The company interested in signing a sponsorship contract with Hikaru Amagi was a small instant noodle brand called Fūkō Noodles.
In terms of scale, they were practically unknown globally. But it was precisely because of that small scale that they were willing to take a chance on Hikaru's proposal.
After all, what he had brought them wasn't just any product, but a new recipe—a cup noodle he had personally dubbed "Instant Fusion."
Truth be told, when they arrived at Duel Academy, they'd never expected something like this. I mean, who would? A school for duelists suddenly producing culinary breakthroughs?
But Hikaru thought they were too narrow-minded. In this world, "duelist" was synonymous with "genius" and "elite." He'd bet his deck that Mr. Hazama from Ra Yellow—the infamous curry fanatic—could whip up a curry these execs had never even dreamed of.
Yet what truly changed their tune was when Hikaru mentioned that his formula had been obtained "from another dimension."
On one hand, while he was still a student, Hikaru had physically competed on the world stage—defeating duelists from the Xyz Dimension. That kind of fame wasn't trivial.
On the other hand, "Interdimensional" was the new gold rush. A recipe from a Duel Spirit? As long as it wasn't absolutely awful, people would eat it out of sheer novelty.
Lastly, there was an element of long-term vision. Hikaru was still a first-year. Meanwhile, Zane Truesdale—also from Duel Academy—had just scored his first victory in the pro league. Clearly, the academy was producing talent.
And Hikaru, with his now-iconic line from the world broadcast—"Fusion is the noblest form of summoning"—was poised to go even further.
If he made it big, Fūkō would be hailed as the company that "spotted the diamond in the rough."
But that afternoon, after Hikaru had obtained Professor Crowler's approval for off-campus travel, things got messy.
He arrived by boat to the company's southern island factory, where he was supposed to tour the facilities and test his recipe to see if it was "edible" enough to launch.
But just as he was being shown around, shouting erupted from another part of the factory.
"I thought I was supposed to be the face of this product! Who's this punk that just popped outta nowhere?!"
"Sorry, Hikaru-kun," the company rep walking beside him offered an embarrassed smile. "That's one of our contracted duelists. We were planning to have him meet you tomorrow for a little PR, but he showed up early, unannounced…"
Before she could usher Hikaru away, the ruckus only got louder—and the other party barged straight in.
Hikaru stared, momentarily confused.
The duelist looked familiar. Sort of. Tall, wearing a red cap, wild hair, a yellow undershirt beneath a long green coat.
Wait a minute…
Oh.
Rex Raptor.
"Mr. Rex! You're here today?" the rep tried smoothing things over. "We're honored to have you, of course, but—"
"Can it! Weren't we clear that I was the primary face of this brand?!" Rex Raptor bellowed.
"Yes, yes, of course, but the company also has to grow. We never said we were canceling your contract—"
Now Hikaru recognized him for sure.
Rex Raptor.
A classic character from the original Yu-Gi-Oh!, famous for his Dinosaur deck. He held a terrifying legacy: he never won.
In the manga, he lost to Espa Roba, warned Joey about psychic duels, and despite being constantly tricked by Weevil Underwood, he still treated him like a friend.
A sore loser? No—he was a guy who knew how to take a loss with dignity.
But if Hikaru remembered correctly, by the end of the original series, Rex had fallen into hard times—basically homeless.
As Rex and the rep argued, another employee leaned toward Hikaru and explained.
Back when Fūkō Noodles was just starting out, they had no face for their brand. They got laughed at constantly by competitors. So they signed a contract with Rex, who, though washed-up, was still a…
Legendary Duelist.
…Legendary?
Hikaru raised an eyebrow. Really?
Then again… the Paradox Brothers once dueled Yugi and Joey and they were considered "legendary duelists who gave the King of Games a tough match."
Rex Raptor fought Joey Wheeler numerous times. He once even held Red-Eyes Black Dragon. By those standards, "legendary" didn't seem so far-fetched.
Sure, he always lost to key characters, but when it came to street-level or professional duels? He actually had a solid win rate.
Hikaru asked the staff for more details. Apparently, since partnering with Fūkō, Rex had won far more than he lost. He had cleaned up his image, cut ties with Weevil (aside from recommending him some jobs), and led a disciplined lifestyle.
After thinking it through, Hikaru came to a conclusion:
Rex Raptor had done nothing wrong.
"In that case," Hikaru said aloud, "I think Rex-senpai is absolutely right."
"Eh?"
"Huh? What'd you say, kid?"
Rex stopped mid-argument and looked at Hikaru.
Hikaru cleared his throat. "Isn't it obvious? If you'd terminate Rex-senpai's contract just because someone newer or flashier showed up, then what's to stop you from canceling my contract the moment someone else comes along? No matter how much compensation you offer—I'd never accept that kind of deal."
"N-no! Hikaru-kun, that's not what we meant at all!" the staff panicked. "We never said we'd cancel with Mr. Rex! We planned to renegotiate with both of you—tomorrow!"
They all started chattering at once, listing contract terms, past loyalty, everything they could think of to calm both parties.
Rex Raptor's anger began to fade.
Honestly, he had just panicked.
After years of living on the streets, Rex had finally clawed his way back. Fūkō had given him a second chance. The thought of losing that—especially to a prodigy like Hikaru—was terrifying.
But then Hikaru had backed him up.
Not out of obligation. But because he truly believed Rex deserved better.
And for someone who had little left but the title "legendary duelist," that meant a lot.
There was only one thing left to do.
"Hey, kid," Rex said.
"Rex-senpai," Hikaru replied politely.
"Duel me."
He raised his arm—and the old-fashioned Duel Disk clunked to life.
Without hesitation, Hikaru set down his backpack, pulled out his own Duel Disk, and strapped it on.
"W-wait, Mr. Rex? Hikaru-kun?"
"You don't have to duel now—!"
"This really isn't necessary!"
The staff were in full panic.
"Quiet down already," Rex said with a grin. "We're duelists. We speak through dueling. After this, we'll have our answer."
"Kid—you feel the same way, don't you?"
"To duel a legendary duelist… It's an honor!"
"Then—"
"Duel!!"
Hikaru Amagi LP: 4000
Rex Raptor LP: 4000