Main God Space—
"Sorry, you're already dead."
"Oh..."
"Huh? That's a surprisingly calm reaction. Not something you see every day."
"Getting flattened by a truck at that speed and not dying would be the weird part."
Hit by a truck on his way home from the card shop, Miles found himself in an endless white void. Even when a childlike figure—so androgynous he couldn't tell if it was a shota or a loli—informed him that he had died, he wasn't particularly surprised.
Staying optimistic at all times was Miles's motto.
"Dead is dead. I don't have too many regrets in life," he said calmly.
Well, not no regrets. If anything, two.
First, he was worried about his older sister, who'd been the only family he relied on.
Second, he was just one step away from conquering the world of trading card games.
Over the years, Miles had claimed multiple international championships in various TCG tournaments, including Magic: The Gathering, thanks to his cool-headedness, solid technique, and most importantly, god-tier luck.
But just as he was about to take on his final challenge—Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, the best-selling TCG in the world—tragedy struck.
Maybe he'd used up all his life's luck in earlier competitions.
Right as his journey in Duel Monsters was about to begin, Miles's life ended the moment he stepped out of the card shop.
"A card game talent like you, and even kind of good-looking, too. What a waste," the loli (or shota?) said.
Surprised by Miles's detached response to death, the childlike deity didn't dwell on it. After all, they were a god of entertainment—one of the space's many main gods.
"Wealth and power are fleeting. Only entertainment lasts forever. For someone like you, I have the perfect destination. Are you interested? Of course, if you'd rather reincarnate as a leech, I won't stop you."
"Send me," Miles said without hesitation.
No-brainer. Faced with the choice between isekai or reincarnating as a leech, even a leech would know which to pick.
"Hehe, got it! Your resolve is noted!" the loli god grinned, revealing a single sharp fang.
"Then go, to that continent—a land teeming with Duel Monsters. There, pursue the final goal of your life. Become the Duel King!"
With a wave of the deity's hand, Miles felt weightless, his entire body falling.
Simultaneously, knowledge and language of the new world—the Elves' Continent—poured into his mind like a dam breaking.
—A continent where Duel Monsters reigned supreme.
Unlike the scientific world Miles came from, this was a sword-and-magic western fantasy civilization.
And most important of all, three major Duel Academies stood across the continent:
Fusion Academy, Synchron Academy, and XYZ Academy.
Each represented one of the mainstream summoning methods in the current Duel Monsters system.
"What a great world. Couldn't suit me better."
A few minutes after death, the smile returned to Miles's face.
This optimism was one reason he had triumphed in so many TCG tournaments.
"Oh, right, there's one thing I forgot to tell you."
Just as Miles was about to finish his transfer, the loli god's voice echoed in his ears, instantly wiping away his smile.
"Your body was crushed beyond repair, so for now, you'll be a soul. You'll have to possess a person or item."
"Wait! A soul? What do you mean by—"
Before he could finish, his vision went dark as he crossed the spatial boundary.
"Relax. I found you a pretty good host. And since this world has magic, you can figure out how to get your own body back."
"Huh—"
…
Fusion Academy, First-Year Classroom—
Whoosh~!
"Hmm? Did the eye on that puzzle just light up?"
After the morning's midterm summoning test, Aisha was too out of it to pay attention in class. She spent most of her time fiddling with the strange accessory—the mysterious magical item that earned her the lowest score on the test and pushed her even closer to expulsion.
No matter how much she poked or prodded it, she couldn't activate the item, let alone figure out what it did.
After an entire afternoon of research, the only thing Aisha discovered was that the pyramid-shaped object seemed to be a completed puzzle toy.
So when the Millennium Puzzle's eye suddenly glowed as Miles arrived, it startled her.
"Little Ai, you still care about that puzzle?" a red-haired girl said beside her, tilting her head with concern.
Irene Austin, the fourth daughter of the Austin family.
The Austins' territory bordered the Carlos estate, and since they were close in age, Irene and Aisha had known each other since childhood.
"Didn't Miss Erin lay it out at lunch? If you lose the next practical test, you really will get expelled."
Irene was more concerned than anyone else.
"Of course I know, Ren," Aisha said helplessly. "But now, I don't know what else I can do. There's a saying: Do your best, then leave it to fate. After giving it my all, I guess this is just my fate..."
Irene grew flustered. "Hey, hey! I don't want you to get expelled. If you're gone, half my school life will be ruined!"
Despite that, Irene also knew all too well that with Aisha's deck full of Level 1 fodder monsters, winning a practical test was almost impossible.
Still, as the lively, well-connected social queen of the first years, Irene had one last card to play to save Aisha.
"I tell you, don't worry too much, Little Ai. I've already spoken with most of the class. If they duel you in the practical test, they'll pretend to brick and throw the match."
The "class" only consisted of about 30 to 40 students per year, since Duelists were rare. The entire Duel Academy only had a bit over 100 students.
Each year had just one class.
In other words, Irene had talked to nearly the whole year, and most agreed to help.
Though Aisha lacked skill, her hard-working attitude made her well-liked. Many classmates had benefited from her help with homework and studying.
"Thank you, Ren-chan," Aisha smiled.
…But she couldn't truly be happy.
Even if she avoided expulsion this time with help from her connections...
What about next time?
And the time after that?
If she truly lacked Duelist talent, wasn't it more dignified to return home and sell sweet potatoes than cling to Fusion Academy like this?
"...Um, can you hear me?"
"Eh?"
Startled by what seemed like a voice in her head, Aisha looked around in confusion.
"Seems like you can hear me. So that loli god wasn't lying. I really did cross over as a soul."
"Excuse me..." Aisha cautiously mouthed the words, trying to ask.
"What's wrong, Ai?" Irene caught her whispering despite the low volume.
"Ah, it's nothing," Aisha quickly shook her head.
"Relax. You don't need to speak. Looks like I can read your thoughts," Miles said. "Try mental communication."
"Y-You can read my thoughts?" A blush crept up Aisha's pale cheeks.
The voice was unmistakably male.
Having a strange man read her thoughts felt... mortifying.
Had he already seen her embarrassment, too?
"Who are you? Why are you doing this? And why am I the only one who can hear you?" Aisha asked, trying to clear her mind of distractions.
"It's a bit complicated, but hear me out."
In his soul-bound state, Miles seemed able to share Aisha's vision. He immediately noticed the Millennium Puzzle in her hands.
Even as a newcomer to Duel Monsters, Miles recognized the iconic item and its connection to Yugi Muto.
Based on what the loli god said and putting the pieces together, he figured it out fast.
Though this world was different from the anime, its Duel Monster-based power system mirrored it. And by some twist of fate, the Millennium Puzzle had ended up in Aisha's hands.
Along with his soul inside it.
'What a place to end up,' Miles thought, recalling the loli god's grin. He couldn't decide if he was grateful or furious.
A soul residing in the Millennium Puzzle—that was MC treatment.
Albeit, if he remembered right, in the anime, the Pharaoh was more like a guardian spirit who only emerged during duels.
Which meant that now, Miles was the spirit behind Aisha Yuna Carlos.
And if he wanted to duel himself, he'd have to borrow her body.
"Let's hope being a girl doesn't slow down my card plays."