Yu-Gi-Oh! The Pitfall Hero

Just as Yusei was complaining that his opponents were all avoiding him, the sky around him suddenly darkened.

At the same time, a golden pillar of flame shot into the sky.

What followed was an irresistible and intense pressure.

A giant, golden, round, egg-shaped object, bathed in flames, appeared.

Within that instantly expanding pillar of fire, the golden egg automatically unfolded, revealing the dragon-shaped monster encased within.

The people on the island then saw the shadow of the Winged Dragon spreading its wings amidst the soaring flames.

Those were the legendary figures of the Three Egyptian Gods, only seen in video footage in the past.

However, now, this monster has truly appeared before everyone's eyes.

"There's a duel going on over there, and this strange phenomenon seems to be coming from deep within the forest!"

"Such powerful strength... Just who, just who summoned the god?"

"Winged Dragon of Ra, it's actually Winged Dragon of Ra..."

"Ughh ...

As the Winged Dragon of Ra made its appearance, an unmistakable scream echoed from the depths of the forest at the same moment.

Following the direction from which the sound came, Yusei and his group exchanged glances and immediately rushed towards the sound.

However, when they arrived at their destination, the Winged Rathalos that had just appeared there had vanished. All that remained in their eyes was the figure of a student wearing the yellow uniform of the sun god, who had lost consciousness and was lying on the ground.

One can imagine that this poor passerby received the same treatment as Jonouchi back then, getting hit squarely by the Winged Rathalos's "Divine Flame Cannon" and unwittingly experiencing the ultimate divine punishment...

……

The topic of what appeared beneath the Winged Dragon of Ra quickly spread throughout the Duel Academy, becoming a hot topic in a very short time.

Pegasus, the president of the International Fantasy Club, hadn't seen Yusei and the others for a long time. Maeda Hayato, who is currently working as a card designer under Pegasus, was also attracted by this monster and came to Duel Academy.

Their first stop was, naturally, the principal's office at the Duel Academy.

"Ah! I heard Hayato came here? Is it true?"

The automatic door to the principal's office opened from the outside, and Yuki Judai, who had come with everyone after hearing the news, was the first to rush in with an excited expression.

Seeing the koala-man dressed in a suit, his demeanor somewhat changed, Jaden Yuki didn't hesitate to open his arms and hug him: "Oh! It really is Hayato!"

"Ah, Jaden, Yusei, and Sho, you guys are here too?"

Hayato, who also gave Jaden a warm hug and felt nostalgic for everyone, sighed sincerely, "Especially you, Jaden. Seeing you still so energetic makes me feel at ease."

“You…you too, Hayato.”

Suffocated by Hayato's passionate embrace, which seemed to want to meld him into his body, Jaden Yuki managed to give a weak response to Hayato's words.

Seeing Jaden's current state, Hayato also released his arm after showing an apologetic expression.

"Principal Samejima, who are these boys?"

Beside Hayato was Pegasus, who had arrived with him in a helicopter.

The man who covered half of his face with long white hair and wore a smart red suit was Pegasus himself, known as the "Father of Duel Monsters".

Upon seeing Yusei and the others appear, Pegasus immediately turned to the smiling Principal Samejima beside him and voiced his question.

"Ah, these are Hayato's former roommates, Jaden Yuki, Yusei... and Sho Marufuji."

Since Kenzan enrolled a year later than Yusei and the others, and moved from the Aurora God Yellow dormitory to Yusei's dormitory on his own, he was not counted as one of Hayato's acquaintances by Principal Samejima.

"Jūdai boy, Yūsei boy... you're the hero users that Hayato often mentions, right?"

"Well, that's right."

"Well……"

Completely ignoring Marufuji Sho's presence, Pegasus greeted the two heroes warmly.

In response, Yusei and Jaden Yuki introduced themselves to him.

"Ah, I am..."

Extending his hands, Pegasus took the arms of Jaden Yuki and Hayato on either side, and, speaking in broken English, enthusiastically introduced himself: "Ahem, I'm Pegasus J. Crawford, the honorary president of the International Fantasy Club. Of course, some people also call me the father of Duel Monsters... Boys, just call me Pegasus~"

"...Wow, that's amazing! He's actually the father of Duel Monsters!"

Upon hearing Pegasus's self-introduction and gaining certainty, Jaden Yuki's face immediately lit up with excitement.

Just as the Egyptian God Cards hold an extraordinary position in Duel Monsters, Pegasus's status in the Duel world is equally undeniable.

The sudden appearance of such a celebrity here naturally evokes a deep sense of admiration from the duelists.

"But why did you come here specifically, President Pegasus?"

