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"Marufuji, listen to my sophistry, no, listen to my explanation."
For some reason, Valon faced the young man named "Marufuji" with a very humble attitude. It felt as if he had some fatal handle that had fallen into the other party's hand, allowing himself to be manipulated.
Joey Wheeler asked Valon somewhat confused: "Why do I feel like you're very afraid of this Kid?"
"It's not something you can understand just by saying it. Joey Wheeler, you haven't graduated from School yet, so you can't understand the hardships of Adults who are already working in Society," Valon said with some bitterness. "Although I joined the 'Cyber Style', I can only be considered a temporary worker. If someone were to complain to Master Samejima, I definitely wouldn't be able to keep this job."
"And Marufuji, he can be said to be Master Samejima's direct disciple, and he even reached the Kaiden Level of the 'Cyber Style' three years ago. Although he's not old, he's the second person in charge of this training trip besides me. Jobs like the 'Cyber Style', which don't require much work but offer good pay, are too hard to find. Of course, I'm afraid he'll complain."
After speaking, Valon suddenly remembered that Marufuji was still standing in front of him, and his face stiffened: "Uh, should I not have said that in front of you?"
The young man named Marufuji shook his head: "That has nothing to do with it, Mr. Valon. I won't hold prejudice against you because of your reason for joining the 'Cyber Style', nor will I stir up trouble because of such matters."
He paused, and under Valon's sigh of relief and hopeful gaze, Marufuji continued calmly: "After returning to America, I will only truthfully report to the Master that you have accumulated five instances of abandoning other students during this trip. Also, I saw you negotiating with the Staff to overreport the fuel price last time you refueled at the gas station—"
"Marufuji, no, don't do that."
"I've been an orphan since I was young, and I was afraid of being poor. I haven't dared to touch any of that money."
Seeing this, Joey Wheeler sighed with some regret: "So the World of Adults is so difficult. Valon looks like he's having a tough time."
"No, normal Adults wouldn't be like him," Hayato commented, but walked forward and looked at the young man named "Marufuji" with interest. "Marufuji of the Cyber Style, even if it were a coincidence of names, they wouldn't be so alike. I didn't expect that Kaiser was quite cute when young."
"My Name isn't Kaiser, my Name is Ryo Marufuji, Mr." Frowning, the young man's face showed a confused expression, and he didn't recognize Hayato immediately. "Is it my illusion? Why can I feel the Power of Cyber Dragon on your body?"
Hayato glanced at Ryo Marufuji with some surprise, raised an eyebrow slightly, reached out and took out a card precisely from the Card Box at his waist, displayed it to Ryo Marufuji, and said: "Your feeling is quite sharp, isn't it? You're not wrong, there is indeed a Cyber Dragon on my body."
And as Hayato took out the card, Cyber Dragon's spirit vaguely manifested beside Hayato. However, Hayato also noticed that after he took out the card, Ryo Marufuji was only staring at the Cyber Dragon card and didn't notice Cyber Dragon's spirit.
Ryo Marufuji, the future Emperor of Duel Academy, "Kaiser" Ryo, earned this nickname because of his kingly dominance and forceful crushing of all enemies, a dueling style like that of the great Emperor Caesar who said "I came, I saw, I conquered". He is a Cyber Style Duelist whose reputation is more prominent than the current Cyber Style Master, Samejima Iemitsu.
Among the many incompetent teammates who held Judai Yuki back, Ryo Marufuji, who graduated early two years ahead, was one of the few characters whose persona wasn't ruined by the writer, and he possessed extremely high popularity due to his excellent strength and dueling performance.
This is also one of the reasons why Cyber Dragon, as a Deck with only second-rate strength, can gain top-tier popularity. The personal charisma of its User, Ryo Marufuji, also added considerable charm to it. Not to mention, words like "Wheelchair" and "Struggle" have even been carved into the DNA of Duelist. When mentioned, they always immediately bring to mind Ryo Marufuji's Cyber Dragon.
Of course, being weakened is not the same as being weakened. Some Decks are almost dead after being weakened, while others can still crush other Decks after being weakened, such as Tearlaments, Tearlaments, and Tearlaments.
