A game again, but now it's for real!

(Chapter 01)

"Let's see what the fuck this town has in store for me today..."

Muttered Nathaniel as he stretched lazily. His room, surprisingly organized for a single man, had only a noticeable mess on his computer desk. Milkshake glasses and hamburger wrappers covered the surface as a chaotic scene, while the computer screen displayed Nathaniel's triumphs in various games played before his sleep, undisputed victories that made up his undefeated record.

Nathaniel's passion for games was a constant in his life. The mere idea of competition was enough to hold his attention for hours. He always stood out and, in fact, Nathaniel couldn't remember a single defeat in his career, from the days when he could barely speak to the present, remaining undefeated in all his endeavors. However, this invincibility in games contrasted with a high rate of defeat in day-to-day life. No promotions at work, stuck in the same year of college for the third year in a row, with an electricity bill due before his paycheck arrived, his electric shower stopped working, and his fan broke, all in the space of two days.

Despite the challenges, Nathaniel tried to keep his worries at bay. Even though he was constantly in a bad mood and living with ADHD and Anxiety Disorder, he tried not to let it show. Minutes before leaving for work, he noticed his GameBoy was missing from his backpack - his faithful companion for passing the time. Desperate, he turned around when a resounding voice shook the room.

"A king living the life of a peasant, that's funny, kid! Hahaha!"

"Who's there?"

Nathaniel shouted, as the voice echoed through the room.

"What do you say about your world, kid?"

The laughter turned to a darker tone.

"It must be another prank by those idiots. How did they get a walkie-talkie in here?"

Nathaniel wondered as he searched the room for the radio transmitter.

"This is no joke, kid. But from your answer, you don't seem to appreciate this world that much."

Even though it sounded impossible, the voice sounded even more serious now.

"Of course, this world is fucked and it gets even worse with idiots like you! Look at him, he's a nerd, hur dur. Grow up!"

Nathaniel exclaimed, searching the room for the transmitter. By chance, he found his GameBoy, feeling a greater sense of relief than if he had found the transmitter.

When he touched the console, a blindingly bright light filled the room, transforming into a stark white that gradually gave way to a blue, almost like the sky. For a few moments, Nathaniel saw a version of himself hovering above his head, and then he felt the impact. With his senses in turmoil, it was only at the end of his descent that he realized he was falling. But it was too late; everything blurred.

"Aaahhh!"

Nathaniel woke up in a panic, looking around him. He realized that he was confined to a room with wooden walls, very different from his drywall, a detail that only intensified his anguish.

The door handle turned, leaving Nathaniel in suspense. Grabbing the lamp from the table next to him, he stood up quickly. A beautiful girl entered, slender, of medium height and with long scarlet hair.

"Aaaahhh!"

The girl shouted in fright as she came face to face with Nathaniel.

"Aaaahhh!"

Nathaniel, for his part, reacted with surprise to her scream, immediately falling to his knees and knocking over the lamp. Apparently, falling from the sky into the sea was not a pleasant experience.

"Oh my God, you can't push yourself yet!"

The girl scolded him, helping him to lie down again.

"Sorry, I don't really remember what happened. I was startled by the door."

Nathaniel tried to laugh quietly, but the instant pain made him grunt.

"Don't struggle. You fell into the sea."

She scolded him again.

"Fell into what!?"

Nathaniel was perplexed, feeling sore thanks to his overreaction.

"In the sea. I don't know how your injuries are so superficial."

She replied calmly.

"Damn, is that normal around here?"

"No, you were the first. It was quite scary, actually. Don't you remember anything?"

Nathaniel realized that she wasn't as calm as she seemed, she was just trying to avoid increasing his despair.

"No, I'm sorry. I was in my room and... My GameBoy!"

Nathaniel was about to get up to look for his console in the open sea when the girl stopped him.

"Your device is safe in the drawer next to you. I don't know if it's working, it got wet and might have broken, but it floated down to the sand with you."

She explained, putting her hands on his chest and laying him back down.

"Wow, what a relief. At worst, I'll have to fix it. By the way, I'm Nate. Thanks for everything."

Nate bowed slightly to show his gratitude, trying to disguise the pain, but to no avail.

"Don't struggle..." "TUM; TUM; TUM; TUM!"

The conversation was abruptly interrupted by loud knocks on the door. The door gave way with consecutive slams, revealing a slender young man with blond hair and perfectly parted bangs.

"Sorry about the door, Luna. I'll buy another one later. I couldn't wait for our duel; let's go now."

The blond boy flashed a mean smile that irritated Nate, similar to the smile of those who used to mock him before being punched.

"Shiro, I'm not going now. We made an appointment for 8, it's 5. I still have three hours, and I'm busy looking after him."

Luna pointed at Nate as if he were the perfect excuse.

"What's that idiot got to do with it? Don't make excuses."

