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Chapter 852: A Decision Against Ancestral Teachings (Not Really)
"Before I knew it, several years have passed since I woke up from within the Millennium Puzzle."
Behind him, fireworks bloomed in the night sky under the cover of night. Atem, who had exchanged bodies with Yugi and appeared in the Outside World, looked at his partners before him with a reminiscent expression, "I'm truly happy that I could meet all of you and experience so many things together."
Before Atem, Joey Wheeler, Tristan, Téa, and Hayato watched as Atem seriously began to recall the past. Because of their meeting with Shadi earlier today, even though they hadn't heard the important decision Atem was about to announce from his own mouth, they still guessed the words he was about to speak.
"Pegasus from Duelist Kingdom, Marik from Battle City, Dartz from Doma, and Dark Bakura from the Memory Tablet – such numerous strong opponents were by no means opponents I could defeat by myself," Atem looked at them. "It was the bond with all of you that helped me move forward all the way to the present."
In the rented Hotel room, Bakura, who was calling his family, Marik, who was busy playing games, and Pegasus, who wasn't making cards but was goofing off by watching TV anime, inexplicably sneezed at the same time. Hayato, who was standing before Atem, also felt his nose itch slightly and subconsciously wanted to sneeze, but he negated it with Saffira.
"Yugi... no, Atem." Looking at Atem, Joey Wheeler, who was still unaccustomed to the opponent's true name, subconsciously addressed Atem in his usual way. "Me too, we're the same! We're very happy to have met you."
"Before we helped you, you helped us a lot too, Atem." Tristan scratched the back of his head, saying with rare shyness. "If it weren't for your existence, Joey Wheeler and I simply wouldn't have been able to leave the Campus Gang a long time ago, and would still just be two thugs drifting aimlessly through life."
"Come to think of it, you even saved us from Ushio Tetsu," Joey Wheeler said with a smile. "That guy could actually defeat me and Tristan, who were known together as the 'Domino City Fighting King'. Who knew he'd end up going crazy and having to take a leave of absence for treatment."
The Ushio Tetsu Joey Wheeler mentioned was the former Disciplinary Committee Chairman of Domino High School. He possessed a fighting skill level that surpassed Joey Wheeler and Tristan, arguably the strongest in the worldview, but before Hayato transmigrated, he had already been driven insane by a Dark Game after provoking Yugi and Atem.
Téa also recalled the matters she had experienced with Atem over the past two years. Although he had the same appearance as her childhood friend Yugi, Atem gave her a completely different feeling. That fluttering heartbeat feeling was undoubtedly the fact that she harbors an indescribable love for Atem.
However, looking at Atem, Téa, who already had a guess about the words the opponent was about to speak, was completely unable to express the emotions in her heart to Atem at this moment.
Hayato didn't say anything sentimental, he just met Atem's gaze. The two exchanged a smile, and the friendship between them had long since integrated into every corner of their memories through duel after duel, simply impossible to count.
"Truly, we've experienced so much," Atem looked up at the fireworks blooming again in the night sky, raising his hand to cup them, saying with a smile, "What dazzling fireworks. Three thousand years ago, I could never have witnessed such a grand sight. So dazzling, yet so fleeting and brief."
It wasn't the first time Atem had seen fireworks since Yugi completed the Millennium Puzzle, but this was the first time he had seen them after finding his name and recovering his lost memories.
Someone said that a different state of heart allows people to see different things. And for Atem, who has undergone more of a "rebirth" than a "new life," even seeing fireworks countless times can bring him different experiences and feelings.
He opened the palm he had held closed. Atem moved the hand he had raised away, but the fireworks in the night sky were not grabbed by him; they had already vanished.
"I... I'm leaving." With a smile, Atem spoke the words everyone had already anticipated. "It's not because of Shadi's influence today. This comes entirely from my own consideration."
"This era is beautiful, but ultimately, it doesn't belong to my era. The era ruled by Atem as Pharaoh disappeared three thousand years ago, so Pharaoh Atem naturally shouldn't remain in the world and refuse to leave."
