"The boss is gone too..."
At the base, the cloaked figures looked at each other, seeing only confusion in each other's eyes.
The situation was completely different from what they had imagined.
The mission was originally simple, just to capture some unremarkable Winged Dragon of Ra student from Duel Academy. Instead, Night Shadow came up, and then got taken down in a second, dying as ridiculously as a minor enemy.
The plan was to then capture a rookie from the Red Dormitory as a hostage, but the boss took action personally and got taken down too, dying at the hands of the "hostage."
What's going on at Duel Academy this year?
Just these two students, even in their underworld they should count as notable figures, right?
Is this the level of the middle and bottom ranks of Duel Academy?
Does this mean they, the underworld lot, should just wash up and call it a day?
"...We can't go on like this." Someone said seriously, "This is the highest task the organization has given us. If we continue making no progress... We can't just sit here, we have to do something, or else if the organization blames us..."
The person stopped talking, followed by a few seconds of silence.
"I've been praying that those two don't find their way here."
"..."
Again, looking into each other's eyes, everyone saw only deep helplessness on their companions' faces.
Can't beat them...
It's not about their lack of skill, this time the opponents are just too strange. Supposedly ordinary students, but even the boss was taken down...
"Well, since these people were specifically requested by headquarters, there's bound to be something special about them." The cloaked man code-named Black Flame pondered for a moment.
"By the way, when you contacted headquarters earlier... did you get a reply?"
It felt like without reinforcements from headquarters, they wouldn't be able to hold out.
"...They said someone was already on their way, but we don't know if they've arrived yet."
The cloaked man beside him hesitated to reply.
"It's also possible that headquarters' experts have already arrived in this Duel City..."
But within the organization, these branch members knew very little about their superiors and had no authority to ask. They knew nothing of the superiors' identities; even if they passed by in this city, they wouldn't recognize them.
Perhaps headquarters' big shot had already quietly arrived by their side.
"But they haven't contacted us?" someone questioned.
"Maybe they have their own actions, and they don't need us to cooperate." Black Flame pondered, "Perhaps headquarters wants us to execute missions openly to hold off the opponents, making it easier for their experts to act in the shadows..."
He suddenly stopped speaking because, like many others present, he was reminded of a certain critical term regarding their role in this restraint work—
—Cannon fodder.
Perhaps from the very beginning, this was an opponent that could never be overcome. The target set by headquarters was an unbeatable opponent.
Fighting in vain, exhausting every possible strategy, and inevitably dying at the hands of that person in yellow clothes might just be their unavoidable fate.
"Tch, no choice... there's one last move." Black Flame said gravely.
Everyone's eyes turned towards him, concentrating on listening to what he had to say.
"You have another plan?"
"Yes, a somewhat risky method..."
Black Flame glanced around at them, lowering his voice.
"The guy in the underworld of this city, if it's him..."
The expression of the group changed slightly.
"That guy, do you mean..."
The person lowered their voice instinctively, as if afraid of being overheard.
"...The Demon King of the Dark Star Club?"
"That's right." Black Flame nodded, "The Dark Star Club has been the fastest-growing dark club in this area in recent years, primarily due to its founder, the Demon King."
"This person's strength is indeed formidable."
His teammate nodded but quickly frowned.
"But he is just a surface-level ally with us. Even in the boss's prime, he wasn't confident against him, so we've never been able to incorporate the Dark Star Club into the organization. This person isn't aligned with us..."
Black Flame waved his hand: "It's just a matter of interest. There are no eternal friends, nor eternal enemies. The situation doesn't allow for much contemplation; the boss has already failed, headquarters is unwilling to support us, seeking external aid is our only option."
"Is this the only way..."
...
...
Dark Star Club.
Colorful lights, radiant like a rainbow and flickering like meteors. The lights danced on the walls and flowed on the floor, creating a dreamy, mystical atmosphere.
Pale-skinned dancers swayed to the rhythmic music, their skin delicate as porcelain in the soft lighting, almost reflecting a faint glow. Their graceful bodies were like meticulously crafted sculptures, and the hems of their skirts swirled with their enchanting movements, the fluid and exquisite lines appearing and disappearing in the lights, as if a living painting.
Of course, to the gentlemen present, the quality of the dance was probably beyond comprehension; among the gentlemen gathered, their eyes were mostly drawn to those long legs and the assets above.
"...You want me to deal with your enemies?"
The man known as the Demon King sunk halfway into the sofa, flanked by companions, frowning in thought.
"Your organization is powerful and full of experts, since when do you need me to step in?"
The two cloaked figures in front of him exchanged looks, appearing troubled.
"Uh... that might be something you don't know. While we have many experts, our forces are spread worldwide. We can't spare anyone at the moment..."
The Demon King sneered: "So your higher-ups think you're useless and left you to be cannon fodder, right?"
The two of them: "..."
His words hit the mark, easily seeing through them.
"Ahem, but if you lend a hand, we'll certainly remember your kindness." One of the cloaked figures said, "And the reward will be substantial..."
"Heh, you can spare me those words. I'm already semi-retired and don't lack anything." The Demon King chuckled.
The two cloaked figures showed signs of helplessness.
They'd heard the stories. The Demon King had made quite a fortune in his early years with his superb card skills in the underworld, then washed his hands of it, intending to use his savings from those years to start a legitimate business.
But not only did he fail to make money, within half a year he lost his savings entirely, and ended up deeply in debt.
Having no choice, the retired Demon King had to make a comeback, resurrect his long-sealed card deck, and bury his creditors in darkness.
Well, he wasn't suited for business, but he was skilled with cards.
Afterward, he opened the Dark Star Club. Though he reemerged in the underworld as a Dark Duelist, he seldom took action himself and was practically semi-retired.
"Well, you said the target is a young genius?" The Demon King squinted.
One of the cloaked figures nodded repeatedly.
"Indeed. He's a new student at Duel Academy, but his strength is off the charts."
"And you say he looks quite good?"
"A handsome, delicate face, definitely your type!"
"Hehe, interesting."
The Demon King immediately showed interest, his eyes narrowing into an evil smile.
"I must meet him then."