Nate quickly lost control and stood up, ignoring the pain. He approached Shiro, stared him in the eye and, with one punch, created cracks in the wooden wall next to the boy's face.

"She said no."

Nate's eyes were completely black, but Shiro saw the red of his fury.

"Y.. You... You can't do this to me. I... I'm the best duelist in the region. I can get rid of you!"

Shiro was clearly frightened.

"'Get rid of me' it is."

That was the only part Nate heard. He clenched his fist, about to throw the punch, when he realized what he had just heard. Slowly, he opened his hand and lowered his arm, questioning:

"Duelist? You're kidding me." 'He's not, duel him, Pharaoh!'

The voice that had once resounded in his room now echoed in his mind.

'Whatever.'

Nate thought. He took a deep breath, went into automatic mode, not knowing exactly what he was doing. He went to the corner of the room, in front of the little table where Luna said she kept his GameBoy. Calmly, he opened the drawer. Despite everything, he wasn't surprised to find a deck of cards next to the GameBoy. It reminded him of a game from his teenage years. It didn't make sense, but Nate knew what to do. He picked up the deck that should have been Luna's and stared at her. Luna felt a chill, but nodded. Nate picked up Luna's dueling disk from the opposite corner of the table.

'How ridiculous. I had one of these when I was a kid.'

He thought, placing the deck on the disk. He then proclaimed:

"Best duelist... Then duel me. If I lose, you won't have to worry about my fist in your face. But if I win."

Nate pointed at Luna.

"You stop bothering her and let me rest in peace."

"And if I win, huh?"

Shiro's confidence suddenly soared.

"Besides me not punching you in the face? Whatever you want, you can choose."

Nate shrugged.

"Your deck."

Shiro proposed.

"Great, we have a duel."

Nate, usually uncomfortable dueling because of the unfavorable looks, felt strangely good this time.

"Let's go."

He said as he walked outside. As he opened the door, he saw the beach and another duo planning a duel in the background. They were shouting things like "Then duel me!" and "My monsters will destroy you!".

Shiro accompanied Nate to the beach, took a backpack off his back, which Nate hadn't noticed until then, thanks to his ADHD. From inside, he took out a dueling disk, fit it on his arm, and a metal disk fell, splitting into two parts, going sideways with a kind of air propulsion, the markings of the field appeared on the beach.

"Luna has never beaten me with that deck. I don't think you'll be able to pull off a miracle here."

Shiro teased, but the provocation passed through Nate's ears like a gentle breeze. He had a thousand other things on his mind at that moment.

"Holy fuck, man! What the fuck?"

Nate said quietly, controlling his reaction. He noticed that everyone on the beach was acting as if this was completely normal and routine. Some people even stopped to stare. Nate was confused. The dueling disk was cool, but his, at least, couldn't do that. He set up Luna's disk, still dumbfounded. The same scene happened right before his eyes, and in a few seconds, his field was set up in front of him.

"Nate, you don't have to do this. This is just the result of a series of stupid defeats that I thought I could overcome. But my grandfather's deck isn't as good as Mr. Rare Cards'."

The sadness in Luna's voice was palpable.

"Hey, don't belittle your deck. Everyone does their best with the cards they have."

Nate scolded.

"It's just a question of mastering the moves and combos. This is a game of strategy."

Nate spoke calmly, reassuringly. He wasn't trying to console Luna; it was really his honest opinion, nothing but the naked truth.

"Besides, he deserves a good punch in the face."

Nate immediately pointed at Shiro.

"Except I'm going to hit him in the ego."

Nate concluded as he drew his starting hand.

Shiro drew his five cards.

"What? Dueling the great Shiro has got you so scared that you can't think of a move?"

Shiro sneered, examining his cards.

Nate smiled.

"Normally, I take the second turn, but in this case, I think I'll start."

Nate looked at his cards and almost panicked.

'Where are the effects and the names of the monsters? What the fuck?'

He thought to himself, and once again, the same voice echoed in his mind.

'They're the dueling cards, Pharaoh. You know them like no one else and you know the ability of each one.' 'What the fuck is this Pharaoh shit? Ah, forget it, focus on the duel.'

Nate thought, picked up two cards, and a different voice, almost like his own conscience, spoke in his head. Then Nate placed one of the cards on the dueling disk.

"I'm going to activate Spell Card Trade-In, discarding a monster from my hand. This card allows me to draw two cards. I'll put this card face down and end my turn."

Nate announced.

'Where the hell did that come from?'

He thought to himself, but kept his composure. He couldn't let it show how confused he was inside.

"That's it? Hahahaha, this is going to be easier than I thought. Do you really think that just a trap will stop me? There's no monster on the field. Watch how the great Shiro brings out his Ace in a single turn!"

Shiro bragged, drew a card, put it in his hand, and began his move.

"First, I'm going to activate the 'Dictator of Dragons' ability from my hand and special summon it."