Just Valon's appearance was already an accident. Even hearing him say he had joined the Cyber Style, Hayato didn't expect to see Ryo Marufuji when young here. As for the fact that he didn't seem to see Cyber Dragon's spirit, it wasn't outside of Hayato's expectation.
In the story that happened at Duel Academy in the Future, many people formed bonds with spirits, such as Jesse Andersen, whom he had just met and who regarded spirits as family, Arithmetic, who fell in love with spirits, Tyranno Hassleberry, who could transform into a spirit by burying dinosaur transformation in his legs, and Manjoume Jun, who is now entangled with Light and Darkness Dragon and often has a Bricked Hand.
And Judai Yuki, this one is even more significant, directly fused with a spirit, can you believe it? It's just that the era is different, otherwise, this move of Judai and Yubel Stack might have been renamed "United Hearts" and openly performed a "Shining Draw".
However, among these many people, Ryo Marufuji was different. He didn't display the talent of a Duel Spirit User. Compared to Judai, Manjoume, and the others, he seemed very ordinary. But this doesn't mean Ryo Marufuji was weak. On the contrary, being able to do things that others could only do through bonds with spirits, purely through will and resolve, Ryo Marufuji was already quite remarkable.
Some people are geniuses in talent, while others are geniuses in effort. Ryo Marufuji belongs to the latter. However, having said that, Ryo Marufuji was able to gain recognition and get Cyber End Dragon at the age of nine, making him a complete genius.
"Mr., can you tell me who you are and why you have the Cyber Dragon card, which only Apprentice who have passed a series of assessments in the 'Cyber Style' can obtain?"
Although he couldn't see the ability of the spirit, Ryo Marufuji could still recognize that the card in front of him was a genuine Cyber Dragon card, but at the same time, new confusion appeared.
Even without psychic powers like absolute memory, Ryo Marufuji believed he could remember most of the personnel in the Dojo, but he had no impression of the person holding the Cyber Dragon in front of him.
This was only natural. After all, although the illusion on Valon and Joey Wheeler was closed, the Millennium Rod on Hayato's body was still activated. Therefore, in Ryo Marufuji's eyes, Hayato was not his original appearance, but his alias, Dan Lito.
If Hayato showed his true form, Ryo Marufuji would definitely recognize him, not only because Hayato is the "Duel King", but also because Ryo Marufuji was one of the disciples present when Hayato went to the Cyber Style Dojo at that time and obtained the secret technique of the Cyber Style throughout the ages—Drytron—from Samejima Iemitsu and the Former Cyber Style Master. He had witnessed the duel between Hayato and the Previous Master/Instructor.
Hayato also felt playful and didn't plan to reveal his identity to Ryo Marufuji just like that. Instead, he said with an evil smile: "I have no obligation to answer your confusion. Instead of me telling you the answer, why don't you guess yourself why I have this Cyber Dragon card in my hand?"
"Think carefully, Ryo Marufuji, why did Valon, who is not a beginner Duelist, give up his cards and join the Cyber Style? Why does he, as the person in charge of the Tour Group, always disappear alone without permission? Why do I, who don't belong to the 'Cyber Style', have a Cyber Dragon card in my hand!"
"There is only one answer, Ryo Marufuji!"
Because of the aura when Hayato spoke, the twelve-year-old Ryo Marufuji subconsciously took a step back. Along with the line of thought Hayato suggested, he naturally came to a completely reasonable answer: "Mr. Valon, he is your undercover agent?! You actually want to steal the Cyber Dragon card in this way?!"
"That's not it! I really just wanted to live a quiet life like a plant, that's why I joined the 'Cyber Style'!"
Since just now, Valon had felt that the atmosphere was strange. For some reason, this Kid, Ryo Marufuji, under the guidance of this guy Hayato Kobayashi, actually came up with such an absurd answer. The apparent conditions were indeed fine, but God knows where Hayato got this card in his hand from? There's no need to be so clear about Duelist matters.
