The Communication Space of the Spirits.
"Night… long time no see."
The moment Yuye appeared, Nymph gently wrapped her arms around him.
Her cool, soft, silky body pressed lightly against him.
Yuye closed his eyes, fully enjoying the sensation.
"Big Sister Nymph, that's not fair! Night just arrived, and you already snatched him!"
Before he could enjoy more than a few seconds, Siren and Little Mermaid each grabbed one of Yuye's arms, pulling him away from Nymph.
The two—no, the two fish—clung tightly to his arms, glaring at Nymph in protest.
"That's right! Night belongs to us, not just Nymph alone!"
Meri hugged him from behind, puffing her cheeks in protest as well.
Feeling these four mermaids tugging at him, Yuye didn't get annoyed.
On the contrary—
He felt warm.
After being transported into this world, before he awakened any archetype spirits,
He had no one to talk to.
The people of this world… were simply too stupid.
He tried explaining proper deckbuilding and strategy to classmates who dreamed of becoming Obsidian-ranked Duelists—
Yet they were obsessed with big beaters, "noble power", and bottomless pit–tier traps.
They couldn't understand a single thing he said.
Instead, they accused him of acting superior…
They ostracized him.
Only after he gained archetype spirits did he finally have someone to talk to—
and completely cut ties with his classmates.
While his classmates chased strong Normal Monsters,
Yuye played Master Duel and chatted with the Mermaids.
While they used Normal Monsters to barely qualify as Yellow Rank,
Yuye played Master Duel and chatted with the Mermaids.
They graduated,
he kept playing Master Duel and chatting with the Mermaids—
until he passed the Headmaster's special exam and graduated.
Nearby, the Red Mermaid quietly watched the scene with envy.
If possible, she wanted to join them too…
Not because Nymph and the others excluded her,
but because she couldn't accept herself—
She felt she wasn't pure enough.
Meanwhile, Rulkallos, wearing a full butler uniform, stood respectfully like a loyal servant, awaiting instructions from Nymph.
"All right, enough.
Night is here to receive cards this time, not to play with us."
Nymph reminded them gently while patting the heads of the three little ones.
Hearing "receive cards," the three mermaids froze.
Their expressions turned bitter, and they reluctantly released Yuye.
They lowered their heads, silent.
"Looks like the restrictions are still in place."
Yuye wasn't surprised at all.
This was expected.
Lower-level Tearlaments monsters…
forget three copies—
Even giving two copies would make him practically immune to counters.
More importantly, with two copies, his healthy Tearlaments build would finally have reliable lines.
Unlike now, where going second depended on drawing Little Mermaid and gambling on milling three.
Why not use Red Mermaid for trigger milling?
Simple—
Her effect requires banishing a Tearlaments card from hand.
And at this stage, that's too expensive and often minus one.
"Sorry… Night."
The three mermaids felt completely guilty.
If not for Rule Restrictions, with Night holding full playsets of them—
no Duelist, no Spirit, not even in the Pearl World—
could ever stand a chance.
"It's fine.
I expected this."
Yuye patted their heads.
He looked to Nymph.
She shook her head slightly—
She also had no cards she was allowed to give.
Just as Yuye suspected, maybe the duel rules were punishing him for beating Runick too brutally—
A soft voice appeared beside him.
"N-Night… I have something."
It was Red Mermaid.
She held one of her own cards,
and a Continuous Spell:
"Primeval Planet Perlereino's Dirge"
(lit. "Screech of the Miserable One" → following consistent naming)
→ "Screech of the Sullied One"
(We'll keep consistent translation for the Ishizu/Earth Tearlaments sub-archetype.)
"Huh?"
Yuye was stunned.
Nymph had none.
The triple mermaids had none.
But Red Mermaid had?
Of course, he would accept—
They were his spirits.
There was no reason to refuse.
"Eh?"
The three mermaids were stunned.
Even Nymph was surprised.
As they processed this—
Rulkallos stepped forward respectfully:
"Lord Night, I also have a Normal Spell 'Sullied Swirling Echo',
a Continuous Trap 'Sullied Lament',
and a Normal Trap 'Sullied Scratch' to offer you."
"???"
The three mermaids stared speechlessly.
Of the Tearlaments cards within their authority, excluding Nymph,
Most of the remaining cards were with the three of them.
Yet Duel Rules prevented them from giving any,
and allowed Red Mermaid and Rulkallos to give instead?
This was blatant targeting!
"It's not that the rules forbid you—
It's the rules that know how strong the cards in your hands are,
So they don't dare let you give them.
You should be proud."
Yuye comforted them gently.
"That's correct.
This is an acknowledgement of your power.
If the three of you gave cards to Lord Night,
His strength would skyrocket instantly.
So the rules only allowed me and Red Mermaid to give these small, inconsequential cards."
Rulkallos bowed humbly.
