The Sacred Star Realm—a world where dueling reigns supreme.
From higher-dimensional planes, card spirits project their powers into duel cards, scattering them across the Sacred Star Realm.
Those recognized by the spirits can resonate with their soul during duels, unlocking extraordinary power and rising far above the masses!
Even the energy that spills from these spirit-fueled duels can be absorbed by this world's Resonance Reactors—granting humanity an endless, clean energy source. The more intense and exhilarating the duel, the more thrilled the spirits become, and the stronger the power they channel into the world!
Thus, dueling has become the most vital activity in all of existence.
Duelists are the most coveted profession in the Sacred Star Realm. The strongest among them don't just win battles—they decide the fate of nations, even the world itself.
To nurture the next generation of elite duelists, the five great powers of the realm united to establish the world's premier academy:
Sacred Star Duel Academy.
Here, the finest instructors across the globe gather. The facilities are second to none. Anyone who graduates from this institution is guaranteed to be courted by powerful nations vying for their talents.
And now, the annual entrance exam is upon them.
From every corner of the world, prodigious students who've passed the written test have gathered for the practical evaluation. Some are nervous. Others relaxed. Many, visibly excited. But all await the moment when the exam truly begins.
Passing this test is like leaping over the Dragon Gate—a chance to transcend their class and rewrite their destiny.
Among them, one examinee stood out from the rest.
While others fidgeted or muttered among themselves, he wore an easy, unbothered smile, calm as the clouds drifting across the sky. The noise around him seemed irrelevant—his presence aloof, serene, and untouchable.
"Interesting..."
His name was Li Yuu.
Unlike the others, he came from a world where dueling was widespread—but utterly devoid of supernatural power.
Li Yuu had grown up watching Yu-Gi-Oh!. He loved card games. Though quiet and reserved by nature, nothing lit up his spirit like a good duel. It was the one thing that made him come alive—eyes gleaming, words flowing fast and free.
But time passed. Life crept in. Friends who once rushed over for matches faded away, swallowed by adult obligations.
Li Yuu thought he would eventually let go of his beloved game.
And then—he was transported to a world where dueling was everything.
A dream made real.
What he'd failed to achieve in youth... he would realize here, in this new world.
He clenched his fists in quiet resolve, determination blazing in his eyes.
"I will become—the Duel King!"
—
[Duel King System, initializing…]
[Host detected. Binding complete.]
[Issuing Starter Pack—]
[Congratulations! You have received Starter Deck SD47 – Blue-Eyes Dragon Descends!]
[Use your talents to seize the Duel King's throne of this dimension!]
[Initial Mission: Soar to the Top!!]
[Objective: Take 1st Place in Sacred Star Duel Academy's entrance evaluation. Complete the mission to receive generous rewards!]
A crisp, mechanical voice echoed in his mind, each phrase more electrifying than the last.
Li Yuu's pulse quickened.
"A system, huh? Classic transmigrator bonus. If I don't get first place now, it'd be criminal."
And what did the system gift him?
One of his favorite decks of all time—
Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
The radiant dragon that lit up the hearts of Yu-Gi-Oh! fans around the world. Thanks to its iconic status in the original anime, even people who'd never touched a card in their lives knew its name.
Of course, in recent years, the deck had fallen behind the meta—reduced to nostalgia bait at best.
But just before Li Yuu crossed into this world, something had changed.
The Blue-Eyes archetype had received a massive overhaul. The new structure deck—SD47: Blue-Eyes Awakening—revitalized the aging legend, injecting modern firepower into its veins. It wasn't just viable now—it was terrifying.
With fresh support and meta-level upgrades, the long-dormant Blue-Eyes had clawed its way back into top-tier competitive play, trading blows with even the god-tier archetypes of the "Yu-Gi-Oh! 2.0" era.
Li Yuu quickly scanned the deck list within his system's inventory—and beamed.
"Time to give this world a taste of modern Yu-Gi-Oh!!"
Just then, a curious voice piped up beside him.
"Hey! You look pretty confident, huh?"
Li Yuu turned. A boy with a youthful face and two strands of hair jutting up like little horns smiled cheerfully at him.
"I'm Kyūyō Tenma, from the Xyz Alliance. I'm taking the exam too. Nice to meet you!"
In this world, the five strongest nations had each claimed a continent.
Each continent had its own rich history—and its own preferred summoning method. In the new century, the old borders were dissolved. Countries united around their summoning styles, forming the Five Great Alliances:
Fusion. Synchro. Xyz. Pendulum. Link.
As communication grew, duelists discovered that these methods weren't incompatible—they were synergistic. The more summoning styles a duelist mastered, the stronger their potential.
And so, Sacred Star Duel Academy was born—a school where duelists from around the world could come together to learn them all.
Li Yuu returned the smile politely.
"Li Yuu. Pleasure."
He didn't offer his origin, and Tenma didn't pry. Aside from the Five Alliances, there were plenty of smaller nations with full rights. He simply assumed Li Yuu came from one such minor country.
After all, the Academy welcomed anyone with talent. If you could pass the test, you were in—no questions asked.
But then, another student nearby gasped.
"Wait... you're Li Yuu?! The guy who got a perfect score on the written exam?!"
At once, heads swiveled. Students stared.
"No way. Full marks?"
"Seriously? I couldn't even finish half those questions!"
"Damn, he's a total brainiac!"
Even Tenma looked shocked. "Whoa, Li Yuu! You're amazing!"
Li Yuu chuckled softly and said nothing.
Of course he'd aced it. He was a hardcore veteran, fluent in Chinese, Cantonese, Japanese, English, and even K-language. That written test? Child's play.
SO EASY.