Hearing that Ryo Marufuji actually thought he was Hayato's undercover agent, with the goal of stealing the signature Cyber Dragon card of the "Cyber Style", Valon also quickly denied it.
But Ryo Marufuji gave him one glance and said coldly: "Although I'm not old, do you think I'll believe your nonsense?"
"I trusted you so much, Mr. Valon, and always just saw you as a failed adult with no ambition, who was forgetful and had no self-control. I didn't expect you to be hiding so deeply. Master Samejima really misjudged you by letting you join the 'Cyber Style'."
"As a Kaiden of the 'Cyber Style', today I will substitute for Master Samejima and clean up the sect here!" Saying that, Ryo Marufuji took out a Duel Disk. "Duel! I will use the radiance of the 'Cyber Style' to completely crush your evil heart!"
"Even if you say that..." Hearing Ryo Marufuji's words, Valon also showed a difficult expression. Talking heart to heart through a duel, it seems like it's feasible. As long as he shows enough sincerity in the duel, maybe he can convince Ryo Marufuji, this idiot who was easily fooled by Hayato Kobayashi.
But the question is, what Deck should he use? His [Armor] Deck was sealed by himself so as not to damage others. He can't unseal it now when he just sealed it not long ago, and he doesn't mean to damage Ryo Marufuji.
And if he were to use the "Cyber Style" cards, with his familiarity with this new Deck, he probably wouldn't last two turns. The burst power of Cyber Dragon is something anyone who has seen it won't doubt. He would probably be defeated in one go before he could talk heart to heart with this Kid, Ryo Marufuji, through a duel.
Subconsciously, Valon looked to the side, only to find that this guy Hayato was standing there as if it had nothing to do with him: "Tsk tsk, I didn't expect you to be such a person, Valon."
"Yeah, yeah, too bad," Joey Wheeler also echoed, also with an expression of watching the drama, clearly wanting to see Valon make a fool of himself.
"You two guys! In the end, isn't this situation caused by you, Hayato? Why are you just watching?!"
Hayato saw that Valon seemed genuinely angry, and said with a smile: "Ho ho, are you making a request to me, Dan Lito? If so, I will help you, my partner who stole the Cyber Dragon card for me."
"You're clearly just causing trouble!"
Valon watched Hayato took out a Deck and complained, but seeing Hayato step up to face Ryo Marufuji instead of himself, he also knew the result. Without a doubt, the last result would definitely be Hayato's victory, and through dueling heart to heart, this idiot Ryo Marufuji would definitely be able to discover that this guy Hayato Kobayashi would definitely not be an evil person who steals other people's cards.
As he thought about it, Valon recalled Hayato's past actions: NTRing other people's beloved monsters, mercilessly tributing other people's cherished cards, and decisively letting his own monsters die for victory...
Probably, he won't let Ryo Marufuji continue to misunderstand, right?
Valon became a little less confident again.
Joey Wheeler patted Valon's shoulder and said with a grin: "Hehe, Valon, this Kid knows what kind of trouble you get into if you look like a bad guy, right? Don't worry, you probably didn't notice because you were a bit anxious, even I can somewhat see it. Hayato seems to simply want to duel this young man."
"Yeah, maybe it's because he has some friendship with Master Samejima of the Cyber Style, so he wants to see what skill level the juniors of the Cyber Style have? I'm not too sure either."
Hearing Joey Wheeler's words, Valon also glanced at Hayato, who had already found an Open Space and stood opposite Ryo Marufuji, ready to start a duel. He sighed: "Whatever. If I lose this job, at worst I'll just rely on Hayato Kobayashi and ask him to arrange something like a security guard job for me at Industrial Illusions."
He glanced at the watch on his wrist, noticed that some time had passed, and that he had to hurry up and eat more from the buffet. Valon didn't even have the idea to continue watching the drama of this duel and walked towards the serving area with his plate.
However, after walking two steps, Valon turned back and quietly asked Joey Wheeler: "Oh, right, you guys said, what should you eat more of at a buffet to get your money's worth?"
"That's easy, eat more things with shells," Joey Wheeler said casually.
