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[Welcome to Duel World Online Version 3.0 - Dimensional Warfare]
The instant the countdown hit zero, countless players appeared throughout the city like projected motes of light, dropping into remote alleys and deserted corners scattered across the urban sprawl.
Some jumped up and down in excitement, rubbing their fingers over the cold stone beneath their feet as they marveled at how real it felt. Others narrowed their eyes and swept sharp gazes across the unfamiliar buildings around them, as if trying to figure out what exactly was hidden in this strange new setting.
"Waaaah, I waited in line for three whole days just to get a slot! Wait, Version 3.0?! Does that mean I skipped two whole versions right off the bat? Damn it! Those idiot devs are the worst!"
A player with pink twin-tails stomped the ground in outrage, drawing bursts of laughter from the people nearby.
"Holy crap, this feels insane. The wind on my skin, the texture of the stone, even the moss growing between the cracks looks real!"
Another player crouched down and lightly traced the patterns on the pavement, his eyes full of shock.
Unlike the closed beta of the previous version, Version 3.0 had fully removed the registration cap. Alongside returning veterans, a flood of new players was now pouring into this land of duels.
"Kouki! You logged out here too?"
No sooner had Kouki steadied himself than a familiar booming voice rang out beside him. He turned and saw Kazetaro waving both arms as he ran over, stomping recklessly over the mossy ground.
"Yeah." Kouki gave a calm nod.
"Oh, right!"
Kazetaro suddenly slapped his thigh, hurriedly opened the floating mission panel before his eyes, scanned it a few times, and frowned in confusion.
"Take a look at this faction mission. What the hell is it supposed to mean? I'm completely lost."
"Faction mission?"
Kouki lifted a brow and tapped the air with a fingertip. A pale blue interface immediately unfolded in front of him.
A striking yellow exclamation mark almost seemed to jump off the screen, with the mission details neatly listed beneath it:
[Mission Name: Dimensional Warfare]
[Difficulty: S-Rank]
[Mission Description: Fusion Dimension has brazenly launched an interdimensional war. Through relic portals connected to this world, they have begun a large-scale invasion, looting the core resources of major ruins at will. Resist, or submit? Choose a faction and throw yourself into this war that will decide the fate of dimensions.]
[Available Factions: Fusion Dimension, Synchro Dimension, Pendulum Dimension, Link Dimension]
[Mission Status: Not Yet Open]
[Mission Rewards: Based on faction contribution, players may obtain exclusive dimensional troops, rare unit types, and limited titles.]
"Hey! Check your mission panel! There's a new S-Rank mission - Dimensional Warfare!"
A shout cut through the air and instantly lit up the crowd.
"I've got it too! I thought it was some hidden mission just for me!"
The veteran players, however, all frowned and sank into thought.
Then, without warning, someone in the crowd roared loud enough to shake the air.
"Wait! Where's Xyz Dimension?!"
"It's really not there! I checked the whole list and there's no Xyz Dimension anywhere!"
"So is the mission still incomplete, or does Xyz Dimension have some special unlock condition?"
At the edge of the crowd, Kazetaro withdrew his gaze and turned toward Kouki, still looking conflicted.
"Kouki, which faction are you planning to pick? All four look pretty much the same. If I choose wrong, what if it messes up later missions and what cards I can get?"
Kouki looked back at the mission description and tapped the line that read Fusion Dimension has launched an interdimensional war.
"Look at the wording. Fusion Dimension is the invader, and the world we're in is the side being invaded. The selectable factions only include the invaders and forces from other dimensions. There's no mention at all of this world's own faction."
Kazetaro blinked. "Then should we go ask Yusaku?"
"Are you stupid?"
Kouki shot him a glance, his tone thick with disdain.
"Yusaku may be a protagonist-tier NPC, but when it comes to a core mechanic like faction selection, there's no way he'd just tell you outright. If you ask him, the best you'll get is some line like, 'Follow your heart and make your own choice.' Total waste of time."
Kazetaro scratched his head, looking troubled.
"Then what are we supposed to do? We can't just never choose, can we? The mission can't stay stuck here forever."
A sharp light flickered in Kouki's eyes as he slowly voiced his theory.
"Maybe we don't need to choose at all. The mission doesn't say we're forced to pick one of the four. If we leave it alone, then when the mission officially starts, the system might automatically assign us to the native faction of this world - in other words, Yusaku's side."
"Holy crap!"
Kazetaro's eyes lit up as realization slammed into him. He smacked his leg so hard it echoed.
"The way you put it, that actually makes perfect sense! Damn, Kouki, that brain of yours works fast. I was sitting here agonizing over which one to choose and never even thought of that!"
At that moment, a deep, impassioned voice suddenly cut through the noise of the streets. It boomed from speakers installed all across the city, reaching every corner.
"Ladies and gentlemen! The long-awaited final match of the Duel City Tournament is about to begin! I'm sure you've all been waiting for this - so now, let's welcome the arrival of this ultimate showdown with the loudest applause possible!"
"The Duel City Tournament finals?!"
"And Yusaku's in it too?!"
The two exchanged a glance, and both saw the same uncontrollable excitement in the other's eyes.
Kazetaro closed his mission panel at once and grabbed Kouki by the arm.
"Kouki! The match is starting! Forget the faction mission for now! Let's go cheer for Yusaku-senpai! No matter what, sticking with the protagonist is never the wrong move!"
Kouki arched a brow and let out a knowing smile.
