Season 1 Complete - 29

***

A/N: Apologies for the lack of updates, and this chapter.

"Called by the Grave," Zane declares, activating the spell card. The card's effect targets Jaden's Destiny Hero Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer, banishing it from the graveyard and completely removing Jaden's strongest monster.

As the spell resolves, Destiny Hero Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer vanishes from the graveyard, leaving Jaden momentarily stunned.

-

"Told ya," Gojo said, stretching his arms and back with a satisfying crack.

The crowd roared with excitement, but the group here remained silent, processing Zane's explanation of the card's effect. After all, this was a new card that had never been seen before in this world.

Alexis wore a dumbfounded expression, as she watches Zane's card effectively neutralize Jaden's strongest monster just like that.

It was clear to everyone watching this that dealing with DPE is going to be one annoying ass challenge. Scratch that, 85% of the students in this academy wouldn't even stand a chance. But this dude, Zane Trudales, didn't just stop it; he completely removed it from play. Although it was possible to bring it back, Jaden didn't have the means to do so.

Atticus let out a low whistle, a bit surprised by Zane's new card in action that single handedly flipped the situation around.

There were several reactions to this, most leading to surprise, astonishment, and some worry for Jaden.

As for Gojo, he rolled his eyes. As he couldn't believe these shameless top deck cheating bastards. However he himself shouldn't be thinking about them like that, cause he himself is also one.

The Cyber End Dragon, a Duel Spirit in Zane's deck, was subtly aiding Zane, though unnoticed by Zane himself. It couldn't escape from Gojo's six eyes. The same could be said for Jaden's deck; Winged Kuriboh is HIM.

These two Duel Spirits tried their best for their respective masters, ensuring they got the cards they needed.

And in the middle of all of this, Dark Magician Girl, in spirit form, was sitting on Gojo's shoulder cheering for both of them.

-

After that showdown between the two duelists, the battle went back to a more steady pace, without the excitement of showing off more ridiculous powerful cards.

Eventually, the duel returned to a state similar to that in the anime.

Like the show, the climactic finish was a clash featuring fusion monsters with ever-increasing attack points, eventually resulting in the mutual destruction of both duelists' fusion monsters and leaving both duelists' life points depleted to zero.

People were on the edge of their seats seeing this kind of duel because it wasn't often you get to witness such high-attack monsters in duels. After all, high attack point monsters are still the pinnacle of excitement and hype in this timeline.

When the duel ended, Gojo tried to leave, still couldn't believe he wasted his time watching all this crap. However, Alexis grabbed him by the arm. Despite his efforts to gently break free, her grip on his arms remained solid, catching him off guard with her truly irritated expression.

"And? Where do you think you're going? You're coming with us to Zane's graduation party," Alexis spoke up and looked at Gojo with a determined face.

"Ah, can I not?" Gojo genuinely asked.

"Exactly why you're coming," Alexis stated firmly, making a scene as she dragged Gojo along, who willingly followed her. "You've got plenty of free time, you barely do anything, and you still have the audacity to ignore everyone's texts. Besides, it's Zane's last day in the academy."

Dark Magician Girl who was done cheering looked at her husband and then at Alexis then giggled.

***

The private party was a celebration of Zane's achievements as the top duelist in his grade and his graduation from the academy. The group all headed towards Zane's room in the Obelisk dormitory, as it was only the duelists who participated in guarding the spirit keys or actively assisted were invited.

As we stepped into the room, we were met with a vibrant sight: a mini buffet spread, meticulously set up to welcome us to Zane's graduation party.

Everyone was already grabbing their food and drinks and then collectively taking seats around the round table that had been set up.

The atmosphere was mostly filled with curiosity and a little bit of excitement, especially noticeable in Jaden and Syrus, who wasted no time in eagerly exploring the gourmet spread. They never really get to eat good food in the academy after all. 

"Wow, Jaden! You've gotta taste this dish," Syrus exclaimed between bites of smoked salmon.

