Hearing the familiar words "hand over your life or not" once again after so long, You Ye looked at the man before him with mild curiosity.
There was no doubt—
This man was his opponent for the Top 32 → Top 16 match, Zhou Hongli.
A veteran Heaven-tier Duelist from a hundred years ago, only a single step away from walking the Path to Kingship.
His original archetype had been Red-Eyes, but unwilling to be shackled by its limits, he continuously modified his deck over the years. Eventually, it evolved into what this world called "Dragon Synchro Pile."
In pre-transmigration terms—
Junk Synchro Degeneracy.
This was one of the intelligence reports Li Yuan had given him.
"You want the Tearlaments archetype?"
You Ye smiled, his tone dripping with mockery.
"Then your strength… might not be enough."
"My strength isn't enough?"
Zhou Hongli froze for a moment, then a chilling grin spread across his face.
How long had it been since a Geo-tier Duelist dared say that to him—to his face?
The last one who did had been some trash-tier archetype player. After Zhou finished his combo, three negates crushed him so completely that he begged on his knees, licking Zhou's boots and pleading for his life.
And You Ye?
In Zhou Hongli's eyes, he was nothing more than a lucky brat who had stumbled into the Tearlaments archetype.
Zhou needed Tearlaments to walk the Path of Kings, to ascend to King-tier.
Otherwise—
Why would a mere Geo-tier Duelist even be worthy of speaking to him?
"Boy," Zhou sneered,
"Do you really think you can stop my combo?"
"Or do you think I'll hesitate like those cowardly clans, afraid of your so-called revenge?"
"Let me tell you something. For a hundred years, even without fixed draws, I've never bricked once."
"And I'm alone. No family. No faction."
"I don't care what consequences come from offending you."
Dragon Synchro's endboard was famous—
Below King-tier, unbeatable unless completely bricked.
Two-card combo.
An invincible final board.
The only way to win was to interrupt the combo early—
Otherwise, it was hopeless.
As for retaliation?
He didn't care.
If the Duel Association cornered him, he'd just flee to the Spirit Realm and sneak back later.
Once he reached King-tier, who would dare avenge a long-dead You Ye?
You Ye merely smiled, said nothing, and walked into the hall with Muning and Melo.
Being completely ignored enraged Zhou Hongli.
His mechanical half-face glowed red as veins bulged on the human side.
A Heaven-tier Duelist—
a man one step from kingship—
And You Ye didn't even bow?
First mockery.
Then, there was complete disregard.
Unforgivable.
But Zhou endured it.
This was the National Tournament venue.
If he forcibly initiated a duel here, not only would hidden King-path Duelists intervene—even King Yuan himself would arrive instantly.
There would be no escape.
"Hmph… you really think the Duel Association can protect you forever?"
Zhou laughed darkly, staring at You Ye's back.
He had decided.
At the very end of the duel, he would make You Ye experience true terror.
He would make him beg.
And then record it—
to savor it again in the future.
The Duel Begins
You Ye, entered the preparation area to wait for the match.
Notably, Zhou Hongli was not placed in the same waiting zone—the Duel Association had clearly noticed the earlier incident and separated them.
You, Ye, were quite satisfied with this arrangement and even played a bit of feeding games with Melo and Muning.
Soon, the arena official arrived and led You, Ye, into the duel chamber.
As You Ye stepped onto the platform, the opposite gate opened.
A servant escorted Zhou Hongli onto the stage.
The doors closed.
The arena was sealed.
The duel could begin at any time.
"Feel fear, You Ye!"
Zhou swung his arm, summoning a black Duel Disk.
He crushed a jet-black talisman in his hand.
Dark miasma flooded the arena.
His grin twisted into something deeply sinister.
Dark Duel Initiated
"Dark Duel!" Zhou declared.
"If I win—your life is mine!"
But before he could finish—
His expression froze.
Then contorted.
Then exploded.
"WHAT THE HELL!?"
"I'm a veteran Heaven-tier Duelist—
I CAN'T LEVERAGE YOU!?"
"What kind of MONSTER are you!?"
The Dark Duel's rules informed him:
The only thing he could claim—
was the Tearlaments archetype.