End of Chapter
For some reason, Valon faced the young man named "Marufuji" with a very humble attitude. It felt as if he had some fatal handle that had fallen into the other party's hand, allowing himself to be manipulated.
Joey Wheeler asked Valon somewhat confused: "Why do I feel like you're very afraid of this Kid?"
"It's not something you can understand just by saying it. Joey Wheeler, you haven't graduated from School yet, so you can't understand the hardships of Adults who are already working in Society," Valon said with some bitterness. "Although I joined the 'Cyber Style', I can only be considered a temporary worker. If someone were to complain to Master Samejima, I definitely wouldn't be able to keep this job."
"And Marufuji, he can be said to be Master Samejima's direct disciple, and he even reached the Kaiden Level of the 'Cyber Style' three years ago. Although he's not old, he's the second person in charge of this training trip besides me. Jobs like the 'Cyber Style', which don't require much work but offer good pay, are too hard to find. Of course, I'm afraid he'll complain."
After speaking, Valon suddenly remembered that Marufuji was still standing in front of him, and his face stiffened: "Uh, should I not have said that in front of you?"
The young man named Marufuji shook his head: "That has nothing to do with it, Mr. Valon. I won't hold prejudice against you because of your reason for joining the 'Cyber Style', nor will I stir up trouble because of such matters."
He paused, and under Valon's sigh of relief and hopeful gaze, Marufuji continued calmly: "After returning to America, I will only truthfully report to the Master that you have accumulated five instances of abandoning other students during this trip. Also, I saw you negotiating with the Staff to overreport the fuel price last time you refueled at the gas station—"
"Marufuji, no, don't do that."
"I've been an orphan since I was young, and I was afraid of being poor. I haven't dared to touch any of that money."
Seeing this, Joey Wheeler sighed with some regret: "So the World of Adults is so difficult. Valon looks like he's having a tough time."
"No, normal Adults wouldn't be like him," Hayato commented, but walked forward and looked at the young man named "Marufuji" with interest. "Marufuji of the Cyber Style, even if it were a coincidence of names, they wouldn't be so alike. I didn't expect that Kaiser was quite cute when young."
"My Name isn't Kaiser, my Name is Ryo Marufuji, Mr." Frowning, the young man's face showed a confused expression, and he didn't recognize Hayato immediately. "Is it my illusion? Why can I feel the Power of Cyber Dragon on your body?"
Hayato glanced at Ryo Marufuji with some surprise, raised an eyebrow slightly, reached out and took out a card precisely from the Card Box at his waist, displayed it to Ryo Marufuji, and said: "Your feeling is quite sharp, isn't it? You're not wrong, there is indeed a Cyber Dragon on my body."
And as Hayato took out the card, Cyber Dragon's spirit vaguely manifested beside Hayato. However, Hayato also noticed that after he took out the card, Ryo Marufuji was only staring at the Cyber Dragon card and didn't notice Cyber Dragon's spirit.
Ryo Marufuji, the future Emperor of Duel Academy, "Kaiser" Ryo, earned this nickname because of his kingly dominance and forceful crushing of all enemies, a dueling style like that of the great Emperor Caesar who said "I came, I saw, I conquered". He is a Cyber Style Duelist whose reputation is more prominent than the current Cyber Style Master, Samejima Iemitsu.
Among the many incompetent teammates who held Judai Yuki back, Ryo Marufuji, who graduated early two years ahead, was one of the few characters whose persona wasn't ruined by the writer, and he possessed extremely high popularity due to his excellent strength and dueling performance.
This is also one of the reasons why Cyber Dragon, as a Deck with only second-rate strength, can gain top-tier popularity. The personal charisma of its User, Ryo Marufuji, also added considerable charm to it. Not to mention, words like "Wheelchair" and "Struggle" have even been carved into the DNA of Duelist. When mentioned, they always immediately bring to mind Ryo Marufuji's Cyber Dragon.
Of course, being weakened is not the same as being weakened. Some Decks are almost dead after being weakened, while others can still crush other Decks after being weakened, such as Tearlaments, Tearlaments, and Tearlaments.