"Say no more!" Jaden replied eagerly, already making his way over to where Syrus was pointing.

Meanwhile, I had already filled my plate and settled down to enjoy my own meal.

The food, all prepared by the skilled Obelisk chef, was of the 'highest quality', befitting the occasion. While some people here may have been more reserved, Jaden and Syrus were clearly enthusiastic about all the food in this room.

But in my opinion it's mid.

***

Everyone that was invited here, also includes Dark Magician Girl, who spontaneously materialized and started skipping around the room, gleefully exploring everything this room had to offer. After her exploration, she finally settled for the buffet table, and picked up some food she had never seen before.

Dark Magician Girl's voice rang out excitedly across the room, drawing attention as she called for her beloved.

"Hubby hubby!" Dark Magician Girl called for me while waving one of her arms excitedly while the other one held a plate full of exquisite yet questionable food.

Ah, forget it, she started making a beeline for her husband.

Gojo, having just finished his own plate of meat and veggies, raised an eyebrow as she made her way over to him.

With a grin, Dark Magician Girl settled herself comfortably on his lap, "Here, say ahhh~".

As Gojo blinks he accepts the morsel with a twitched smile, his taste buds tingling with the unfamiliar flavors. "Thanks, babe," he murmured between bites, seriously debating if he should ask her why she is not eating the food that she picked. Her plate was filled with oysters, unagi, uni, fried liver, and... a weird fusion ginseng dish?

A/N: Aphrodisiac cuisine.

Zane, who saw this was flabbergasted, despite his surprise, he chose to remain silent. He knows.

As Gojo finished the last bite she fed him, Dark Magician Girl leaned in to wipe his mouth with a napkin, a gesture filled with affection.

"Thanks, babe," Gojo murmured, his smile twitching slightly. Despite his preference for other types of cuisine, he appreciated her efforts and didn't want to disappoint her by refusing her.

With a sigh, Gojo leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Dark Magician Girl's cheek.

Dark Magician Girl's eyes sparkled with affection, a warm feeling settling in her chest as she gazed back at him.

"Heheheh," she giggled, the sound filled with happiness.

~

Meanwhile, everyone else in the room made an incredible effort to ignore the flirtatious display between the two lovebirds. Except for Jaden, who was completely engrossed in enjoying his meal, oblivious to the romantic atmosphere around him.

As entertaining as it was for the first 20 minutes, the entire group was then engrossed in discussing their school life and the various screw-ups they've all experienced. However, the mood shifted when the conversation turned to Zane's future. It made sense; after all, this party is supposedly about him today.

"What are your plans now big bro?" Syrus asked a bit excitedly.

"Well, I'm going pro. I'll be dueling in lots of tournaments to make a name for myself," Zane replied confidently.

The rest chimed in by asking questions about what to expect when becoming 'Professional Duelist'. Things like salary, expectation, sponsorship, taxes, connection, touring, tournaments and such. A professional duelist is equivalent to a model and something like a celebrity figure in the dueling world.

Only an extremely small percentage of individuals can reach a professional duelist. As unbelievable as it may sound, it's the cruel reality of the dueling world.

'If I am remembering this correctly, Zane's personality had a personality shift, though I am not sure why, when GX was introduced into Duel links and Zane was… what you called it? Crazy. Not only that but he was extremely talkative. His new drip was practically screaming I am a bad guy now with some interesting facial expressions. Did something happen after graduation?' Gojo staring at Zane.

No matter how you look at it, Zane doesn't appear to be under any influence. Nothing worth noting about his soul. So what could have caused such a drastic change? Trauma or some sort of overwhelming desperation? Wait… unless his craziness was his real personality.

"Eughh, not my problem," Gojo muttered, shaking his head as he leaned back in his chair. Dark Magician Girl followed suit, leaning back happily alongside him and stuffing her mouth with pudding.

"Can you both not sit like that," Alexis pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

Gojo responded by flipping her off, not caring. 