"That was exactly what I was thinking."
The next moment, the two of them were already plunging into the crowd, sprinting side by side toward Duel City.
The moment they entered the spectator stands of the finals arena, they saw that plenty of players had already grabbed the front seats and were chatting in small groups about the match that was about to begin.
"Oh, Kouki, Kazetaro, you guys made it too?"
A familiar figure nearby waved to them with a grin.
"Have you picked your faction yet? A few of us have been stuck on that. If we choose Fusion, people will call us traitors. If we choose one of the others, we're worried we won't keep up with the meta."
"We didn't pick one."
Kazetaro waved his hand, sounding rather smug as he lifted his chin.
"Kouki figured it out. None of those four factions belong to this world, so there's no way Yusaku-senpai is part of them. We're not picking anything. Once the mission opens, the system will definitely assign us to the native faction of this world. Then we can just follow Yusaku."
"So that's it!"
The surrounding players immediately looked enlightened, slapping their thighs one after another as understanding dawned on them.
"No wonder something felt off! We completely overlooked the local faction! Thanks for the heads-up! We won't pick either. Following the protagonist has to be the best route. We'll be eating good for sure!"
The atmosphere inside the arena grew more and more heated. Cheers and chants rose one after another, almost enough to blow the roof off. Then the commentator's voice rang out through the speakers once more, instantly drowning out the noise.
"All right! I know everyone's been waiting long enough! And now, let us formally introduce the two top duelists who have reached the finals of the Duel City Tournament!"
"The first contender - Senjo, from Genius Academy!"
The commentator's voice was full of passion, blasting through the arena.
"He is the undisputed master of Genius Academy, a duelist whose strength is beyond measure! Since his debut, he has never tasted defeat! In this Duel City Tournament, he crushed every opponent in his path and advanced into the finals with a flawless, undefeated record!"
The instant those words fell, thunderous applause erupted from the stands. Countless Genius Academy students held up support signs with Senjo's name printed on them, roaring so loudly the air itself seemed to tremble.
The commentator paused briefly. Once the applause died down a little, he raised his voice even higher, nearly overflowing with excitement.
"As for the other finalist - I'm sure no one here needs an introduction! He is the dark horse who burst onto the scene, the man who has also maintained an undefeated legend - Yusaku!"
"In this tournament, he tore through one powerful enemy after another, advancing into the finals with overwhelming force! On one side, the strongest ace of Genius Academy. On the other, a dazzling dueling legend who rose from nowhere! This is a clash of fate itself, the ultimate battle of evenly matched titans!"
"And today, when this duel is over, the one left standing on this stage will claim the title that represents the highest honor a duelist can attain - King of Games!!!"
Boom!
The audience completely exploded.
The applause and cheering that followed were even fiercer than before, so loud it felt as if the entire arena might collapse beneath it. Many players even leaped to their feet, wildly waving their arms and shouting until they were hoarse.
"So now!"
The commentator took a deep breath and screamed with everything he had.
"Let us welcome our two finalists to the stage with the loudest applause and cheers possible!"
The instant the words fell, both contestant tunnels on either side of the arena burst into brilliant radiance. Dazzling beams of light pierced through the air, illuminating the dust floating high above. Amid the deafening roar of the crowd, two tall figures slowly emerged from the ends of the tunnels.
"Yusaku! Yusaku! Yusaku!"
"Go, senpai! Beat Senjo! Take the King of Games title!"
"Senjo-senpai! Crush him! Genius Academy forever!"
Amid the waves of shouting that rose and fell without end, Yusaku turned his head slightly and swept his gaze across the stands, where players dressed in every style imaginable were cheering themselves hoarse. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Looks like the version update is over.
That was his first thought.
When the players had suddenly vanished from the arena after yesterday's match, he had already guessed that the system was undergoing a major update. Now those familiar faces had returned once more, which clearly meant that Version 3.0 had officially launched.
I wonder what kind of challenges this new version will bring.
Murmuring that to himself, Yusaku raised a hand to the crowd in greeting, then turned and walked step by step toward the stage that represented the peak of dueling.
"Maybe I should say it's been a while."
No sooner had Yusaku come to a stop than a cold voice rang out from across from him.
Senjo stood there with both arms folded, his gaze as sharp as a blade and locked firmly onto Yusaku.
Yusaku smiled slightly, his tone relaxed.
"It's only been a few months. What, did you come this time to take back the Egyptian God Cards?"
"Take them back?"
Senjo gave a cold snort. His eyes instantly turned fierce, and the pressure around him seemed to drop.
"I have remembered the humiliation of losing to you every single day since then. For today's duel, I have honed my Deck to perfection. The man standing before you now is no longer the same duelist who lost to you before. Enough talk-"
He raised his hand sharply and pressed the activation switch on his Duel Disk.
"Come on. Duel!"
A flash of fighting spirit crossed Yusaku's eyes. He swung out one arm, and his Duel Disk unfolded in response.
"As you wish."
"Duel!"
"Duel!"
The two explosive shouts rang out across the duel stage at the exact same moment.
Bzzzt-
Both Duel Disks released a low mechanical hum. Pale blue screens rippled outward like water, while countless streams of data raced and intertwined across the surfaces, projecting both duelists' starting Life Points clearly onto the massive display above.
[Yusaku, LP 8000]
[Senjo, LP 8000]
The next second, a cold system prompt split the air and echoed throughout the arena:
[First move: Senjo]
(End of Chapter)
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