Chapter 43 Human Nature.

Watching Patches defeat Leon makes me smile since even though his deck is powerful, I will admit my real reason for having Patches take him out of the tournament is that it's a very real possibility for someone that young to be hurt if he played against Odion, Marik or Bakura. 

If any of the guys needed to play some Dirty tricks, they have little reservations against using them and Leon's deck is strong enough to put them in a corner to have them use them.

At least that's what I want to say, it's not like I have a hatred against the Fairytale archetype for losing against it at a tournament final in my past life. 

I wait for Patches to return to the Main room, but I'm approached by two individuals Both Rebecca Hawkings and Guinevere Who are giving me the stink eye.

I finish eating a mini sandwich and look at them before speaking "What's wrong?" 

Guinevere speaks "How could you give someone sleazy like him some of those cards?" Rebecca is silent but her pout shows her emotions.

I turn away from the pair to focus on another mini sandwich. "Oh that, Well the answer is simple, He might be the personification of the word Vagabond, but he and I have known each other for a long, long time, I can trust him to do what's required, even things that would require the dirtying of hands."

My response leaves the pair of female Duellists silent, but Rebecca is the first to speak, "That still doesn't explain how there's a card of him." this catches Guinevere's attention, but I can also tell that Yugi and friends are trying to eavesdrop the conversation but doing it badly since their probably as curious as Rebecca.

"Now that my dear would be telling the secrets of others, also some things shouldn't be said in public, especially in front of people who would abuse said information," I say this while giving a side-eye look towards Yugi's friend group, especially at a white-haired individual but Rebecca just takes it as me insinuating her friend would be manipulative and scowls at me.

"Hey, I don't take kindly to your implication Yugi would be manipulative." her words cause me to stop eating and smirk slightly, "I sometimes forget how naïve you are." I turn to her and lock eyes with her

"As a free lesson, Rebecca here is a fundamental fact you should learn. It is Human Nature to manipulate and shape the world around them to better suit them, Its what creates subjects of interest which drive progress as well as sparking conflict."

This makes her Knit her brows in annoyance at being talked down to not really believing my lesson, as she makes this face, I sense that Patches has arrived from the elevator and is coming towards us from behind me.

"If you don't trust me, Rebecca, why don't you ask an experienced figure if good people are manipulative?" I say baiting her to ask Patches, who Arrives a few seconds later.

"Mr Patches, do people with good intentions act manipulative," she asks half indignant half curious about his answer.

As I expected after processing the question for a second, he smirks and says "Of course, Hell they're more likely to do so." His direct and no-nonsense answer causes Rebecca and Guinevere to be stunned but he continues "They usually do so thinking it's for the greater good when it's just as harmful as a morally unjust person's actions." He looks at me with a look.

"You prompted her to ask me that didn't you, what was the lesson this time?" I return him a smirk. "Manipulation is human nature." when he hears this he just nods before grabbing a plate of mini sandwiches, I can't blame him since their the bomb.

'Mental note, Tip the Caterer or Chef, whoever Seto is paying for the food, Honestly I can't stop.'

Rebecca still pouts but everyone's attention is caught by the sphere machine activating and the guard getting ready to reveal the next duellists.

This gets everyone to the machine before it starts letting the 6 spheres left in the machine dance.

The machine produces the first sphere which the guard collects and looks at it, the guard throws it like those before, but the recipient doesn't catch it with their hand, he catches it with his dirty blonde-haired head before it bounces off and lands in his hand.

Joey Wheeler grumbles from the pain before showing everyone the sphere, its symbol is a Pair of dice topped with a Jester's Crown, and the guard speaks "The First duellist for this Round is Joey Wheeler, and their Opponent is. . . "

The Second Sphere is produced from the machine and is within the grasp of the guard, He throws it and is caught by probably the most chaotic person present in the tournament.

I Raise my hand to reveal the Sphere in my hand to reveal its symbol as the most elaborate of them all since as I rotate the sphere angle of view for everyone making its symbol change in the light revealing each of the Great Runes individually depending on the perpective with one view being that of the Elden Ring composed of all Great runes besides Time and Space.

"Drogan. can both duellists make their way to the arena." his words cut through the silence. When he finishes, I look towards Yugi and friends who are also looking at me worried for Joey's chances, I see Hovering behind Joey and Serenity is the Firekeeper in spirit form who bows to me slightly.

I close my eyes and bow to her chosen path before turning to Patches and holding out my hand, he doesn't say a word but returns his spirit card to me since I'll need it for the next duel against a duellist renowned for his luck against the odds and stronger opponents.

I make my way towards the elevator and give Seto Kaiba a glance to the side, I can see a small smirk on the edge of his lips since he probably enjoyed Joey's symbol which calls out his lucky and jester nature.

I go up to the arena and place into my machine my newest deck and get ready for the duel while Joey and his friends arrive.

I'm not happy about having to duel The Firekeeper but fate plays its hand like that, I look to the sky and notice that the clouds have become denser and roiling like my inner emotions, but I let out a deep breath of air to calm my emotions, sadly it doesn't affect the actions of the clouds which continue to move freely.

I turn my attention as I see Joey step up to the arena and take his place, before the referee speaks, I talk, "Joey, just so you know when I win this duel I won't be taking the Lord of Cinder's, I know it's not your card to give so don't worry."

This stuns him since he didn't know I knew about his current strongest card. "How did you. . . Never mind it doesn't matter; I'll win this duel so quit dreaming pal."

"We will see," I respond with a smile before activating my Duel disk with him doing so as well.

[Joey LP:4000]

[Drogan's LP:4000]