"Wow, didn't know you guys were chill like that." Chazz, his eyes widening in surprise at Gojo's brazen attitude towards Alexis. Hell, he even thought of an idea that they might secretly be in a relationship. 

Chazz, like many other males in the academy, admired Alexis and was taken aback by Gojo's apparent disregard for her. Perhaps... maybe there was a chance for him now.

To which Gojo replied by also flipping him off.

Ah, right. Gojo was always like this. Chazz discarded the idea. Alexis has no interest in a relationship, and Gojo is already married.

The whole school knew that Alexis and Gojo were…close? Wait, could it even be called that? As for why it was posed as a question, it was widely known that Alexis is serious about dueling and harbored no romantic interests.

Alexis frequently sought after Gojo's help to improve her dueling skills, after all he had shown incredible dueling style at the school.

Normally, such frequent meetings might lead to something more than just friendship. But not for Gojo. Nope, this man couldn't function without a good sleep, especially in the morning.

Gojo didn't expect Alexis to be barging into his room or knocking on his door every day in the morning just for advice, just because he rarely responded to her texts and calls. This daily intrusion naturally led Gojo to harbor some resentment towards her, especially considering his need for sleep. 

This often resulted in Gojo cussing at her and insulting her for disturbing his sleep—after all, he was not a morning person. Despite this, he almost never turned her away when she sought advice.

Naturally, this behavior made Alexis realize that Gojo was very different from the other boys in the school—it was something fresh and something new to her. A male who appreciates her not for her looks but as a duelist. Perhaps maybe even seen as an equal. And she liked that.

A/N: Sorry that was her delulu kicking in.

The reason Gojo didn't outright reject Alexis for all the time she spent seeking advice was simple: if Alexis became a really strong duelist, then Gojo by chance would no longer need to 'save the world'.

In fact, Gojo still harbored a desire to venture into a new world. Besides, what the hell does "saving the world" even mean? How the hell was Gojo supposed to know if he actually succeeded or not, especially with no prior knowledge of this series?

So, Gojo opted for an alternative approach. He would sit back and meticulously teach them, providing the necessary knowledge for the protagonist or anyone from the protagonist's side with potential. In hope that this was a way to avoid getting tangled up in a seemingly endless children's trading card game.

Truly a weird setting to be in. Gojo has all this power but is stuck in a world that is all about children's trading card games. Even Gojo himself is bound by this world law that nearly all conflicts must be resolved in a children's trading card game.

Gojo would much rather invest that time in something more... stimulating. Like tinkering with his Gate of Babylon, throwing hands, staying in bed with Dark Magician Girl, or picking up a hobby.

If you were to look at it on a surface level, on a technicality, Gojo's life here could describe a good life here. This is the moment where people would say 'Ahh yes, and then they lived happily ever after. I haven't seen that since the Heian era.' type of life.

However, Gojo felt mentally numb inside. Although he wasn't sure if he was originally like this, but he now wants problems in his life. Problems that he could solve by abusing and flaunting his power, much like HIM, much like Gojo Satoru.

"And this world's problems can only be solved by… a god damn children's card game."

Today had been particularly monotonous; he endured watching a boring duel, ate, and now found himself even more mentally tired. On top of all that, after all of this, he has 'work' with Dark Magician Girl.

~

Dark Magician Girl frowned as she watched her husband, feeling unsettled by his behavior. She can feel him getting itchy… for a fight. She can comfort him easily but she hates fighting. Yet, she knew she was the only one who could scratch that itch of his—a fight with the intention to kill.

But it isn't right to call it a fight to the death. It was more like sparring after all.

Anyways, back to what was going on.

Gojo was deep in thought. 'After Zane graduates, it would mark around the beginning of... season 2?' He has a gut feeling it's going to be something like that.

Summer vacation starts on July 20, and there's a 40-day break. But Gojo is stuck on this island, unable to leave. When vacation ends, he will enter his second year at the school. This was a terrifying thought. He has been here for almost a year.