Just Valon's appearance was already an accident. Even hearing him say he had joined the Cyber Style, Hayato didn't expect to see Ryo Marufuji when young here. As for the fact that he didn't seem to see Cyber Dragon's spirit, it wasn't outside of Hayato's expectation.
In the story that happened at Duel Academy in the Future, many people formed bonds with spirits, such as Jesse Andersen, whom he had just met and who regarded spirits as family, Arithmetic, who fell in love with spirits, Tyranno Hassleberry, who could transform into a spirit by burying dinosaur transformation in his legs, and Manjoume Jun, who is now entangled with Light and Darkness Dragon and often has a Bricked Hand.
And Judai Yuki, this one is even more significant, directly fused with a spirit, can you believe it? It's just that the era is different, otherwise, this move of Judai and Yubel Stack might have been renamed "United Hearts" and openly performed a "Shining Draw".
However, among these many people, Ryo Marufuji was different. He didn't display the talent of a Duel Spirit User. Compared to Judai, Manjoume, and the others, he seemed very ordinary. But this doesn't mean Ryo Marufuji was weak. On the contrary, being able to do things that others could only do through bonds with spirits, purely through will and resolve, Ryo Marufuji was already quite remarkable.
Some people are geniuses in talent, while others are geniuses in effort. Ryo Marufuji belongs to the latter. However, having said that, Ryo Marufuji was able to gain recognition and get Cyber End Dragon at the age of nine, making him a complete genius.
"Mr., can you tell me who you are and why you have the Cyber Dragon card, which only Apprentice who have passed a series of assessments in the 'Cyber Style' can obtain?"
Although he couldn't see the ability of the spirit, Ryo Marufuji could still recognize that the card in front of him was a genuine Cyber Dragon card, but at the same time, new confusion appeared.
Even without psychic powers like absolute memory, Ryo Marufuji believed he could remember most of the personnel in the Dojo, but he had no impression of the person holding the Cyber Dragon in front of him.
This was only natural. After all, although the illusion on Valon and Joey Wheeler was closed, the Millennium Rod on Hayato's body was still activated. Therefore, in Ryo Marufuji's eyes, Hayato was not his original appearance, but his alias, Dan Lito.
If Hayato showed his true form, Ryo Marufuji would definitely recognize him, not only because Hayato is the "Duel King", but also because Ryo Marufuji was one of the disciples present when Hayato went to the Cyber Style Dojo at that time and obtained the secret technique of the Cyber Style throughout the ages—Drytron—from Samejima Iemitsu and the Former Cyber Style Master. He had witnessed the duel between Hayato and the Previous Master/Instructor.
Hayato also felt playful and didn't plan to reveal his identity to Ryo Marufuji just like that. Instead, he said with an evil smile: "I have no obligation to answer your confusion. Instead of me telling you the answer, why don't you guess yourself why I have this Cyber Dragon card in my hand?"
"Think carefully, Ryo Marufuji, why did Valon, who is not a beginner Duelist, give up his cards and join the Cyber Style? Why does he, as the person in charge of the Tour Group, always disappear alone without permission? Why do I, who don't belong to the 'Cyber Style', have a Cyber Dragon card in my hand!"
"There is only one answer, Ryo Marufuji!"
Because of the aura when Hayato spoke, the twelve-year-old Ryo Marufuji subconsciously took a step back. Along with the line of thought Hayato suggested, he naturally came to a completely reasonable answer: "Mr. Valon, he is your undercover agent?! You actually want to steal the Cyber Dragon card in this way?!"
"That's not it! I really just wanted to live a quiet life like a plant, that's why I joined the 'Cyber Style'!"
Since just now, Valon had felt that the atmosphere was strange. For some reason, this Kid, Ryo Marufuji, under the guidance of this guy Hayato Kobayashi, actually came up with such an absurd answer. The apparent conditions were indeed fine, but God knows where Hayato got this card in his hand from? There's no need to be so clear about Duelist matters.
