Duel Talk #1: Pilot.

Welcome to a brand new feature here at The Domino Herald! Each week our intrepid interviewer, Chisana Furai, will sit down with some of the biggest names from the world of professional duelling, to get the inside scoop on the duel monsters phenomenon! In this first edition, Chisana meets three time Pegasus Cup winner Edo Pheonix.

I arrive at Edo Pheonix's luxurious Domino penthouse just in time for our appointment, having fought my way through the nightmare that is downtown Domino's traffic. Mr Pheonix's personal assistant welcomes me, guiding me through the spacious flat to a well lit study whose tall windows offer a fantastic panorama of the city. Before the window, Edo Pheonix stands, trademark grey suit immaculate, blue eyes inquisitive. His hand is firm and cool when I shake it - much like the man himself.

We sit before the window in deep leather chairs. Edo's assistant fetches drinks; I have coffee, Edo green tea from a prim teacup. With the formalities out of the way, I begin by asking Edo - he insists on first names, though his glamorous assistant refers to him reverently as 'Mr Pheonix'- for his thoughts on life in the pro-league. Is it all he thought it would be when he turned pro as a teenager?

Edo laughs. 'Not exactly. It's much harder work than they let you believe.' A pause, then Edo smiles fondly. 'But I wouldn't want to ever do anything else.'

Too much hard work? I ask. Edo shrugs. 'No one ever mentions the media or sponsorship commitments to you as a kid. Not that I mind,' He adds quickly, mindful of the present situation, 'but there's never a quiet moment.' He laughs again, those blue eyes - which have won the heart of many a female fan - shining. 'And the training…'

I nod. Edo Pheonix is a man renowned for taking regime very seriously, training both his mind and body near constantly. He insists the hard work is worth it. 'I train six days a week. Mostly mental tasks - puzzles and mental agility, that sort of thing - but also plenty of intensive duel training.'

Edo makes a throwaway gesture when I enquire as to what that last element might entail. 'Survival duels, duelling in adverse conditions, two or three on one duels. Generally against staff, but when I get the chance, its good to train against other Pros.' He shrugs again. 'Anything to make the real thing that little bit easier.' I ask which of the other members of the Pro circuit those might be. 'When Manjoume is around, I'll often train with him - we have a good understanding of each other's strategies, as we've both been on the circuit together for a couple of years, now.' I nod; Edo helped launch the career of former Duel Academy graduate Jun Manjoume several years ago, when he took Manjoume on as an assistant - before losing to the graduate in a showcase duel at the academy. Despite this, their friendship has been widely publicised, with the two often seen supporting each other in pro-duels from the stands.

Edo continues: 'Other than that, I'll quite happily train with anyone. I'm not the most vocal person on the tour, but I'll join in with the others if there's a social event going on.' He smiles, fondly. 'We're a tight knit bunch, really - often the rivalry in the arena is quite friendly outside of it.' A pause as Edo reconsiders his last statement, then: 'Not that I would ever give anything less than 100% in the arena. Friendship is all good and well, but winning is what I'm here to do.'

Right now, winning is precisely what Edo is doing. Having just won his third Pegasus Cup, Edo is enjoying an incredible year, having only lost one pro- duel in the last twelve months. Just where does the Master of Destiny - as his know to some fans - go from here? Edo's expression is modest, but his answer is that of a man brimming with self confidence and belief in his own ability.

'To the top.' I laugh, but Edo isn't kidding: those blue eyes flash with a new steel. 'I still believe I have the deck and the skills to be the best. My ranking (he's currently fourth in the world) is higher than ever, but it's the number one spot that I'm after.'

To call Edo arrogant - as some of his critics do - would be unfair. Rather, he is an incredibly driven individual, whose self-confidence is absolute, and one who will go to any lengths to accomplish what he believes is right. There is a softer side to Edo Pheonix, however: when I ask about his deck - the D-heroes - his expression softens a little.

'They were designed by my father, shortly before his death. I guess I have a very strong connection to them - not only for personal reasons but also as the notion of destiny and fate are important to me.'

When I ask why a rational man such as himself places so much faith in a sense of destiny, Edo goes quiet for a while. When he does answer, his words are slow and considered.

'When you've lived the life I have, you have to place some faith in the ability to write your own destiny. The forces that killed my father, and those that effected both my mentor and guardian could have left me feeling hopeless. Instead, I choose to see it as my given right to correct those wrongs and pursevere - no matter what.'

Edo is quiet again. His guardian was the former Pro-League champion The D, who seemingly died in a blaze on his yacht several years ago. After his death, rumours circulated that the D had in some way been responsible for the death of Edo's father. Edo refuses to comment on such speculation, but the effect of losing two father figures must surely be a significant one for a young duellist?

'It was hard at the time, but I'm in a much better, more secure place these days. What's done is done; it's a closed chapter, which I feel I've resolved to the best of my ability. Now is the time for the writing of the future.'

With that, our time is through. I thank Edo, who replies, as polite as ever, that the pleasure was all his. As I depart to once again face the madness of Dominio's highways, I leave the Master of Destiny alone in his study, lost in his magnificent skyline.

Next time, Chisana chats life, love and duelling with Jun Manjoume. Just what is the former Black Slifer of Duel Academy's take on his meteoric rise in the Pro-League?