This world is just too easy. At least that is what Gojo thinks.

Zane who was engrossed with his conversation with his brother and Zane noticed Dark Magician Girl's gaze and gesture toward Gojo, who seemed lost in thought. Slightly perplexed, Zane redirected his attention to him.

"Any plans for when you graduate, Gojo?" Zane's question snapped Gojo out of his thoughts, drawing everyone's attention to him as he hadn't been active in their conversation.

"Play around in Kaiba Corporation." Gojo gave a monotonous answer that came into mind on the spot.

"Wow, only you can say that," Bastion grinned.

"Working for Kaiba, huh? You'll probably be rich," Syrus chimed in nervously.

"Nah, I'm just interested in the technology he's cooking up," Gojo explained. "I'll probably be something like a beta tester for his new technology and get first dibs on the awesome gigs. Power of connection, after all."

"That's so cool, man. Hey, mind sharing it if you get a chance?" Jaden eagerly asked with sparks of excitement in his eyes.

"Meh, we will see." Gojo shrugged.

Chazz's voice was a bit higher than usual after hearing this. "Your future is practically secured, is that why you're not doing anything in school?" he questioned, his tone tinged with envy.

"No comment," Gojo replied casually. "Now that you guys are talking about it, I totally forgot about this, but I have a couple of spots available in this agency if any of you guys here are considering going pro." He nonchalantly mentioned.

"Wait, WHAT!?" Everyone exclaimed in surprise.

"Yeah yeah, it's Kaiba's Corp, Kaiba told me he set up an agency specifically for nurturing duelists and I can do whatever I want with the money. Perks of being me. Heh." Gojo was acting smug.

"Thanks but no thanks, I already have a sponsor and am under the wings of management. But it would have helped a lot sooner if you had told us," Zane smiled.

"I will take up that offer, Gojo / Save a spot for me." Alexis and Chazz spoke out.

Chazz wasn't certain if he would be taking over his brother's company, but he felt that going pro would be more beneficial with backing from figures like Seto Kaiba and Gojo. 

Alexis wasn't going to back off from this opportunity.

"I am not going pro." Bastion sighed and shrugged.

"I don't know yet," Jaden said, still pondering.

"Ermmm, wait Gojo, how much can you sponsor?" Syrus added.

"Yes," Gojo smiled as he looked at Syrus.

"Yes? Yes what?" Chazz questioned.

"Its fucking Kaiba's money what do you think?" Gojo rolled his eyes as he pulled out his phone.

"Are there any requirements? Not to be rude, you don't look like the type to do any work. If I was Kaiba, I wouldn't have let you choose anyone on a whim." Bastion raised valid points.

"Ahh… you're right." Gojo quickly scrolled through his phone and found the ridiculous clause and requirement. "You guys have to hit high Obelisk rank before. Or have an status comparable to #1 duelist in the academy island. And…to have used a dragon card in your duel before."

"So, Jaden, Alexis, Chazz, and Zane." Bastion immediately pointed out the ones that are currently qualified.

"Ahhh, well shucks." Syrus' shoulder dropped.

"It's only a matter of time until you hit Obelisk, Syrus. I know you can do it. And I don't think there's a set deadline, considering it's Kaiba's agency," Zane encouraged him.

"He's right, you know. Just rank up quickly and you'll do just fine," Gojo added to that with a yawn.

Seeing how Gojo was... well, always tired, they decided to wrap things up.

As the conversation wound down, the party came to an end, and everyone departed.

***

Gojo's days on the academy island dragged on, filled with boredom as he waited for something, anything, to break the monotony. Please someone, anyone, try to end the world so he can save it! Get him out of here.

Most days, Alexis would come seeking inspiration for new card combos, often finding Gojo holed up in his room. Occasionally, he would join Jaden, Syrus, Chazz, Bastion and engage in children's trading card games to pass the time.