Touching his chin, Yusei looked at Pegasus, who was smiling silently, and asked curiously.

Like Haima, Bekas is the president of a world-class company.

Celebrities like these usually have their schedules packed full, leaving them with almost no free time.

However, the fact that such a busy person made a special trip here suggests that there must be some hidden reason behind it.

There was something at the Duel Academy that Pegasus couldn't ignore, so much so that he had to put aside his other matters and make a special trip here.

"Actually..."

After hesitating for a moment, Pegasus's face showed a helpless expression: "The [Winged Dragon of the Sun God] that was kept at the International Fantasy Society for research has been stolen..."

"Nani?!"

"...Is the sun god the same sun god that appears in Mr. Game's Legend of Duel?"

"So, the Winged Dragon we saw before wasn't some kind of illusion?"

Upon hearing Pegasus's voice, Yusei immediately recalled the figure of the Winged Dragon of Ra that had appeared amidst the towering pillar of fire.

That immense pressure, surpassing that of ordinary monsters, and that powerful presence that only a god could possess, are undoubtedly the best proof of the God Card.

"It's like a card containing a real god; it's a card that contains extremely terrifying power..."

Narrowing his eyes, Pegasus revealed a serious expression on the half of his face that wasn't hidden by his long hair: "The original Winged Dragon of Ra card no longer exists in this world. Our company only keeps a copy for research purposes."

"...However, this card was stolen by one of our designers without permission."

Yusei: "Stolen?"

Hayato: "Ah! It was precisely because I heard that Winged Rathalos appeared at this GX convention that President Pegasus made a special trip here to resolve the issue."

“Even if it’s just a copy card, the power of the gods is unfathomable. In fact… I’ve already received several reports of duelists being attacked by the gods and having their badges stolen.”

"If we don't get this card back soon, things will only get more and more complicated..."

At this opportune moment, Principal Samejima also explained the current general situation.

For most students at the Duel Academy, the duelists who come from outside are generally formidable opponents who possess a certain prestige and strength in their respective places.

The two sides were never on the same level in terms of combat strength from the very beginning.

That's why Principal Samejima expressed his hope that the students of Duel Academy would achieve final victory when announcing the GX tournament.

This is both his expectation and the result he longs to see.

"So, how exactly should we do it?"

Walking up to Principal Samejima, Yusei continued, "That guy is elusive, attacking lone students everywhere. In this chaotic environment, it'll be hard to find him, won't it?"

"Ah, about that."

Nodding, Principal Samejima picked up the microphone on the table and connected to the school-wide broadcast: "Attention all participants of the GX Competition, due to special circumstances, the competition must be temporarily suspended."

"Furthermore, all students are temporarily prohibited from leaving the premises. Please wait for further instructions. Once this matter is resolved, the dueling tournament will resume."

After announcing the temporary suspension of the conference, Principal Samejima cut off communications.

Almost all the students on the island heard Principal Samejima's words.

"Huh? The conference was interrupted? What the heck?"

"...Could it be because of that Winged Dragon of Ra from before?"

"Hiss~~~ I smell watermelon!"

Realizing that the situation was not simple, the group, after showing puzzled expressions, eventually returned to their respective dormitories.

After all, along with the rumors about the Winged Dragon of Ra, information about the victims also spread.

Those who were fortunate enough to duel the one piloting the Winged Dragon of Ra are now lying unconscious in the infirmary, mostly in critical condition...

Not wanting to become the next victim, they resolutely chose to obey the principal's instructions.

If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. There will naturally be people who will handle this matter, so they don't need to worry about it.

"Alright, now we don't have to worry about unrelated students getting involved in this incident for the time being."

Looking at the bustling crowd returning to their respective dormitories through the transparent glass wall, Principal Samejima's face relaxed slightly.

Then, he turned his head and looked at Yusei in front of him: "Yusei, can you handle this matter concerning the Winged Dragon of Ra?"

"……Can."

Yusei, who was prepared for Principal Samejima's words, nodded slightly and gave his reply.

Having been looking for an opponent, he naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity to duel with the God Card.

579 Facing the Pressure of the God Card

From Pegasus, Yusei learned roughly about the person who stole the Winged Dragon of Ra.

The duelist who attacked the students was actually Franz, a man who had served as a card designer for the International Fantasy Society before Hayato.

As Hayato joins the International Fantasy Club as a new card designer in the department, Pegasus's attention gradually shifts to Hayato, unconsciously neglecting the feelings of others.

Franz, feeling neglected and unappreciated, naturally harbored a strong emotion of jealousy towards Hayato deep in his heart.

As time went on, this emotion grew stronger and stronger.