Hearing Atem's words, Joey Wheeler clenched his fist and opened his mouth. He wanted to speak out and ask the opponent not to leave, but he couldn't find any reason. Unable to say anything, he felt a bit disheartened, but he raised his head again and gave Atem a thumbs-up with his hand. "Yeah, if that's what you've decided, then go for it, Atem."
"As partners, we'll always support you." With one hand on Joey Wheeler's shoulder, even though his heart was full of sadness, Tristan made the same movement as Joey Wheeler, giving a thumbs-up with his hand. "Because no matter where we are, our hearts are connected by our bond, aren't they?"
Hayato looked at Atem, also raising his hand to give a thumbs-up. "If that's your decision, then go do it without regret, and we'll offer you our blessings."
"Atem..." Téa's heart was conflicted for a long time. Looking at Atem, she met his gaze. When the myriad emotions in her heart reached her mouth, they became exceptionally brief: "...Okay, we'll always be watching you from behind."
Similarly, she also extended her hand to give a thumbs-up, showing Atem a sincere smile.
"Everyone..." Looking at his partners before him, Atem wore a smile. He raised his hand and gently touched his chest, feeling his heartbeat, and Yugi within the Millennium Puzzle. "And, Aibo."
Between Atem and Yugi, the mental connection was more important than words, making farewell words unnecessary for the two of them.
"Oh, oh, oh, what truly moving emotions! My inspiration is practically gushing out! It makes me so excited I want to sing a song!" Pegasus, who was somehow leaning on the window, watched Atem and the others outside and said excitedly.
Beside him, Bakura, who was also watching Atem and the others, said with some confusion, "But Mr. Pegasus, aren't you still not drawing?"
"Eh~ Can you call what artists do slacking off?" He said, justifying himself. The moment Pegasus's line of sight returned from outside the window, it went back to the TV anime that had finished its commercial break. The notebook he had spread open earlier in the daytime was still pressed under his bag, not even opened.
The New Year's fireworks performance had before they knew it already approached its end. The dense fireworks gradually became sparse. Having finished watching, the group no longer planned to stay outside and intended to return to the Hotel, as it was naturally warmer and more comfortable indoors compared to the cold wind outside.
Hayato, Joey Wheeler, and Tristan walked ahead. Téa stood in place, not moving. Seeing Atem about to leave with them, driven by the impulse in her inner thoughts, she spoke, "Um, Atem..."
Hearing Téa's words, Atem, who was just about to move, paused and stopped in his tracks. He turned his head and gave her a glance. "Hm? What is it, Téa?"
Making an effort to overcome the conflict in her inner thoughts, Téa hesitated, but finally gathered courage. Looking at Atem's clear eyes, she spoke with a blush, "Although I was very hesitant and conflicted about whether or not I should speak these words, if I don't say them now, I feel like I won't have another opportunity to convey these emotions to you.
"Atem, I... I lo—"
"Screech~~~ BOOM!!!"
Just as Téa was about to speak the words, the last and largest fireworks of tonight's performance was launched into the Sky. It suddenly exploded, radiating brilliantly and almost occupying the entire Sky, while also bringing a huge sound that drew everyone's attention and also drowned out the words Téa spoke.
Watching the fireworks disperse, Atem looked at Téa again, an expression of confusion on his face. "Hm? Sorry, Téa, I didn't hear what you said just now. Could you say it again?"
But Téa had only been able to speak her feelings just now after a long internal struggle that exhausted her courage. Asking her to say it again... she simply couldn't muster enough courage. Blushing, she denied it with some panic, "No, it was nothing. Forget about what just happened, Atem."
Saying this, she quickly ran away from Atem and walked back.
However, while she was a bit annoyed that the confession she had finally gathered courage for was interrupted by the fireworks, which were beautiful but appeared at an extremely inappropriate time, at the same time, Téa felt more or less fortunate deep down. Fortunate that Atem hadn't heard the confession she spoke.
Watching Téa's retreating back, Atem thought in his heart: 'This is for the best, Téa, just like this is fine. Your feelings I have accepted, but I'm sorry.'
