly watching the blond youth standing among his men. The young man nonchalantly knocked them all out, and even after, remained upright without seemingly breaking a sweat.
The punk leader incredulously asked him: "Who the heck... are you?"
He couldn't believe that such a powerful fighter would be a nobody in the underworld, even suspecting in his heart—
—are you even human? A super soldier?
But the man merely chuckled lightly: "Just a passing duelist, nothing worth mentioning."
Duelist?
The punk, now observing his face, finally remembered something, exclaiming: "Dice! Dice! Dice!"
Just like the infamous Japanese attack signal "Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!" at Pearl Harbor.
The man's face darkened instantly: "You're the dice! Your whole family is dice!"
At this point, Saiou, who had been saved from the punks and was supposed to be relieved and grateful, instead turned black-faced like a pot bottom.
Because he had already recognized the person's identity—
—Legendary Duelist, Jonouchi Katsuya!
The punks were not a hassle; making them disappear was a matter of ease for Saiou. But the Legendary Duelist was another matter entirely.
And given he was like a wanted criminal in the Dueling Domain now, being recognized here could cause extra trouble.
Thus, Saiou chose to keep silent, hoping to employ the "invisible me" trick to sneak away while unnoticed by the other...
Then Jonouchi turned his head, puzzled: "Speaking of which, this brother looks familiar, have we met somewhere before?"
Saiou: "..."