When You Feng saw this, he instinctively began calculating various factors in his mind.
The Dark Signers weren't necessarily invincible duelists.
Take someone like Devack, for instance—You Feng felt he didn't deserve to be ranked among the elite.
Arguably the weakest among the Dark Signers.
And as for Carly Nagisa, she had yet to fall under the power of the Earthbound Immortals, so naturally, her name hadn't appeared on the Duel King Gold List.
That meant she was still fair game for dueling.
Currently, there were only a few Dark Signers confirmed.
But the one truly worth keeping an eye on was Kyosuke Kiryu, the former leader of Team Satisfaction.
You Feng's lips curled faintly.
Judging by his usage of the "Infernity" deck, Kyosuke Kiryu should be terrifying, even when not relying on an Earthbound Immortal.
He was a powerful figure in his own right—likely worthy of a top-tier ranking.
"You know about him too?"
Asuka Tenjoin caught his mutter and couldn't help asking.
She began to believe her decision to observe him more closely had been correct.
After dueling with You Feng, she realized she didn't even need to ask for another sparring session.
Still, she found You Feng enigmatic and couldn't help but feel drawn to uncover more of his knowledge.
This man truly seemed to know a bit of everything.
"I know a little..."
"The Dark Signers are part of a dangerous organization."
"They each wield an Earthbound Immortal—a legendary and near-unstoppable force."
You Feng explained calmly, his tone mild yet meaningful.
"The Dark Signers are strong?"
"How do they compare to the Seven Stars Group?"
Asuka frowned slightly, recalling that the academy principal once mentioned that the Seven Stars were particularly formidable.
"Hah..."
"You're giving them too much credit. The Seven Stars aren't even in the same league."
You Feng chuckled softly. The Seven Stars may have had a few capable duelists—like Titan and Camula—but overall, they didn't compare to the threat posed by the Dark Signers.
Asuka was stunned.
She had thought the Seven Stars Group was already a major threat.
But if the Dark Signers were even more fearsome...?
A thrill of excitement went through her.
That meant their base—the Satellite region in the north—harbored an organization that surpassed the Seven Stars.
.....
[Duel King Gold List - Rank #37]
[Ryo Marufuji (Zane Truesdale)]
[Affiliation: Duel Academy – Top Duelist of the Southern Branch, known as the "Perfect Duelist"]
[Representative Decks: Cyber Dragon Deck]
[Yu-Gi-Oh! Strength Metrics – Suppression 82, Interference Resistance 80, Luck 60, Deck Construction 75, Defense 55, Tactical Thinking 82]
[Total Strength Score: 434]
[Rewards: +8 Interference Resistance, +8 Defense, x3 Cyberdark Rare Cards]
When Ryo Marufuji's ranking was unveiled, the Southern Branch of Duel Academy erupted in celebration!
To many, he was the epitome of dueling perfection—and they expected him to rank even higher.
You Feng wasn't shocked in the slightest.
In terms of sheer raw power, Aster Phoenix had bested Ryo Marufuji in a head-to-head duel.
Clearly, Ryo still had untapped potential.
"Zane made the list!"
Asuka exclaimed in amazement.
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[Chapter 42 Teaser: Mai Kujaku Enters the Rankings with Her Harpie Deck!]
"I didn't expect Zane to be ranked 37th."
To Asuka Tenjoin, Zane was not only like an older brother but also someone whose strength she thought she fully understood.
In her mind, Zane should have ranked in the top 20, or at least the top 30.
Of course, she had only ever seen Zane's dueling firsthand and wasn't familiar with the full spectrum of elite duelists in the world.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have held such an exaggerated view.
"That's already a high ranking."
You Feng smiled and shook his head.
"..." Asuka was about to counter, but bit her tongue.
Perhaps she really didn't understand the world outside Duel Academy as well as she'd thought.
...
Principal Sheppard's Office
"Heh... that's three students making the list today. That brings our Duel Academy total to six—and we haven't even counted the two from Domino City."
"The Academy's reputation continues to grow."
Principal Sheppard beamed with pride.
"Principal, what about Professor Sartyr from the Seven Stars group? Does that count?"
Professor Chronos asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Well, he used to be one of us—his presence at least gave us some promotional value."
Principal Sheppard nodded.
...
Slifer Red Dormitory
"Yeah?! Big bro made the list!"
"But... only 37th?"
"I thought Zane would at least be in the top 20."
Marufuji Sho wasn't angry, but clearly thought his brother's strength warranted a higher rank.
This just showed how highly Zane was regarded within Duel Academy, especially in its early years.
"Still... this just makes me want to challenge him even more!"
"Zane Truesdale... I'll catch up!"
Judai Yuki clenched his fists with determination.
"Then you'd better be ready to get crushed."
Hayato Maeda spread his hands bluntly.
"Falcon, don't be so harsh!" Judai protested.
.....
Obelisk Blue Dormitory
Ryo Marufuji stood on the balcony, watching the glowing golden text fade from the sky.
The message had lit up the entire academy.
His eyes narrowed; he remained silent.
But the tight crease between his brows revealed his dissatisfaction with the ranking.
He drew his deck—Cyber Dragon.
Gripped it tightly.
"There are stronger duelists out there than I thought…"
...
Domino City – KaibaCorp
In front of Seto Kaiba, the whiteboard was filled with intelligence about each ranked duelist.
He had documented their deck types, tactics, and origins in meticulous detail.
Only a few remained shrouded in mystery.
"The Dark Signers from the north... the Seven Stars from the south..."
"That makes Domino City and the Eastern territories relatively stable."
"And the Duel Academy system has four main branches."
"Among the current ranked, Zane Marufuji stands highest so far."
"Cyber Dragon deck…"
Kaiba's sharp gaze swept across the documents as he muttered analytically.
It was clear—he intended to face and defeat them all.
...
[Duel King Gold List - Rank #36]
[Mai Kujaku (Mai Valentine)]
[Background: Once a wealthy heiress from Domino City, orphaned in a tragic accident. Known for her mastery of perfume-based strategies.]
[Representative Decks: Harpie Lady Deck, Amazoness Deck]
[Strength Metrics – Suppression 80, Interference Resistance 75, Luck 70, Deck Construction 76, Defense 60, Tactical Thinking 75]
[Total Strength Score: 436]
[Rewards: +8 Defense, +8 Thinking, x2 Rare Cards – "Harpie's Pet Dragon – Sacred Fire Attack"]
With the announcement of the 36th duelist, the crowds grew even more excited.
"Another one from Domino City! Haha! Northern Satellite duelists really are the underdogs!"
"So far, it's neck-and-neck between the Duel Academy elites and Domino City's rising stars!"
"Satellite Duelists are barely represented—only two have made the rankings so far."