'As a ghost of the past, I don't have the ability to respond to your feelings. So, this is for the best.'
And Yugi within the Millennium Puzzle heard Atem's inner thoughts: 'The Other Me...'
Returning to the Hotel Room, Hayato looked out the window. Watching Atem, who was standing alone on the Rooftop, return his body to Yugi and go back into the Millennium Puzzle, he also sighed.
Ultimately, Atem still chose to return to the Underworld, just as the path of destiny Hayato originally knew dictated. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with this; after all, although Joey Wheeler, Hayato, and the others in the Real World were Atem's friends and partners, in the Underworld, Mana and Simon were also waiting for their Pharaoh Atem.
However, no matter how much he understood, Hayato couldn't help but feel a bit of sadness about it. After all, Atem returning to the Underworld meant that they in the Real World would be forever separated from Atem and would never be able to meet him again. He had never heard of people from the Underworld being able to return to Reality—
Hmm? Probably not, right?
Hayato suddenly remembered something. If he wasn't mistaken, in the Future a few years from now, it seemed like a Pharaoh who had been dead for a long time came to the Real World?
He seemed to remember he was called "Abidos the Third." His identity when appearing was as a member of the "Seven Stars" Organization, who used Dark Game Duels to seize the Sacred Beasts Cards. However, although his title was grand, he was actually just a layman/novice-level guy. Because of this contrast, Hayato still had a certain impression of this character who only appeared once.
Undoubtedly, that guy wasn't a lonely past soul wandering in the Real World like Atem before, but an existence who had truly had his soul return to the Underworld yet came from the Underworld to the Real World. He even took a liking to the opponent after Dueling the Future Judai Yuki and invited him to go to the Underworld to duel together after death. In a way, you could say he was another version of Kaiba.
Although he didn't know how he managed to travel between Reality and the Underworld, this undoubtedly opened up a train of thought for Hayato. Perhaps even if Atem returned to the Underworld, if the method Abidos the Third used to come to the Real World was reproducible, Atem might be able to return occasionally to reunite with them.
This isn't without possibility. At least as far as Hayato knew, in The Dark Side of Dimensions story, which developed from the manga timeline rather than the anime timeline, there was a case where Atem returned to the Real World when Yugi was in a desperate situation.
However, on the other hand, Hayato also felt that even if Abidos the Third's method of coming to the Real World was reproducible, the difficulty wouldn't be low. Otherwise, the Real World would have long been filled with souls who were reluctant to leave Reality.
Rather than telling Atem and the others now and having them be disappointed later, Hayato felt it was better to keep it a secret for a while, confirm it was feasible, and then give the others a surprise.
Hayato was thinking this, the Room door, which hadn't been closed, was suddenly pushed open. A pale-faced Marik ran in panic, "B-Big trouble, Brother-in-law!"
"Ah, the beacon fires on the City walls, they always extinguish and then reignite like this." With his hands clasped behind his back, Hayato turned his head with a helpless expression to look at Marik. "Also, who's your Brother-in-law?"
"Stop getting hung up on that unimportant title, Brother-in-law! There's a big problem, Brother-in-law! I just remembered something just now, Brother-in-law!" Marik paused and said terrified, "Do you remember 'Dark Bakura' who took us to the Pharaoh's Memory Tablet before? He collected several Millennium Items before, including my Older Sister's Millennium Necklace."
"Just now, while playing a game, I was pursuing an 'older sister' character, and I suddenly remembered that we haven't called my Older Sister to ask about her situation until now!"
Marik's voice fell, but he couldn't see even a trace of surprise on Hayato's face. Hayato, whose expression didn't change, said calmly, "Oh, you mean Ishizu? But I already called her when I just came back from the Memory World. Didn't you?"
"Jashin-chan wasn't lying. Ishizu is completely fine. But she did tell me that if you kept forgetting about her situation, you'd be the one in trouble."
"Then why didn't you remind me, Brother-in-law!" Marik could already imagine the tragic outcome he would face after returning and seeing Ishizu. He cried out in despair:
"Fukatsu~ da (Misfortune!)"
