Main God Space——
"Apologies, you are already dead."
"Oh..."
"Eeeh? Such a calm reaction, truly rare."
"Being run over by a truck at that speed, it would be strange if I weren't dead."
Encountering a car accident on the way out of the card shop, after opening his eyes again, Ling Ling, even standing in an endless pure white space with a child in front of him, indistinguishable whether shota or loli, telling him 'you are already dead', seemed to have nothing surprising about it.
To maintain optimism no matter the time, was Ling Ling's motto.
"If I'm dead, I'm dead. My life actually didn't have too many regrets," Ling Ling said calmly.
Actually, it wasn't completely without regrets; if forced to say, there were two points.
One was, dying just like this, he was very worried about his sister who depended on him.
Two was, regarding his goal of dominating trading card games, he was still one final step away.
Over several years, in numerous trading card competitions including Magic: The Gathering, Ling Ling, relying on his calm mind, solid skills, and most importantly, god-favored strong luck, had claimed the championship title multiple times in international events.
However, just as Ling Ling was about to challenge his final goal, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, the trading card game with the highest circulation in the world, an accident occurred.
Perhaps because of the previous competitions, Ling Ling had prematurely overdrawn the luck of his life.
Clearly, the journey into Duel Monsters had just begun, yet Ling Ling, walking out of the card shop, instantly met the end of his life.
"Such a card-playing talent like you, and you're even a little handsome, it's truly a pity to die just like this."
Although surprised by Ling Ling's overly calm reaction after death, the little loli (shota) didn't dwell on it too much.
After all, she was considered one of the Main Gods of the space. The God of Entertainment, how could she make a fuss over such a small matter.
"Wealth and power are only temporary; only entertainment can be passed down through eternity. For a rare talent like you, there's a very good destination. Are you willing to go? Of course, if you choose reincarnation to become a leech, I won't stop you either."
"Go." Ling Ling blurted out, answering very decisively.
A question that didn't even require thinking about; transmigration or reincarnation as a leech, even a leech would know which one to choose.
"Heehee, your determination, I've received it!" The Loli Main God cracked open her lips, revealing that sharp little canine tooth.
"Then go to that continent. To realize the final goal you pursued in life, on that Elf Continent filled with Duel Monsters. The goal, become the Duel King!"
As the Loli Main God waved her hand, Ling Ling, gradually enveloped by a sense of weightlessness, felt as if his entire body was falling downwards.
At the same time, basic knowledge and language about the other world, the Elf Continent, like floodgates being opened, continuously poured into Ling Ling's mind.
——A continent where Duel Monsters hold absolute dominant authority.
Completely different from the scientific world Ling Ling previously lived in, a Western fantasy otherworld civilization driven by sword and magic.
And most importantly, the three Duel Academies located on the continent.
Fusion Academy, Synchro Academy, Xyz Academy.
Respectively representing the three most mainstream summoning methods in the continent's current Duel Monster system.
"Not a bad world, huh. Suits me perfectly."
Within a few minutes after his death, a smile returned to Ling Ling's lips again.
Such an optimistic mentality could also be considered one of the important factors enabling him to dominate so many card game competitions.
"Oh, right, there's one thing I forgot to tell you."
Unexpectedly, just at the final moment before Ling Ling completed his transmigration, the Loli Main God's crisp voice echoed in Ling Ling's ears again, easily erasing his smile.
"Because your original body has already been crushed to bits, currently you can only exist in a soul state, residing in a person or an item~"
"Wait! Soul state? What do you mean by that..."
Before he could finish asking, the moment he crossed the boundary of space, Ling Ling's vision instantly turned pitch black.
"But rest assured, I just helped you find a very good host. Plus, this world has magic, if you want a body, just figure out a way to summon one yourself."
Fusion Academy, inside the first-year classroom——
Whoosh~!
"Hm? Just now, did the eye on this puzzle piece flash?"
After the morning's midterm summoning test ended, the distraught Aisha Yuna Carlos had no mind for class at all, spending most of her time fiddling with and studying the strange accessory in her hand... this mysterious magical artifact that successfully made her crazily test the boundaries of expulsion, earning her the lowest score in the midterm exam.
However, no matter how Aisha fiddled with it, she couldn't activate it, let alone figure out the function of the magical artifact.
After studying it for an entire afternoon, Aisha's only discovery was probably seeing from the joining cracks on the surface of the pyramid-like accessory that this was likely a completed building block toy.
So when Ling Ling's transmigration completed in an instant, a flash of golden light from the Millennium Puzzle's eye directly startled Aisha.
"Xiao Ai, you still have the mood to care about that puzzle?" The girl sitting next to Aisha, Yilin, tilted her eye-catching red-haired little head and asked with concern.
Yilin Austin, the fourth daughter of the Austin family.