Yuye glanced at him.
In the world of "Dogg K", Rulkallos was the ocean's sovereign.
In this world? He was just a mermaid's obedient mutt.
Every time he acted this subservient, Yuye thought:
If the Dogg-K world's Rulkallos ever saw this,
He'd probably die of shame on the spot.
"Yes, Rulkallos is right."
Red Mermaid nodded.
"They're telling the truth.
When the time is right, the rules will let you give him cards—just like when I gave mine during the Yellow Rank test."
Nymph added.
The three mermaids reluctantly accepted this explanation,
Though the frustration remained.
All three silently vowed—
One day, we're going to get revenge on the Duel Rules!
Of course, none of them knew—
The selection of which spirits may give cards is actually random.
The Duel Rules couldn't target anyone.
If it heard their accusations, it would deny everything:
"I'm not."
"I didn't."
"Stop slandering me."
"Night… hugs… pats… I want comfort…"
The three mermaids pressed themselves against Yuye, seeking affection.
Laughing softly, Yuye patted their heads, soothing them.
Only then did they slowly regain their mood.
Watching Yuye comfort them, Red Mermaid hesitated for a moment.
Then she stepped forward.
"Night, a spirit asked me to relay a question.
May I say it?"
"A spirit asked you?
A Kshatri-La Spirit?"
Yuye raised a brow.
He already knew who it must be.
"Yes.
Unicorn wants you to obtain the Kshatri-La archetype as soon as possible."
Red Mermaid nodded.
"Is it possible I'm not avoiding it—
I just have no idea how to obtain it?"
Yuye replied helplessly.
Kshatri-La—especially full-power—
could achieve Rank 10 lock.
Though in this world, locking Rank 10 wasn't very useful.
Better to banish the opponent's entire deck face down.
But Kshatri-La wasn't just about face-down banishing.
It could easily make Rank 7 boards, Chairman King setups—
Its flexibility and power were outstanding.
"It's as we thought."
Red Mermaid murmured, then spoke formally:
"Unicorn says—the best way for you to obtain the Kshatri-La archetype…
is to defeat Lisharth."
"Defeat him?"
Yuye raised an eyebrow.
Then he understood.
"You mean—Lisharth hasn't been in the 'Sullied Six'?"
"Yes.
He left the Sullied Six more than fifty years ago.
He said he was going to other worlds to capture dark slaves.
No one knows where he is now."
Red Mermaid said.
"I see."
Yuye nodded, remembering this.
Then, with interest, he asked:
"So why can't other Kshatri-La Spirits contact me?"
Red Mermaid flushed slightly, sensing Yuye's gaze.
"Ahem.
Because Fenrir and I became your Spirits,
we're determined not to let you miss out on such a strong archetype."
"So we've been reporting your Master Duel matches and daily duels to the Kshatri-La, still in the Sullied Six."
She paused, helpless.
"After hearing of your achievements,
all remaining Kshatri-La Spirits became so excited they refused to leave their domain.
Duel Rules restricted them inside the Sullied Six.
So your only way is to defeat Lisharth."
"Got it."
Yuye finally understood.
"But then why could I use Chengying to contact the Sword Soul Spirits, but you can't?"
He asked.
"My situation is simple.
Rules consider me a Tearlaments Spirit, not a Kshatri-La Spirit.
Fenrir's situation is strange—
He says the moment you communicate with him,
Duel Rules seals the space he's in,
preventing any other Kshatri-La Spirit from entering."
Red Mermaid explained.
"Wonderful.
The rules really ruin everything."
Yuye sighed.
But at least he gained something—
a Red Mermaid, Sullied Lament, Sullied Dirge, Sullied Scratch, and Swirling Echo.
Five more Tearlaments cards—
raising the consistency of his deck, though still unstable without the Tier 2–4 mermaids.
The night passed.
Early the next morning, Yuye brought Muning to his shop.
It had been fully repaired yesterday.
Between tournament certification and other things, he hadn't checked it yet.
Now it was time to see how the Inspection Bureau handled it—
and to reopen.
"Oh? Ouyang Yanyan is here this early.
Does that mean you got the 'Diabellstar' archetype cards?"
Yuye spotted her at the corner.
"Of course.
To become Lord Yuye's loyal servant,
I must obtain them."
Ouyang Yanyan bowed deeply, eyes burning with devotion.
To the average Duelist, the destruction of the Zeng family might've looked like punishment for violating regulations.
But as Yuye's future servant, she knew the truth.
The Zeng family was erased for offending this man.
He was only Yellow Rank, and already so terrifying.
What would he become later?
Yesterday, after obtaining the Black Witch and Diabellstar archetype,
She rushed here immediately—
But Yuye wasn't around.
Oh, right—Lord Yuye,
'God' wants to speak with you.
If you don't want to answer,
I'll reject it when I return.