"Before I knew it, several years have passed since I woke up from within the Millennium Puzzle."
Behind him, fireworks bloomed in the night sky under the cover of night. Atem, who had exchanged bodies with Yugi and appeared in the Outside World, looked at his partners before him with a reminiscent expression, "I'm truly happy that I could meet all of you and experience so many things together."
Before Atem, Joey Wheeler, Tristan, Téa, and Hayato watched as Atem seriously began to recall the past. Because of their meeting with Shadi earlier today, even though they hadn't heard the important decision Atem was about to announce from his own mouth, they still guessed the words he was about to speak.
"Pegasus from Duelist Kingdom, Marik from Battle City, Dartz from Doma, and Dark Bakura from the Memory Tablet – such numerous strong opponents were by no means opponents I could defeat by myself," Atem looked at them. "It was the bond with all of you that helped me move forward all the way to the present."
In the rented Hotel room, Bakura, who was calling his family, Marik, who was busy playing games, and Pegasus, who wasn't making cards but was goofing off by watching TV anime, inexplicably sneezed at the same time. Hayato, who was standing before Atem, also felt his nose itch slightly and subconsciously wanted to sneeze, but he negated it with Saffira.
"Yugi... no, Atem." Looking at Atem, Joey Wheeler, who was still unaccustomed to the opponent's true name, subconsciously addressed Atem in his usual way. "Me too, we're the same! We're very happy to have met you."
"Before we helped you, you helped us a lot too, Atem." Tristan scratched the back of his head, saying with rare shyness. "If it weren't for your existence, Joey Wheeler and I simply wouldn't have been able to leave the Campus Gang a long time ago, and would still just be two thugs drifting aimlessly through life."
"Come to think of it, you even saved us from Ushio Tetsu," Joey Wheeler said with a smile. "That guy could actually defeat me and Tristan, who were known together as the 'Domino City Fighting King'. Who knew he'd end up going crazy and having to take a leave of absence for treatment."
The Ushio Tetsu Joey Wheeler mentioned was the former Disciplinary Committee Chairman of Domino High School. He possessed a fighting skill level that surpassed Joey Wheeler and Tristan, arguably the strongest in the worldview, but before Hayato transmigrated, he had already been driven insane by a Dark Game after provoking Yugi and Atem.
Téa also recalled the matters she had experienced with Atem over the past two years. Although he had the same appearance as her childhood friend Yugi, Atem gave her a completely different feeling. That fluttering heartbeat feeling was undoubtedly the fact that she harbors an indescribable love for Atem.
However, looking at Atem, Téa, who already had a guess about the words the opponent was about to speak, was completely unable to express the emotions in her heart to Atem at this moment.
Hayato didn't say anything sentimental, he just met Atem's gaze. The two exchanged a smile, and the friendship between them had long since integrated into every corner of their memories through duel after duel, simply impossible to count.
"Truly, we've experienced so much," Atem looked up at the fireworks blooming again in the night sky, raising his hand to cup them, saying with a smile, "What dazzling fireworks. Three thousand years ago, I could never have witnessed such a grand sight. So dazzling, yet so fleeting and brief."
It wasn't the first time Atem had seen fireworks since Yugi completed the Millennium Puzzle, but this was the first time he had seen them after finding his name and recovering his lost memories.
Someone said that a different state of heart allows people to see different things. And for Atem, who has undergone more of a "rebirth" than a "new life," even seeing fireworks countless times can bring him different experiences and feelings.
He opened the palm he had held closed. Atem moved the hand he had raised away, but the fireworks in the night sky were not grabbed by him; they had already vanished.
"I... I'm leaving." With a smile, Atem spoke the words everyone had already anticipated. "It's not because of Shadi's influence today. This comes entirely from my own consideration."
"This era is beautiful, but ultimately, it doesn't belong to my era. The era ruled by Atem as Pharaoh disappeared three thousand years ago, so Pharaoh Atem naturally shouldn't remain in the world and refuse to leave."
