Chapter 35: Nightcrawler World

After watching the show, Yuyu opened the task panel to review the series of tasks, but his heart froze as he noticed a sudden change.

The task description on the panel had been updated, and it now read "task cancelled."

The explanation stated that the malevolent consciousness known as Darkness, which had invaded reality, had been severely weakened and returned to a dormant state, awaiting the next opportunity to strike.

Yuyu: "..."

So, does this mean that the overwhelming power of Yugi Mutou scared Darkness or at least pushed it back, forcing it back to sleep?

...But what about his reward?

Darkness, the boss, was truly unfathomable. Even in a dormant state, it seemed excessively formidable.

Oh well, no need for him to now go around and beat bunch of Mr.Ts.

But still Yuyu had hoped to defeat this little boss several times and gain enough spars to exchange for a card pack. It seems he'll have to give up on that plan.

...it doesn't matter.

It was just a minor episode. Confronting Darkness was never part of his original plan. Besides, he had already gained valuable experience by getting a spirit, so there was no reason to be dissatisfied.

With the public beta only half a month away, he still had plenty to do in the meantime.

...

An hour later, Yuyu found himself in an empty alley at the other end of the city. It felt eerie, devoid of any signs of life.

It seemed like every city had these forgotten corners—dim, lonely, poorly lit, or sometimes completely dark. Every breeze that swept through the alley felt like a whisper on the back of your neck.

These were places that people would never visit, and knew to stay away from them.

Yuyu walked through the dark alley, which appeared to be a dead end. However, near the end, he noticed a rusty iron door on the wall.

The lighting was minimal, and the iron gate was perfectly concealed in the shadows, making it nearly invisible unless you paid close attention.

He stepped forward and tapped the iron gate three times with his knuckles, then stepped back, waiting.

After a while, the door panel slid open with a creak.

Behind the door stood a burly man, wearing a black leather coat with silver non-mainstream ornaments around his neck. His sturdy muscles bore black tattoos, and the words "I'm not easy to mess with" covered his face.

This man towered over Yuyu, and he looked down at him with a displeased expression.

"This is no place for a pretty boy like you," he said in a cold voice. "Leave before I decide to do something shady with you."

Ayo what did he mean by that..

Yuyu raised his duel plate on his left arm, signaling his intention.

The strong man raised an eyebrow and spoke with a hint of incredulity, "A duel? I don't know where you heard about it, but this is no ordinary dueling hall. If you're familiar with it, I suggest you leave."

As he spoke, his gaze shifted, and a change came over his eyes when he looked at Yuyu. A flicker of something resembling killing intent flashed within his pupils, releasing an unseen aura that bore down on Yuyu like a mountain.

This man was a dark duelist.

He aimed to intimidate the young and naive boy in front of him by harnessing the power of darkness at his disposal. However, to his surprise, Yuyu stood firm, unaffected by fear. He raised his head, meeting the burly man's gaze head-on, and in that fleeting moment, strange red lights seemed to ignite within his pupils.

Suddenly, the strong man felt a surge of formidable energy emanating from Yuyu's body, like a raging storm. The dark energy the man had unleashed was immediately quelled, and a palpable tension gripped his heart.

Drenched in cold sweat, the burly man was startled, realizing one thing.

This boy... was anything but ordinary!

His attempt to use his meager dark energy to subdue his opponent now seemed laughable.

Yuyu stood his ground, his arms at his sides, as the red glow in his eyes gradually faded away.

The brawny man, panting as though he had just completed a marathon, wiped his sweat and forced a wry smile.

"I apologize, I didn't see it..."

Yuyu responded dismissively, "Can I go in now?"

"Of course," the man said, stepping aside. "I'll take you to meet the boss."

Yuyu nodded and entered, while the brawny man allowed him to pass before closing the old iron door with a creak.

Behind the door awaited a long flight of stairs, showing signs of age. Each step produced a metallic creaking sound.

The narrow passage lacked illumination, other than two neatly aligned torches hanging on the walls not far ahead. The flickering orange flames cast dancing shadows, their jagged movements resembling ethereal specters.

The strong man took the lead, guiding the way, as Yuyu followed closely behind.

Once again, the phantom image of the dark magician girl emerged from the deck in Yuyu's hand, offering a cautionary reminder, "Master, something feels off here. There's a significant concentration of dark energy in this place. Though not overpowering, the people here may possess unique abilities."

"I'm aware," Yuyu smiled faintly, expressing gratitude. "Thank you for assistance earlier."

Naturally, he possessed no supernatural powers of his own.

Previously, Yuyu had countered the brawny man's dark energy using his mental prowess, tricking the other party into believing he was a skilled dark duelist. This feat was accomplished by tapping into the mystical power of Mana.

When possessed by an spirit, the holder could channel powers akin to those of a dark duelist.

That was precisely why Yuyu dared to venture into this place, relying on this ability.

After traversing the lengthy corridor, they finally arrived at the end. The strong man stepped forward, extending his hand to push open the last door before them. The dazzling light spilled into the room, revealing a lavish hall adorned with a distinct style and bustling with people.

Turning his head, the strong man smiled at Yuyu and said, "Welcome to the 'Nightcrawler World'."

Note: Now I know I didn't upload yesterday, but hear me out.. I was trying to edit the last chapter and fix something, but let's just say it didn't work out, and I spent like close to 2 hours on it. I was to tired to write another chapter, so went to bed..