Saturday, May 12, 2001, 8:37 p.m.
The full moon glimmered with its silver light amid several moving clouds.
Down below, the city of Nagoya was bustling with activity.
Traffic noise was deafening.
The smell of asphalt and burnt rubber mixed with vehicle fumes.
The sidewalks were filled with a sea of people.
The commotion was constant — footsteps, shouts, and unintelligible conversations.
Neon lights began to illuminate the city.
A sign glowed in front of a small stadium. The letters in red, blue, and white read: 'Nagoya Duel Dome'.
A rush of cheers was occasionally heard from within the venue. Some children and young people came out through its doors with bitter expressions. One of them, small and chubby, with long brown hair and dressed in red and white, grumbled in a frustrated voice.
"He lost! Ryuzaki lost! I can't believe it!"
Various Duel Monsters' billboards were displayed on the entrance walls. The largest one proclaimed alongside the image of a huge blue dragon with three horns roaring at a purple two-headed dragon spreading its wings in a threatening pose: 'Duel Monsters National Championship Final! Don't miss it!'.
Inside the stadium, in the center of a huge duel arena, surrounded by hundreds of children and young people in the stands, stood Shin Osako on his yellow platform. His expression was calm as he raised a hand to greet the crowd.
A high-pitched male voice rose above the cheers in the stadium, his tone excited.
"The winner of the championship is Shin Osako!"
The voice belonged to a young man in a black suit, tall and slim, with short dark hair and dark eyes, holding a standard red microphone in his right hand.
At that moment, Shin's platform began to descend. His expression remained calm as he slipped his deck into his black jacket's pocket.
Then, the announcer's voice was heard again, dramatic in tone.
"And now we have a very special guest here to present the championship trophy to the winner! The honorable President of Industrial Illusions! And the genius who designed and created Duel Monsters…!"
The announcer raised his hand and after a brief pause, he exclaimed forcefully:
"… Mr. Pegasus J. Crawford!"
A hydraulic trapdoor opened up in the floor of the arena in front of Shin's platform. From it rose a tall, slim man with long white hair, dressed entirely in red. It was Pegasus, and he was holding a small golden cup-shaped trophy.
Slowly, Shin hopped down from his platform and walked toward Pegasus, who did the same, trophy in hand.
Amid growing cheers from the crowd, Pegasus handed the award to Shin. His words came out in English, his expression calm. A glimmer briefly passed through his hair.
"Congratulations!"
Shin took the trophy with a slight smile on his lips. His expression was amused as he said in a neutral voice:
"Thank you."
A fleeting expression of doubt crossed Pegasus's face. His brow furrowed briefly before relaxing once more. Then he spoke in a serious tone, his voice in Japanese with a marked foreign accent.
"I would like to invite you to participate in a tournament that will soon be held by our company."
Shin nodded quietly in response.
Then Pegasus turned around and stepped back up onto the trapdoor. It slowly descended, and his figure disappeared beneath the metal plate of the duel arena.
A few minutes later, a vintage yellow and dark red Chevrolet drove out of the underground parking garage and into Nagoya.
Inside the car, Pegasus listened to the words of a medium-height, slim young Western man with short brown hair, wearing a black suit, purple tie, and dark sunglasses.
"Mr. Pegasus, we made sure to attract several talented duelists, thanks to your recent announcement."
With his eyes closed, Pegasus responded calmly.
"Good work… Hum. And what about what I asked you for?"
Nodding, the man spoke confidently, his expression calm.
"I sent it just as you ordered."
Pegasus opened his eyes at that moment. A murmur escaped his lips, his tone curious.
"Oh, really…?
At that moment, on a nearly empty bus labeled 'Tōkai Kōtsū Express 119,' Shin was sitting in his seat near the back. A small smile crossed his lips. His eyes closed for a moment. When he opened them again, he whispered in a mischievous voice:
"Not this time… Pegasus."
He then removed a white envelope from his pocket and broke its seal. From it, Shin drew a Duel Monsters card. Another murmur fell from his lips, this time filled with surprise.
"This is…"
Cosmo Queen LV8 ∆Dark∆ (Normal) {Spellcaster} [2900ATK/2450DEF]
The card's image displayed an androgynous purple-skinned figure with sharp features, large, nail-less hands, and piercing red eyes, dressed in a red, green, and gold outfit adorned with multicolored jewels and a dramatic, oversized Eastern-style crown.
While looking at his reflection in the window, Shin whispered with irony:
"It seems luck is on my side."
Suddenly, a somewhat shaky woman's voice came from the seat behind him.
"Are you all right, young man? Talking to yourself at your age…"
Shin turned around, startled, his expression nervous. An elderly, small, thin woman dressed in white with red flowers met his gaze with large black eyes, visible through a pair of round-framed glasses.