Hearing Atem's words, Joey Wheeler clenched his fist and opened his mouth. He wanted to speak out and ask the opponent not to leave, but he couldn't find any reason. Unable to say anything, he felt a bit disheartened, but he raised his head again and gave Atem a thumbs-up with his hand. "Yeah, if that's what you've decided, then go for it, Atem."
"As partners, we'll always support you." With one hand on Joey Wheeler's shoulder, even though his heart was full of sadness, Tristan made the same movement as Joey Wheeler, giving a thumbs-up with his hand. "Because no matter where we are, our hearts are connected by our bond, aren't they?"
Hayato looked at Atem, also raising his hand to give a thumbs-up. "If that's your decision, then go do it without regret, and we'll offer you our blessings."
"Atem..." Téa's heart was conflicted for a long time. Looking at Atem, she met his gaze. When the myriad emotions in her heart reached her mouth, they became exceptionally brief: "...Okay, we'll always be watching you from behind."
Similarly, she also extended her hand to give a thumbs-up, showing Atem a sincere smile.
"Everyone..." Looking at his partners before him, Atem wore a smile. He raised his hand and gently touched his chest, feeling his heartbeat, and Yugi within the Millennium Puzzle. "And, Aibo."
Between Atem and Yugi, the mental connection was more important than words, making farewell words unnecessary for the two of them.
"Oh, oh, oh, what truly moving emotions! My inspiration is practically gushing out! It makes me so excited I want to sing a song!" Pegasus, who was somehow leaning on the window, watched Atem and the others outside and said excitedly.
Beside him, Bakura, who was also watching Atem and the others, said with some confusion, "But Mr. Pegasus, aren't you still not drawing?"
"Eh~ Can you call what artists do slacking off?" He said, justifying himself. The moment Pegasus's line of sight returned from outside the window, it went back to the TV anime that had finished its commercial break. The notebook he had spread open earlier in the daytime was still pressed under his bag, not even opened.
The New Year's fireworks performance had before they knew it already approached its end. The dense fireworks gradually became sparse. Having finished watching, the group no longer planned to stay outside and intended to return to the Hotel, as it was naturally warmer and more comfortable indoors compared to the cold wind outside.
Hayato, Joey Wheeler, and Tristan walked ahead. Téa stood in place, not moving. Seeing Atem about to leave with them, driven by the impulse in her inner thoughts, she spoke, "Um, Atem..."
Hearing Téa's words, Atem, who was just about to move, paused and stopped in his tracks. He turned his head and gave her a glance. "Hm? What is it, Téa?"
Making an effort to overcome the conflict in her inner thoughts, Téa hesitated, but finally gathered courage. Looking at Atem's clear eyes, she spoke with a blush, "Although I was very hesitant and conflicted about whether or not I should speak these words, if I don't say them now, I feel like I won't have another opportunity to convey these emotions to you.
"Atem, I... I lo—"
"Screech~~~ BOOM!!!"
Just as Téa was about to speak the words, the last and largest fireworks of tonight's performance was launched into the Sky. It suddenly exploded, radiating brilliantly and almost occupying the entire Sky, while also bringing a huge sound that drew everyone's attention and also drowned out the words Téa spoke.
Watching the fireworks disperse, Atem looked at Téa again, an expression of confusion on his face. "Hm? Sorry, Téa, I didn't hear what you said just now. Could you say it again?"
But Téa had only been able to speak her feelings just now after a long internal struggle that exhausted her courage. Asking her to say it again... she simply couldn't muster enough courage. Blushing, she denied it with some panic, "No, it was nothing. Forget about what just happened, Atem."
Saying this, she quickly ran away from Atem and walked back.
However, while she was a bit annoyed that the confession she had finally gathered courage for was interrupted by the fireworks, which were beautiful but appeared at an extremely inappropriate time, at the same time, Téa felt more or less fortunate deep down. Fortunate that Atem hadn't heard the confession she spoke.
Watching Téa's retreating back, Atem thought in his heart: 'This is for the best, Téa, just like this is fine. Your feelings I have accepted, but I'm sorry.'