In these moments, Gojo shared his thoughts and insights on which cards were considered 'meta,' the importance of 'staples' and 'support cards,' and some card synergy that are applicable in their decks. However, he made sure not to reveal all his knowledge—because some of his advice isn't applicable anymore.

In this world, normally if you don't know the card your opponents are using, you practically will have to walk into their trap. Unlike in master duel or real-life games, you can't read your opponent's card until they decide to verbally reveal its effect. So, you're essentially left blind, facing whatever trap they've set. That's why some of Gojo's advice might not quite hit the mark.

Gojo knows this best as well, because his game plans usually involve setting up a board of negates or boss monsters with immunities so he doesn't have to give a damn. But could the same be said for his friends? Can their decks have the versatility and resources to pull it off?

That's why his advice doesn't always translate well for others. As of right now only Jaden can with Alexis barely keeping up. Zane seemed to be doing fine. As for the rest they complained because they don't seem to have the resources to get those cards that I recommended they needed into their deck.

Most of the time the card doesn't seem to exist because either its non-existent, can only be obtained through the black market channel, or the only cards available were already in someone else's possession. Additionally, Gojo had already exhausted all of his favors from Pegasus and Kaiba asking for ridiculous cards for his friends/tools.

Furthermore, even if these rare cards do surface, they're often already in the possession of others, making acquiring even more challenging. Now you might ask why don't you ask Pegasus to generate those cards? In this world, such a straightforward solution is not possible. Do not ask me; I am not an insider nor do I work for Pegasus or any other card-generating company.

Also, Gojo had reached the point where he realized he couldn't teach or give much solid advice anymore, so he had been trying to kick Alexis out. This was partly because he doesn't know every card in existence or the combos that complemented specific decks or archetype that works like an engine. Alexis, seeing this opportunity, used it to educate Gojo about "new cards" he wasn't familiar with, seeking his opinion on their potential usefulness in her deck.

Naturally Gojo hated this, he didn't want to learn more about damn yugioh cards.

Gojo's memories were limited to decks he encountered in games from his world and in real life. He was more of a casual Yu-Gi-Oh fan, rather than a hardcore card collector, lore nerd, or deck developer.

After Gojo had experienced everything the island had to offer and gone through most of them, he had nothing else to do. Aside from occasional outings with Dark Magician Girl, he found a new pastime very recently: going on mini-dates with both Dark Magician Girl and Alexis to pass the time.

Noticeably there were definitely some suspicious areas in academy island, naturally he wouldn't bother with investigating them further; since it wasn't worth his time. Gojo likely speculated that they were related to things in the upcoming season 2, so he didn't give them much thought. Besides, how bad can the world ending threat in season 2 be?

As days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, summer vacation drew near. Just before Alexis bid farewell to the academy, she left Gojo with a parting gift—a gentle kiss on his cheek, a token of gratitude for his guidance during her time there. Then she left for the ship like the rest of the students.

While everyone else in the duel academy returned to home for their summer break, Gojo remained behind along with Dark Magician Girl.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, on the day when summer vacation started, Dark Magician Girl revealed to him a method to go to another world—a realm beyond the boundaries of the Yu-Gi-Oh universe.

A real anime world! Gojo felt that he must go there.

***

A/N: I apologize for the lack of updates—I've been struggling with writer's block. Even after taking a break, I found myself unable to write effectively for either of my works.

As a result, I've decided to try something different by incorporating a new story within this one. As you noticed the two (Gojo & DMG) are going to a new world.

Please note that I don't plan to create an entirely new fanfic.

I've already decided the content of the new world, having reread the novel countless times.

It's Arifureta. (Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest) This novel...is a bit old now?

Lately, I've been revisiting MapleStory. Fuck that game, but it helped cooled my burnt out and writer's block.

If I ever regain my inspiration, I'll pick up where I left off in the original story about Yu-Gi-Oh! But as of for now I want to try writing this new story as a break for myself just so I can get back into writing and to entertain you guys.