Hearing that Ryo Marufuji actually thought he was Hayato's undercover agent, with the goal of stealing the signature Cyber Dragon card of the "Cyber Style", Valon also quickly denied it.
But Ryo Marufuji gave him one glance and said coldly: "Although I'm not old, do you think I'll believe your nonsense?"
"I trusted you so much, Mr. Valon, and always just saw you as a failed adult with no ambition, who was forgetful and had no self-control. I didn't expect you to be hiding so deeply. Master Samejima really misjudged you by letting you join the 'Cyber Style'."
"As a Kaiden of the 'Cyber Style', today I will substitute for Master Samejima and clean up the sect here!" Saying that, Ryo Marufuji took out a Duel Disk. "Duel! I will use the radiance of the 'Cyber Style' to completely crush your evil heart!"
"Even if you say that..." Hearing Ryo Marufuji's words, Valon also showed a difficult expression. Talking heart to heart through a duel, it seems like it's feasible. As long as he shows enough sincerity in the duel, maybe he can convince Ryo Marufuji, this idiot who was easily fooled by Hayato Kobayashi.
But the question is, what Deck should he use? His [Armor] Deck was sealed by himself so as not to damage others. He can't unseal it now when he just sealed it not long ago, and he doesn't mean to damage Ryo Marufuji.
And if he were to use the "Cyber Style" cards, with his familiarity with this new Deck, he probably wouldn't last two turns. The burst power of Cyber Dragon is something anyone who has seen it won't doubt. He would probably be defeated in one go before he could talk heart to heart with this Kid, Ryo Marufuji, through a duel.
Subconsciously, Valon looked to the side, only to find that this guy Hayato was standing there as if it had nothing to do with him: "Tsk tsk, I didn't expect you to be such a person, Valon."
"Yeah, yeah, too bad," Joey Wheeler also echoed, also with an expression of watching the drama, clearly wanting to see Valon make a fool of himself.
"You two guys! In the end, isn't this situation caused by you, Hayato? Why are you just watching?!"
Hayato saw that Valon seemed genuinely angry, and said with a smile: "Ho ho, are you making a request to me, Dan Lito? If so, I will help you, my partner who stole the Cyber Dragon card for me."
"You're clearly just causing trouble!"
Valon watched Hayato took out a Deck and complained, but seeing Hayato step up to face Ryo Marufuji instead of himself, he also knew the result. Without a doubt, the last result would definitely be Hayato's victory, and through dueling heart to heart, this idiot Ryo Marufuji would definitely be able to discover that this guy Hayato Kobayashi would definitely not be an evil person who steals other people's cards.
As he thought about it, Valon recalled Hayato's past actions: NTRing other people's beloved monsters, mercilessly tributing other people's cherished cards, and decisively letting his own monsters die for victory...
Probably, he won't let Ryo Marufuji continue to misunderstand, right?
Valon became a little less confident again.
Joey Wheeler patted Valon's shoulder and said with a grin: "Hehe, Valon, this Kid knows what kind of trouble you get into if you look like a bad guy, right? Don't worry, you probably didn't notice because you were a bit anxious, even I can somewhat see it. Hayato seems to simply want to duel this young man."
"Yeah, maybe it's because he has some friendship with Master Samejima of the Cyber Style, so he wants to see what skill level the juniors of the Cyber Style have? I'm not too sure either."
Hearing Joey Wheeler's words, Valon also glanced at Hayato, who had already found an Open Space and stood opposite Ryo Marufuji, ready to start a duel. He sighed: "Whatever. If I lose this job, at worst I'll just rely on Hayato Kobayashi and ask him to arrange something like a security guard job for me at Industrial Illusions."
He glanced at the watch on his wrist, noticed that some time had passed, and that he had to hurry up and eat more from the buffet. Valon didn't even have the idea to continue watching the drama of this duel and walked towards the serving area with his plate.
However, after walking two steps, Valon turned back and quietly asked Joey Wheeler: "Oh, right, you guys said, what should you eat more of at a buffet to get your money's worth?"
"That's easy, eat more things with shells," Joey Wheeler said casually.
End of Chapter