'As a ghost of the past, I don't have the ability to respond to your feelings. So, this is for the best.'
And Yugi within the Millennium Puzzle heard Atem's inner thoughts: 'The Other Me...'
Returning to the Hotel Room, Hayato looked out the window. Watching Atem, who was standing alone on the Rooftop, return his body to Yugi and go back into the Millennium Puzzle, he also sighed.
Ultimately, Atem still chose to return to the Underworld, just as the path of destiny Hayato originally knew dictated. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with this; after all, although Joey Wheeler, Hayato, and the others in the Real World were Atem's friends and partners, in the Underworld, Mana and Simon were also waiting for their Pharaoh Atem.
However, no matter how much he understood, Hayato couldn't help but feel a bit of sadness about it. After all, Atem returning to the Underworld meant that they in the Real World would be forever separated from Atem and would never be able to meet him again. He had never heard of people from the Underworld being able to return to Reality—
Hmm? Probably not, right?
Hayato suddenly remembered something. If he wasn't mistaken, in the Future a few years from now, it seemed like a Pharaoh who had been dead for a long time came to the Real World?
He seemed to remember he was called "Abidos the Third." His identity when appearing was as a member of the "Seven Stars" Organization, who used Dark Game Duels to seize the Sacred Beasts Cards. However, although his title was grand, he was actually just a layman/novice-level guy. Because of this contrast, Hayato still had a certain impression of this character who only appeared once.
Undoubtedly, that guy wasn't a lonely past soul wandering in the Real World like Atem before, but an existence who had truly had his soul return to the Underworld yet came from the Underworld to the Real World. He even took a liking to the opponent after Dueling the Future Judai Yuki and invited him to go to the Underworld to duel together after death. In a way, you could say he was another version of Kaiba.
Although he didn't know how he managed to travel between Reality and the Underworld, this undoubtedly opened up a train of thought for Hayato. Perhaps even if Atem returned to the Underworld, if the method Abidos the Third used to come to the Real World was reproducible, Atem might be able to return occasionally to reunite with them.
This isn't without possibility. At least as far as Hayato knew, in The Dark Side of Dimensions story, which developed from the manga timeline rather than the anime timeline, there was a case where Atem returned to the Real World when Yugi was in a desperate situation.
However, on the other hand, Hayato also felt that even if Abidos the Third's method of coming to the Real World was reproducible, the difficulty wouldn't be low. Otherwise, the Real World would have long been filled with souls who were reluctant to leave Reality.
Rather than telling Atem and the others now and having them be disappointed later, Hayato felt it was better to keep it a secret for a while, confirm it was feasible, and then give the others a surprise.
Hayato was thinking this, the Room door, which hadn't been closed, was suddenly pushed open. A pale-faced Marik ran in panic, "B-Big trouble, Brother-in-law!"
"Ah, the beacon fires on the City walls, they always extinguish and then reignite like this." With his hands clasped behind his back, Hayato turned his head with a helpless expression to look at Marik. "Also, who's your Brother-in-law?"
"Stop getting hung up on that unimportant title, Brother-in-law! There's a big problem, Brother-in-law! I just remembered something just now, Brother-in-law!" Marik paused and said terrified, "Do you remember 'Dark Bakura' who took us to the Pharaoh's Memory Tablet before? He collected several Millennium Items before, including my Older Sister's Millennium Necklace."
"Just now, while playing a game, I was pursuing an 'older sister' character, and I suddenly remembered that we haven't called my Older Sister to ask about her situation until now!"
Marik's voice fell, but he couldn't see even a trace of surprise on Hayato's face. Hayato, whose expression didn't change, said calmly, "Oh, you mean Ishizu? But I already called her when I just came back from the Memory World. Didn't you?"
"Jashin-chan wasn't lying. Ishizu is completely fine. But she did tell me that if you kept forgetting about her situation, you'd be the one in trouble."
"Then why didn't you remind me, Brother-in-law!" Marik could already imagine the tragic outcome he would face after returning and seeing Ishizu. He cried out in despair:
"Fukatsu~ da (Misfortune!)"
