Chapter 29 – The Duel Monsters Grand Prix

The Biltmore Los Angeles Hotel had hosted politicians, celebrities, business conferences, and social galas for decades, but today it hosted a card game tournament, and somehow, the atmosphere felt just as important.

The spacious conference area rented by Industrial Illusions was already becoming crowded despite registration not officially opening for another hour.

People kept arriving.

Some came alone, others came with friends, and entire families occasionally entered together.

Children excitedly carried deck boxes under their arms while parents followed behind with expressions ranging from supportive curiosity to complete confusion.

Teenagers compared cards and strategies.

Adults discussed probability, deck construction, and tournament expectations.

A few older participants stood out among the crowd.

One grey-haired grandfather patiently shuffled his deck while his grandchild enthusiastically explained why a particular combo was supposedly unbeatable.

The old man merely smiled.

A nearby player whispered to his friend, "Isn't that the guy who won three local tournaments already?"

His friend looked over, "...Seriously?"

The grandfather smiled wider.

Age apparently had very little impact on competitive spirit.

And all that was before accounting for the spectators.

Many had come simply to watch; others were family members supporting participants, a handful were curious newcomers who had heard stories about Duel Monsters and wanted to see what the excitement was about.

Then there was the press.

Several journalists moved throughout the lobby and conference areas. Some carried cameras, others carried notepads, a few interviewed participants before the tournament even began.

After all, a card game attracting hundreds of players was already unusual.

The fact that it had been created by a fifteen-year-old made it considerably more newsworthy.

Inside the main conference hall, Alexander paused near the back of the room and simply looked.

Hundreds of chairs, hundreds of seats waiting to be filled.

The sight still felt slightly unreal.

Rows of tournament tables stretched across the hall in orderly formation, their numbered markers creating neat lines that guided the eye all the way toward the stage.

Judge stations occupied strategic positions throughout the room, each one stocked with rule documents, match slips, and enough paperwork to satisfy even Roland's standards.

Near the entrance, registration desks stood ready for the coming rush while stacks of sealed booster boxes rested behind them.

In less than an hour, every one of those aisles would be crowded.

Players would be shuffling decks, judges would be answering rulings.

Spectators would be leaning over railings trying to catch glimpses of important matches.

Right now, however, the hall still existed in a brief state of calm.

The moment before everything began.

Roland walked beside him while reviewing a clipboard as he said, "Registration stations are ready."

Alexander nodded before he asked, "The judges?"

"All present."

"Emergency replacements?"

"Present."

"Venue staff?"

"Present."

"Security?"

"Also present."

Alexander released a slow breath, 'Good. Very good. Everything seems to be in order. Months of preparation have led to this. I still can't fully believe that it is happening...'

Nearby, several judges reviewed documentation one final time and seeing that scene, Alexander found himself smiling slightly while thinking, 'Official judges... Not volunteers, not random employees. Official judges. Each had completed training. Each had passed qualification requirements. Each understood tournament procedures, card interactions, dispute resolution, and event policy.'

If Duel Monsters intended to become a serious competitive game, then it required serious infrastructure and serious infrastructure required standards.

Alexander had insisted upon that from the very beginning.

Roland glanced toward him and noted, "You seem pleased."

"I am."

"Because everything is ready?"

Alexander shook his head and replied, "Because it exists."

That earned a rare look of surprise from Roland.

Alexander gestured around the conference hall and further expanded, "A few months ago, none of this existed."

Rows of tables, official judges, hundreds of players, a major tournament, an entire competitive scene, none of it had existed, but now it did.

Roland remained silent for a moment before nodding, "I suppose that's true."

Eventually the scheduled opening time arrived.

Alexander clapped his hands once, and the nearby employees immediately focused on him as he said, "Alright, everyone."

Conversations stopped, which allowed him to say, "Let's begin."

His gaze swept across the room, "Open registration."

The employees nodded before Alexander continued, "Remember the procedures. Verify registration. Distribute participation materials. And don't forget the Booster Packs. We don't want an angry mob swarming us from all sides because of that."

Several employees chuckled; nobody was likely to forget that part.

The entry fee for the tournament had been equivalent to three booster packs.

In exchange, every participant received three sealed booster packs upon registration.