Shiro placed one of the cards in the opening of the dueling disk and another in his own disk. A humanoid being with black clothes, boots and gloves made of bones, details of his clothes and helmet also made of bones, and in his left hand, a horn with a dragon's head handle, appeared before him in an instant.

(Dictator of D.)(Level 4)(Dark)(Spellcaster)(ATK/DEF: 1200/1100)

"Now I'm going to activate his ability on the field. When Dictator of D. is on the field, I can discard a Spell or Trap Card that mentions my Blue-Eyes and special summon any Blue-Eyes from my graveyard! And now, come, my dragon!"

Shiro exclaimed, placing another card in the opening on the side of the disk. His monster played the flute, generating a strong white light that gave way to a huge blue-eyed dragon.

(Blue-Eyes White Dragon)(Level 8)(Light)(Dragon)(ATK/DEF: 3000/2500)

"Now, 'Dictator of Dragons', attack him directly!"

Dictator of D. played the flute, and a bolt of black lightning shot out of the mouth of the dragon-headed ornament, hitting Nate directly in the chest.

"Ah! Did I really feel that? What the fuck?"

Nate asked himself as he heard the sound of his life points decreasing.

Nate: 2800 | 4000 :Shiro

"Hahaha, this duel gets easier and easier. Come on, make your desperate attempt to defend yourself!"

Shiro sneered.

"Don't count victory ahead of time, you idiot. I still have life points and a card on the field. Don't underestimate your opponent!" "Ha! It's nothing I need to worry about. Now, my 'Blue-Eyes', annihilate that weak duelist!"

Shiro said confidently.

"Didn't I already told you to stop rushing into things? I activate my Trap Card 'Call of the Haunted'."

Nate held out his hand, and his face-down card rose at the same time as the huge dragon launched a blast of white lightning from its mouth in Nate's direction. However, as soon as the card appeared, a huge red dragon, detailed with bones, stood in front of Nate, blocking the attack.

"'Call of the Haunted' brings to the field one of the monsters from my graveyard, and I chose Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon."

Nate said smiling as the two monsters destroyed each other.

(Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon)(Level 8)(Dark)(Dragon)(ATK/DEF: 3000/2500)

"I never managed to summon that monster, and you let it get destroyed like that? Argh!"

Luna exclaimed.

"It's my strongest monster and one of the only ones that could stand up to Shiro's monsters!"

Luna was disconcerted.

"Damn it, but that doesn't change the fact that my monsters are much stronger. I have three Blue-Eyes, he's my Ace! I'll finish my turn!"

Shiro said confidently.

"Don't be so certain."

Nate said looking at Shiro and Luna.

"In a game of strategy, there are several ways to win. Never convince yourself of victory and never think of giving up. Always make your moves with the next one in mind."

Nate explained and continued.

" Turn over? I don't think so, because then... I activate my monster's ability."

Nate smiled.

"When monsters with equal attacks battle, they both destroy each other, and when Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon destroys a monster, it allows me to special summon a monster of level five or higher from my hand in defense position."

Nate said as a huge dragon with cybernetic parts, spears coming out of its fists and knees, and a helmet that looked more like a tech spear materialized in front of him.

"And I chose Odd-Eyes Lancer Dragon."

Nate concluded.

(Odd-Eyes Lancer Dragon)(Level 8)(Light)(Dragon)(ATK/DEF: 3000/2500)

The huge dragon roared as Nate drew a card from his deck.

"Now your turn can end, Shiro. And to start mine, I'm going to put the Lancer Dragon into attack position." "WHAT!? What the hell?"

Shiro shouted indignantly, his concern visible, after all, he was sweating like a pig.

"He did it, he summoned the two monsters I never could."

Luna was speechless. As the deck's owner, she never brought out the deck's true strength. But that guy, who had never seen it, did it without the slightest effort. Not only that, he used her strongest card as a simple tool, a means to an end.

Nate took a good look at the card he had drawn.

"Man, this game has more to do with luck than meets the eye. This was the card I needed."

Nate said as he placed a card on the dueling disk.

"I activate the Spell Card 'Spiral Flame Strike'. As I have an Odd-Eyes on the field, this card allows me to destroy a card on the opponent's field. Since you only have one card on the field..."

Lancer Dragon opened his huge jaw and launched a huge blast of black flames, consuming Dictator of D. almost instantly.

"Then I summon 'Timegazer Magician'."

Nate called out as a humanoid being in black clothes with golden details materialized.

(Timegazer Magician)(Level 3)(Dark)(Spellcaster)(ATK/DEF: 1200/600)

"Now that I have your field empty and over 4000 attack points available, it's time to finish this off. If I remember correctly... What was it again? Oh yes, make your desperate attempt to defend yourself, was it?"

Nate said, ordering the attack. His two monsters attacked in tandem, a huge sphere of black flames with purple rays around it was launched towards Shiro, who could only scream.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Shiro screamed as the sphere of flames consumed him and his life points zeroed out.

Nate: 2800 | 0000 :Shiro