"Hahaha! And here I thought the northern satellite sector had no competent duelists!"
"At last, someone appears—one of the ranked duelists from the northern satellite!"
One of the robed duelists sneered, his voice cold and mocking.
"Quack! Still not impressive enough. From what I've heard, the satellite has many formidable contenders."
Another black-robed figure let out an eerie laugh.
...
In the dusty outskirts of the satellite area, Oxtail rode his D-Wheel through the abandoned streets, engines howling as he gave chase.
Ahead of him—unshaken, unreadable—rode Yusei Fudo, the ace of the satellite.
"Hmph! I thought the satellite was supposed to raise dueling champions!" Oxtail scoffed. "You make it to the rankings and can't even hold your ground!"
"Lose to me, and your rank means nothing!"
He revved closer, shouting into the wind.
But Yusei, calm behind his visor, replied flatly, "This duel is already over."
"Nani?!" Oxtail's face twisted in shock.
...
In an old Lublon family residence in the satellite zone, Sherry LeBlanc stood before a towering window, eyes fixed on the golden scroll glowing above the skyline.
The Duel King Ranking had been updated.
"My daughter," she whispered, tears brimming, "you've made it into the ranks on your own."
"I swear... I will find the one who destroyed our family!"
Her fingers tightened at her side, trembling with rage and resolve.
...
Far away in Domino City, on the rooftop of KaibaCorp Tower, Seto Kaiba stared at the Duel King Gold List blazing in the sky.
"Brother, aren't you cold?" asked Mokuba Kaiba, holding a coat.
"These duelists," Kaiba murmured, "they come from every corner of the globe."
"If we can gather them within three months, Duel City will become the ultimate battlefield."
He turned slightly. "I want them all in."
Mokuba hesitated. "Brother… were you in the top five?"
Kaiba's eyes flickered. He nodded grimly. "There are more powerful duelists than I expected."
"But that only makes this more exciting. I'll crush them all beneath my Blue-Eyes White Dragon."
"I will be among the top ten."
His signature confidence remained, even if shaken.
"I believe in you, brother! Leave the invitations to me—I'll get them across Japan!"
Mokuba's face lit up with resolve.
...
"The satellite duelists are finally being recognized."
"The rewards are improving—but still nowhere near what the top five receive."
"They get guaranteed cards, not randomized junk," muttered Joey Wheeler, scrolling through the rankings.
"You know her?" Tea Gardner asked You Feng curiously, eyeing a new name: Sherry LeBlanc.
Yugi, Joey, and Tristan all paused. A slight tension filled the air.
Tea's cheeks flushed. "I just… wondered. Because she's from the satellite, that's all."
You Feng answered calmly, "No. But I've heard of her."
Meanwhile, duelists worldwide watched the Duel King List shimmer across the sky, the names illuminating the clouds above.
It stirred a frenzy in every region—duelists feeling excitement and a glimmer of hope.
This was their chance. To rise. To shine. To become legends.
[Duel King Gold List – Rank 44: Lu Chang]
Region: Eastern Tongshiye City
Known as a "psychic" duelist, Lu Chang uses a network of younger siblings to spy on opponent hands and feign precognition.
Deck Type: Cybernetic – Psychic Deterrence Build
Attributes: Pressure 75, Resistance 65, Luck 60, Deck Synergy 65, Defense 62, Strategy 68
Total Score: 395
Reward: Pressure +7, Luck +7, Random Android-themed Cards
"Another one from Tongshiye!" gasped a duelist nearby.
"Now three from both Tongshiye and Southern Dueling Academy. The satellite sector's still lagging."
"But it's early in the list—we can't tell which region truly reigns."
No one could ignore the fervor erupting after each new name. Duelists across the world whispered:
"Could I be next?"
...
At the Gravekeeper's Sanctuary, two silhouettes stood beneath the golden-lit sky.
"Sister," whispered Marik Ishtar, gripping his scepter, "did you foresee the Pharaoh's emergence in Tongshiye?"
Ishizu Ishtar nodded, calm and ethereal. "The time has come for us to act."
Marik narrowed his eyes. "How many of the duelists on this list could truly rival us?"
"You will fail, Marik," Ishizu said with unshakable certainty. "There is one among them—even I could not read his fate."
"Nani?!" Marik flinched.
"A presence the Millennium Necklace cannot pierce. The list is protected—even I cannot see who's next."
Unease crept into Marik's spine.
...
At Industrial Illusions, Maximillion Pegasus snapped his fingers with a smirk.
"Have my staff prepare the Duel Kingdom tournament immediately."
"If Kaiba-boy's planning Duel City, I'll beat him to market."
"We'll gauge the strength of the global talent pool."
He chuckled, eyes gleaming. "Surely I deserve a top ten spot... right?"
A shadow of doubt clouded his smile.
...
In a dim room, Lu Chang's siblings stared at the ranking in awe.
"Big bro, you're on the list!"
"You did it!"
He laughed nervously. "Yeah… now I have to win the tournament prize."
His eyes dimmed slightly.
The Duel King Gold List had revealed everything—even his secret cheating methods.
How would other duelists treat him now?
"Don't worry!" his little sister beamed. "You're still the best!"
Nearby duelists murmured in disbelief.
"That kid made the top 50?"
"No way… a street punk from Tongshiye?"
The name Lu Chang spread like wildfire—half infamous, half inspirational.