Alexander wanted players to feel they received value regardless of tournament performance.

It had proven to be surprisingly popular.

The employees moved toward their stations, and moments later the doors officially opened.

The flood began.

Players steadily entered the conference hall.

Registration lines formed, decks were checked, names were confirmed, Booster Packs were distributed, questions were answered, tables were slowly filled, yet despite the enormous turnout, there was remarkably little confusion.

Months of preparation paid off; the system worked as people moved smoothly.

Roland watched the process for several minutes before finally speaking, "I've attended corporate events organised less effectively than this."

Alexander looked up and asked with a smug smile, "Was that a compliment?"

"Don't let it go to your head."

"So yes."

Roland sighed and admitted, "So yes."

As the hall filled, the atmosphere gradually transformed.

Excitement spread, conversations grew louder, friendly rivalries emerged, players compared cards, discussed strategies and speculated about the prize card.

The mystery surrounding it had only intensified over the previous weeks.

Rumours had become absurd.

Some believed it was a one-hit-kill card with 4000 ATK; others insisted it was an instant win one.

One particularly creative theory claimed Industrial Illusions had secretly created an entirely new card that would anticipate the next set of Booster Packs introducing a brand new mechanic.

Alexander had neither confirmed nor denied anything as the resulting speculation had been excellent publicity.

Eventually registration concluded, and the final attendance numbers were confirmed.

Two hundred and eighty-seven participants, slightly more than the estimated number and even now the figure felt slightly unreal.

Alexander stood near the stage and surveyed the room.

Hundreds of players occupied nearly every seat, spectators filled designated viewing areas, journalists prepared cameras and notebooks, store owners mingled throughout the crowd.

For a brief moment, Alexander simply stared, then he spotted familiar faces.

Chuck sat near the centre of the hall; his deck rested in his hands.

The teenager shuffled repeatedly while studying his cards with absolute concentration.

Nearby, Ginny spoke with several other competitors. At some point, she noticed him looking, so she smiled and waved.

Alexander instinctively waved back, and the simple gesture eased something inside him because they had been there almost from the beginning.

Helping with demonstrations, helping with tournaments, helping when Duel Monsters had been little more than an untested idea, and now they were here too, standing alongside hundreds of other players.

For a brief moment, Alexander couldn't help but smile while thinking, 'A few months ago, none of this had existed, and I was desperate to find a way to survive this frightening world. Now it does, and while I'm still desperate to survive, I also have something I want to live and fight for. And somehow... It is only getting started.'

A nearby employee approached and timidly said, "Mr Jones?"

Alexander blinked and replied, "Yes?"

"We're ready."

His gaze returned to the stage as he realised, 'Right. It's time to begin.'

Alexander walked toward the podium, and the moment he appeared, conversations gradually quieted.

Heads turned, players focused on him, journalists prepared their cameras, and even the spectators fell silent.

Alexander adjusted the microphone before offering the audience a small smile, "Good morning, everyone."

His voice echoed throughout the conference hall.

The response was immediate as applause broke out across the room, accompanied by cheers, whistles, and excited shouts from every corner of the hall.

Alexander waited patiently for the noise to settle before continuing, "First of all, thank you all for coming."

His gaze swept across the audience.

Whether they were children clutching decks beneath their arms, teenagers eagerly discussing strategies, adults hoping to test their skills, or parents and spectators simply curious about the excitement surrounding Duel Monsters, every seat seemed occupied.

"Whether you travelled across the city or across multiple states, your presence here means a great deal."

Several players nodded while others smiled.

"A few months ago, Duel Monsters didn't exist."

That drew a few amused reactions.

"Today, nearly three hundred players have gathered here to compete in the first official Duel Monsters Grand Prix."

Alexander paused briefly before saying, "Honestly, seeing all of you here is incredible."

A wave of applause spread throughout the hall.

Alexander couldn't help smiling slightly and added, "And I sincerely hope this will be the first of many Grand Prix tournaments."

The applause became even louder.

Only after it finally subsided did Alexander continue, "Before we begin, I'd like to thank the staff of the Biltmore Hotel for helping us host this event."

He gestured toward several nearby employees and said, "They've been extremely accommodating throughout the preparation process."

Polite applause followed.

