Yugi: Activate the set card! Continuous Trap - Macro Cosmos! Cards sent to the Graveyard by both players are removed from play instead! So the Sun God won't enter the Graveyard, it will be removed from play directly!
Jonouchi and Honda brothers: "Oh wow! Just like when Youyu used 'Masked Hero Dark Claw' to counter The Winged Dragon of Ra! Nice move, Yugi!"
Atem froze for a moment, silently removing the strongest Egyptian God from play, while casting a sidelong glance at Youyu standing nearby.
Moments later...
Atem: Descend, Obelisk the Tormentor! Activate Obelisk's ability! Sacrifice two monsters, destroy all opposing monsters, and inflict four thousand points of damage. This duel is over, AIBO!
Yugi: Not yet! I send the Continuous Trap "Earth Erosion" on my field to the Graveyard! When this Trap is sent to the Graveyard, I can target one Monster Zone on your field. For each turn this card was on the field, the monsters in that zone lose 500 attack points and their effects are negated!
Jonouchi and Honda brothers: Because the target is the Monster Zone and not the monsters, it works against the Gods! Another card Youyu used to counter the Egyptian Gods!
Atem glanced at Youyu again, his eyes seemingly saying, how many strategies have you taught AIBO to counter me?
And Youyu... Youyu had an innocent look, as if none of this was his business, just watching the scenery.
Moments later...
Atem: I've already assembled Slifer the Sky Dragon and Obelisk the Tormentor on my field. Can you still break this setup, AIBO!?
Double God directly confronting you, how could you lose?
Why is it double Gods and not the Three Egyptian Gods?
Of course, it's because the Sun God has been banished to the Other Dimension...
Yugi: I combine the three Magnet Warriors to Special Summon the Magnet Warrior - Warrior of Magnetism!
Atem: It's useless, Slifer the Sky Dragon, fire the Thunder Force attack!
Yugi: Trap Card "Magnet Force"! For this turn, when a Machine-Type or Rock-Type monster is affected by a card effect, you can redirect that effect to an opponent's monster! I reflect Thunder Force back to Obelisk the Tormentor!
Obelisk, getting hit by its teammate: Slifer, you *@#^$%
Yugi: Then I activate the Warrior of Magnetism's effect, separating it back into three Magnet Warriors for Special Summoning! And at this moment, Slifer's Thunder Force is triggered again! But Trap Card "Magnet Force" will reflect the thunder of each of the three Thunder Force to both Egyptian Gods!
Slifer: Ahhh I can't control my power! (While roaring, it releases three Thunder Forces)
Obelisk: You damn shut up...
Double knockout!
Seeing his Egyptian Gods wiped out by the reflected Thunder Force, Jonouchi and Honda brothers said nothing this time, and Atem's gaze turned towards Youyu again in the audience...
Youyu couldn't take it anymore.
What are you looking at me for?
Honestly, I didn't teach that trick...
But the retreat of the three Gods is not the end of the battle, on the contrary, it was more like a beginning. The King seemed to have anticipated that AIBO could defeat the Three Egyptian Gods and had even planned the subsequent tactics.
An extremely exciting duel, where both sides were so engrossed that they momentarily forgot the purpose of the duel, immersing themselves purely in the duel itself.
But everything has an end.
This duel eventually approached its conclusion.
The final turn.
"That was very well-played, AIBO, but it seems this is as far as it goes." Atem said, "This turn, I will activate the Magic Card 'Monster Reborn' and resurrect 'Slifer the Sky Dragon' from the Graveyard!
My hand has four cards, so Slifer the Sky Dragon's attack is 4000! I win, AIBO!"
But Yugi... he didn't say a word.
His head lowered, remaining silent and gloomy, making it unclear whether he was happy or sad.
He understood the King too well, perhaps even better than the King understood himself.
A Golden Cabinet, surrounded by light, slowly rose.
Sealed Golden Cabinet, Magic Card, allows you to choose one card from your deck and remove it from the game face down, neither player can use the removed card during this duel. (Animé effect)
When the seal was lifted, the cabinet door slowly opened, revealing the Sealed Card within... It was "Monster Reborn".
Ishizu was the first to grasp the meaning behind it.
"The deceased... should not linger in the current world." she said softly, "The dead should not be revived. This is Yugi guiding Pharaoh's soul, a trump card infused with the resolve of parting."
The King made no further resistance.
No cards were set down, and no more monsters were summoned as he ended his turn.
No more reversals, no suspense remained; the sacred duel ceremony reached its true final turn. Yugi's last attack took all of Atem's remaining Life Points, concluding their precious memories with a final punctuation.
Atem's Life Points dropped to zero.
Despite being the victor, Yugi knelt on the ground, unable to control his tears.
Atem smiled calmly, accepting the final attack as if everything had been within his calculations. He set down his Duel Disc, and stepped forward to help Yugi, who was sobbing on the ground, to his feet.
"Get up, AIBO, what does it mean for a winner to kneel?" Atem said with a smile.
With Atem's help, Yugi stood up. Despite being the winner, his tears wouldn't stop flowing, his eyes hollow as if a huge part of his heart had been ripped away.
"My other self..."
Atem shook his head, cutting off his words.
"I'm no longer your other self," he said. "From now on, you are you, and nobody else. I believe that even without me, your courage will not lose to anyone."
He patted Yugi on the shoulder.
Yugi remained silent but nodded firmly.
This was their mutual promise, the bond that could connect them even though separated by life and death.
Duel King, this was the most precious thing Atem left for Yugi. The young boy had resolved that from this moment on, he would hold onto this title at all costs and not lose to anyone.
The gates of the Netherworld opened, bathing him in endless warm light, as though the companions who had vanished over three thousand years ago were welcoming the King back.
It felt like coming home.
Atem turned, stepping towards the light.
"Yugi!!!"
The first to speak was Anzu. Jonouchi and Honda couldn't hold back and gathered around as well.
Atem's footsteps stopped.
Indeed, he was no longer Muto Yugi, the name was no longer related to him...
...But how could it truly have no relation?
Even after reclaiming his past, this still was the most cherished memory for all of them.
Yet despite this, the King didn't turn back.
Maybe he lacked the courage after all.
No matter how much reluctance or how many attempts at holding on, it couldn't change the impending parting.
"Yugi!" Jonouchi walked up, "No matter if you are Atem or someone else, you will always be Yugi! Whether hundreds or thousands of years pass, we will always be good friends!"
Atem released a relieved smile.
He finally turned around to face the friends who were sending him off.
"Yes."
He paused, not forgetting to cast a glance towards Youyu in the back, filled with trust, acknowledgment, and gratitude.
"I'll leave the rest to you."
Youyu was taken aback, didn't speak, but nodded in acknowledgment.
The King turned again, walking away without looking back, giving everyone a thumbs-up as he vanished beyond the light.