The subway rattled beneath the streets of New York City, its rhythm a familiar heartbeat to Yami. He leaned against the graffiti-covered wall, the worn leather of his duel disk pressing against his side. He was heading to the Duel Monsters World Championship, not as a competitor this time, but as a spectator. Ten years had passed since that fateful day when, as a child prodigy, he'd vanquished the Shadow Realm and become a global icon.

He was just Yami now, a college student trying to navigate the complexities of astrophysics and overdue essays. The roar of the crowds, the thrill of victory, the weight of the world on his shoulders – those were memories now, faded photographs in the album of his life.

He...