Chapter 36: Underground World Disturbance

Previously mentioned, the world of Yu-Gi-Oh is a realm brimming with enchanting colors, advanced technology, magic, aliens, and other peculiar and extraordinary phenomena.

What we witness in the anime merely scratches the surface of this vast universe. The individuals who possess ancient artifacts, as depicted in the series , and hold positions of authority within the realm of dark dueling, belong to an elite group of formidable Ancient Artifact bearers. However, this does not imply that supernatural powers are solely derived from these ancient relics.

For instance, Mr. T, whom Yuyu encountered recently, possesses a completely distinct source of power, known as the Darkness. This power operates on an entirely separate system from the Millennium Relics.

Another example is the enigmatic group known as the Seven Stars in the Three Phantasms arc of Yu-Gi-Oh GX. This group comprises dark duelists from diverse origins, including elves, vampire descendants, alchemists, and more.

The gathering place for such individuals is the "Nightcrawler World" that Yuyu has just discovered.

In essence, it can be described as a club for dark duelists, somewhat resembling the Assassin League. Members occasionally take commissions through the club to undertake morally ambiguous tasks.

According to established rules, the loser in a dark game must obey the winner's commands. Those with sufficient skill can become puppets under the control of the victor. With this rule, it becomes effortless to manipulate individuals in positions of power or with important values, enabling the accomplishment of specific objectives of the winners.

Moreover, if one desires to eliminate someone through a dark game, they can plunge the individual into complete darkness, erasing them entirely from body to soul. No conventional means can unveil their disappearance, including the memories of their loved ones and friends.

In present times, many influential figures who possess knowledge of the world's secrets are aware of the existence of dark games. The Dark Duelists organization transcends national and power boundaries. In a sense, they remain neutral and impartial, never favoring any particular faction.

They undertake missions for any country or individual willing to pay the right price, maintaining cooperative relationships with numerous nations and forces.

Though they bear resemblance to mercenaries, they are fundamentally different.

Those outside the circle prefer to keep their distance from the dark duels, considering the mysterious and unpredictable nature of these duels, which are imbued with extraordinary powers.

However, during the GX period, there were instances of ordinary individuals pretending to be dark duelists, resorting to techniques like blind hypnotism to deceive others and amass wealth.

For instance, Titan, who was hired by Dr.Crowler in GX period, in its early days and arrived at the Duel Academy to challenge and deal with Jaden Yuki. He impersonated a dark duelist through methods such as light refraction and hypnosis. However, his ruse was ultimately exposed by Jaden.

Yuyu finds himself in an era preceding the establishment of Yu-Gi-Oh DM's Duel City.

Before this era, the renowned king of the underground world of dark duels was Maximillon Pegasus, the creator of the "Duel Monsters" card game.

Pegasus possessed the "Millennium Eye," one of the seven Millennium artifacts from ancient Egypt. This eye wielded formidable dark power and granted the ability to peer into opponents' minds. There is no doubt that he was among the most powerful individuals in the world.

Pegasus traveled to Egypt to acquire it, gaining terrifying and immense strength. Under the guidance of the eye, he transformed stone slabs depicting ancient monsters into cards, giving birth to the game "Duel Monsters." Subsequently, he became one of the most prominent figures among the world.

As a game designer, he designed a set of unbeatable decks exclusively for himself. Coupled with his mind-reading ability and potent dark power, he effortlessly rose to the throne of the underground world, becoming the universally recognized king of dark duels.

Bro had admin powers.

During that era, Pegasus's International compay "Industrial illusions" exerted considerable influence, effectively shaping the underground world and covertly impacting the global structure.

This status quo persisted until Pegasus was defeated by an high school student named Yugi Mutou in his own Duelist Kingdom tournament.

Furthermore, Pegasus lost his Millennium Eye after the battle, and his power rapidly diminished. He no longer possessed the commanding authority he once held. Following the defeat, he retreated from the underground world and chose a reclusive life in his old age.

Consequently, Mutou, an 'ordinary' high school student, rose to prominence among duelists in the underground world, although he remains unaware of his status.

Dark duelists worldwide widely believe that if Mutou was truly an ordinary person, he would have been incapable of defeating Pegasus. And think he must have some sort of power.

Additionally, Mutou possesses the "Millennium Eye," regarded as the most esteemed among the Millennium Artifacts. Hence, many people consider Yugi Mutou to be the most powerful duelist in the present world.

However, numerous individuals still maintain the belief that the true strongest force in the underground world is someone else.

That someone is the recently emerged group known as Gurus, the rare card hunters, which has already begun to disrupt numerous unwritten rules of the underground world. There power is incredible, with there leader being Marik Ishtar.

The Tomb Keepers group, to which Marik belongs, has long been an object of envy for other factions. It is said that thy could potentially become the leader of the underground world at any moment. The reason behind this is quite simple—the Tomb Keepers group safeguards a Millennium artifact of immense dark game power and possesses the most potent cards in the world of Duel Monsters, the "Three Egyptians Gods."

Nevertheless, the group has strictly adhered to the ancestral teachings, refraining from exploiting the power of the Millennium artifacts and the cards.

However, Marik, as a heir of the Tomb Keeper clan, is the first individual to defy this tradition. He brazenly appropriated the Artifacts and Cards, which were meant for the Pharaoh, imposing his own terms and conditions. Subsequently, he recruited numerous dark duelists, forming the rare card-hunting organization known as Gurus, thereby securing a significant presence in the underground world.

Due to their brutal and audacious approach, Gurus have broken several long-standing rules that dark duelists had abided by for years. Consequently, within a few months, they have clashed with numerous organizations, earning Marik a fair share of detractors.

Fortunately, Marik seems indifferent to fame, fortune, or status. His sole purpose is to enter the Duel City and get to Mutou.

Most factions have chosen to keep their distance from Gurus.

However, the "Nightcrawler World" that Yuyu intends to join presents an exception.

Unlike others, the headquarters of the "Nightcrawler World" is situated in Duel City.

The organization's president possesses a volatile temperament, deeply offended by the intrusion of the bandit-like Gurus onto their turf. He has unequivocally declared that if Gurus dare to engage in open warfare, he will promptly declare war against them.

If not for the fear of Marik himself, the leader would have likely launched an assault on Gurus' base camp. However, thanks to the resolute stance of the "Nightcrawler World" leader, Marik refrained from relocating Gurus to Duel City.

After all, his target is solely Mutou. While he disregards everyone else, he also aims to avoid unnecessary entanglements.

At this moment, Yuyu's mission is to join the clandestine Nightcrawler World and embark on a hidden mission.

Join the world of Nightcrawler and pave your path to adventure!

Note: What a info dump chapter..