Once the noise faded, Alexander's tone became slightly more professional, "Now then, most of you should already be familiar with the rules of Duel Monsters."

A few chuckles emerged from the audience.

'Good,' Alexander thought. 'That means people actually read them.'

At the same time, he said, "However, there are several tournament procedures I'd like to review before we begin."

The audience listened attentively as he continued, "All matches will follow a best-of-three format. Once your match concludes, report the result promptly and wait for confirmation before leaving your table."

Several players nodded.

"We have a large number of participants today. The smoother we handle reporting and pairings, the smoother the event will run for everyone."

Alexander paused before continuing, "The tournament will take place throughout the day, with a scheduled lunch break between rounds."

A few relieved expressions appeared among the crowd, "Please use that time to eat, rest, trade cards, discuss strategy, or argue about why your favourite card is obviously balanced, and it is their fault if they can't deal with it. Or as a friend of mine likes to say... Skill issue."

Laughter spread throughout the room.

Alexander waited for it to die down before continuing, "If at any point during a match you have a question regarding card interactions, tournament procedures, or rulings, call for a judge."

He gestured toward the officials stationed throughout the hall, and every judge immediately became a little straighter.

"Each of them has completed training and passed qualification requirements specifically for this event. Their purpose is to answer questions, resolve disputes, and ensure that every duel remains fair."

A few judges looked unexpectedly proud.

They deserved it.

The amount of material they had been required to learn in such a short period of time was considerable.

Alexander himself had conducted many of the lessons and examinations with assistance from Elizabeth, Ginny, and Chuck.

"Please do not attempt to settle complicated rulings on your own."

A few players laughed knowingly.

"Trust me. It'll save everyone a lot of time."

More laughter followed.

Alexander nodded once before his expression became slightly more serious, "On that note, cheating of any kind will not be tolerated."

The amusement in the room quickly faded.

"Anyone found intentionally cheating will be disqualified and may be prohibited from participating in future tournaments depending on the severity of the offence."

His tone remained calm but firm as he continued, "The purpose of this event is competition."

He looked across the audience and added, "Fair competition."

Nobody appeared inclined to argue with that.

After a brief pause, Alexander's smile returned, "Now, I'm sure most of you didn't come here to listen to me discuss tournament procedures."

The audience laughed.

"You came here because you want to win."

The reaction was immediate.

Cheers erupted throughout the hall.

Alexander waited for them to settle before continuing, "As everyone already knows, the winner of the Duel Monsters Grand Prix will receive one thousand dollars."

Excited applause filled the room.

"And..."

The audience immediately grew louder.

Alexander allowed the anticipation to build for a moment before revealing, "The winner will also receive an Ultra Rare promotional card."

The conference hall erupted.

Players exchanged excited looks and several immediately began whispering theories to one another.

Others simply stared in excitement.

Alexander smiled while thinking, 'Good. Exactly the reaction I wanted.'

Once the noise diminished slightly, he continued, "Like all Ultra Rare cards, there will only ever be three copies of this card."

The reaction somehow became even louder.

Shock. Excitement. Disbelief.

For many players, the card itself was becoming just as valuable as the prize money.

Alexander allowed the cheering to continue for several moments before finally raising a hand.

Gradually the room settled.

"One final thing."

The atmosphere quieted.

Alexander looked across the crowd one more time.

Hundreds of players. Hundreds of stories. Hundreds of duels waiting to happen.

"Today isn't only about determining a champion."

His voice softened slightly as he said, "It's about bringing together people who love the same game."

The competitive tension eased noticeably.

"Make friends."

He pointed toward the audience.

"Meet new rivals."

A few players grinned.

"Play great duels."

Several more nodded.

"And most importantly..."

A genuine smile appeared on Alexander's face.

"Enjoy yourselves."

The atmosphere relaxed immediately.

Parents looked relieved. Friends exchanged smiles. Even many of the competitors visibly loosened up.

Because despite the prizes, despite the competition, despite all the preparation and anticipation, this was still a game and games were supposed to be fun.

Alexander took one final look across the hall, then he raised his voice, "Now..."

The audience leaned forward.

A grin spread across his face as he exclaimed, "It's time to duel!"

The conference hall exploded with cheers as the first Duel Monsters Grand Prix officially began.