Since the Austin family's territory neighbors the Carlos family's territory, Yilin and Aisha, being of similar age, knew each other since childhood and became friends.
"Didn't Teacher Aileen give you an ultimatum at noon? If you lose the next practical combat test, Xiao Ai, you'll really be expelled."
Regarding Aisha, her childhood friend she grew up playing with, Yilin was naturally more concerned than anyone else.
"Of course, I know, Xiao Lin ." Aisha said helplessly: "But right now, I already don't know what else I can do. There's a saying, do one's best and leave the rest to fate. After trying my hardest, I probably understand, this is my fate..."
Yilin became anxious, saying repeatedly: "Hey hey hey, I don't want Xiao Ai to be expelled! If Xiao Ai isn't here, half the fun of my academy life will be missing!"
Although she said that, Yilin was also very clear about the pile of 1-star trash monsters in Aisha's deck. Wanting to win a practical combat test with such a deck was almost an impossible task.
But because of her lively and cheerful personality, and considerable popularity, Yilin Austin, known as the 'social butterfly' of Fusion Academy's first year, still had one last trump card to prevent Aisha's expulsion.
"But don't worry too much, Xiao Ai. I've already quietly talked to most of the classmates in our class. If they encounter Xiao Ai during the practical combat test, they'll pretend to have a bad hand and deliberately lose the duel."
Saying 'most of the classmates in our class', but due to the rarity of Duelists themselves, one grade level at Fusion Academy only has about 30 to 40 students.
The entire Duel Academy only adds up to just over 100 students.
So each grade level only has one class.
The implication of the social butterfly Yilin's words was that she had already communicated with the entire grade level, and most of the students in the class had agreed.
After all, although Aisha Yuna Carlos's dueling skills weren't great, her hardworking personality was still endearing. Many classmates had received her help with studies and homework.
"Thank you, Lin-chan." Aisha returned a smile.
But Aisha couldn't feel happy.
Even if this time, perhaps she could rely on connections to avoid the crisis of expulsion.
What about next time?
What about the time after next?
If she truly had no talent for dueling, rather than shamelessly staying at Fusion Duel Academy using this method, it might be more promising to obediently go home and sell sweet potatoes.
"...Um, can you hear me?"
"Eh?"
In a daze, it seemed like a voice coming from inside her own head, causing Aisha, unable to determine the direction, to look around everywhere.
"It seems you can hear me. As expected, that Loli Main God didn't lie, I really did transmigrate in a soul state."
"Excuse me..." Aisha cautiously moved her lips, attempting to ask.
"What's wrong, Xiao Ai?" But even though Aisha's voice was very soft, it was still heard by Yilin, who was sticking close beside her.
"Ah, this, it's nothing." Aisha quickly shook her head.
"Calm down, you don't need to speak out loud, I seem to be able to read your thoughts." Ling Ling suggested: "Try communicating using thoughts?"
"Read... read my thoughts." A blush crept onto Aisha's fair cheeks.
Ling Ling's voice, no matter how you heard it, was male.
Having her thoughts read by a strange man, no matter how you thought about it, was too embarrassing.
Or perhaps her current feeling of embarrassment was also being read by this strange man?
"Who exactly are you, and why are you doing this?" Doing her best to discard the random thoughts in her mind, Aisha tried to communicate with Ling Ling, "Also, why can only I hear your voice?"
"The situation might be a bit complicated, listen patiently while I explain."
Ling Ling, in his soul-possessed state, seemed to be able to share Aisha's vision. So he immediately noticed the Millennium Puzzle in Aisha's hand.
Even if Ling Ling was a novice just getting into Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, he still recognized the famous Millennium Puzzle and the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime's protagonist, Yugi Muto.
Combining this with the Loli Main God's previous statement, after a brief thought, Ling Ling could basically confirm it.
Although this world was different from the Yu-Gi-Oh! world in the anime, based on the same rule of Duel Monsters holding absolute authority, the Millennium Puzzle item seemed to have appeared in Aisha's hands by a strange twist of fate.
And Ling Ling's own soul had also been stuffed into the Millennium Puzzle by the Loli Main God.
"This really is... a good destination, huh." Recalling the Loli Main God's smile as he was leaving, Ling Ling didn't know whether to be angry or happy.
Having his soul reside in the Millennium Puzzle, that was definitely the treatment of the protagonist Pharaoh in the anime.
But if Ling Ling remembered correctly, in the anime, the Pharaoh existed like a spirit haunting from behind. Only when dueling (playing cards) in place of Yugi Muto would he take the stage through soul exchange.
Which meant, the current Ling Ling had become the spirit haunting this girl, Aisha Yuna Carlos.
And if Ling Ling wanted to personally make a move and duel, he would have to borrow this girl's body to do so.
"Hope this woman doesn't affect the speed of my card playing."