Nothing else.
Not You Ye's life.
Not his other cards.
Not even other archetypes.
A Heaven-tier Duelist failing to leverage a Geo-tier Duelist—
Absurd.
Impossible.
And yet… reality slapped him in the face.
"I don't know what kind of monster I am,"
You Ye said calmly.
"But what you're suggesting…"
"…is NTR'ing me right in front of my face."
Originally, facing Junk Synchro, You Ye had planned to set Fallen of Albaz, use Geo-tier authority, and cripple Zhou without killing him.
But now?
The Dark Duel's feedback made him furious.
Stealing Tearlaments—
his Tearlaments—
Right in front of a devoted monogamist like him?
That meant only one thing.
All NTR scum must die.
A dark-red Duel Disk appeared on You Ye's left arm.
You Ye (8000 LP) vs Zhou Hongli (8000 LP)Dark Duel
Zhou chose to go first.
Both drew five cards.
Zhou Hongli's Turn
"I activate Reinforcement of the Army, adding Junk Converter!"
"Junk Converter—discard itself and a Tuner to add Synchron!"
"I discard Junk Converter and Junk Synchron—add Junk Synchron!"
"I Normal Summon Junk Synchron!"
"Effect—revive Junk Converter!"
"Synchron Summon—Junk Speeder!"
This was the core of Dragon Synchro.
Everyone knew—
If Junk Speeder was resolved, the game was nearly over.
Zhou stared at You Ye.
If you had interaction, it would be now.
But—
You, Ye, glanced at Fallen of Albaz in your hand, smiled slightly, and gestured politely.
Please continue.
Zhou's heart skipped.
Why was he so calm?
Why wasn't he stopping this?
"Process your effect," You Ye reminded kindly.
A saying from You Ye's past life echoed:
Junk Synchro has two moments.
One—Does Speeder resolve?
Two—if it does… why didn't the opponent run?
"You have Super Polymerization?" Zhou asked suddenly.
"You guess," You Ye replied with a chilling smile.
Zhou immediately assumed he did.
But that didn't matter.
He had prepared for this.
"I Special Summon multiple Synchrons!"
Minutes of combo later—
Six dragons.
An absurd endboard.
Finally—
"I activate Prohibition—declaring Super Polymerization!"
Zhou laughed maniacally.
"No Super Poly! What now, You Ye?"
You Ye's Turn
"I draw."
Main Phase I.
"I set one monster."
Zhou relaxed.
Then—
His entire field vanished.
Six dragons—
sent to the Graveyard.
A single dragon appeared in You Ye's field.
Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon.
"WHERE ARE MY DRAGONS!?"
"WHAT HAPPENED!?"
"WHY WAS THERE NO CHAIN WINDOW!?"
You Ye calmly explained:
"First—your dragons were sent as Fusion Material."
"Second—there was a timing, but your negates were already gone."
"Third—this wasn't an effect."
"It was a summoning condition."
"Rules. Not an activation."
Zhou collapsed internally.
Four minutes of combo.
A perfect board.
Deleted by a set monster.
"You should've been prepared," You Ye said coldly,
"The moment you tried to touch my Tearlaments."
"Now—watch me play."
What followed was a flawless Branded / Bystial / Albaz sequence.
Hand traps negated.
Responses crushed.
Hope extinguished.
When You Ye entered the Battle Phase—
Zhou knelt.
"Please—You Ye—no—You Ye-sama!"
"Let me live! I'll be your servant!"
"Please—"
"Too late."
Final Attack
Flames.
Screams.
Then—
Ice.
The arena froze solid.
Zhou Hongli became a charred ice statue, one hand outstretched in a final plea.
Zhou Hongli LP: 8000 → 0
Winner: You Ye
Because it was a Dark Duel—
You Ye, acquired all of Zhou Hongli's assets.
Outside the arena, the official bowed deeply in apology.
You Ye waved it off.
Then spoke calmly:
"I don't want compensation."
"I want this."
"If anyone provokes me in future matches—
I reserve the right to initiate a Dark Duel."
Silence.
Then—
King Yuan's voice echoed:
I approve.
This is how Duelists should be.