Chapter 25

Before the duel with Atem, Marik's fused form has only been seen by Bakura when he lost and was sent to the shadows.

This form can absorb more than Marik's LP though, it can also absorb the lifeforce of his monsters. Juragedo turns into dust as The Winged Dragon of Ra grows in power.

The Winged Dragon of Ra: [4699 ATK]

With Atem's LP at 3300, one hit from The Winged Dragon of Ra is enough to wipe out his LP.

Atem activates the set spell card Fiend Sanctuary. According to the rules of the DM world during this time, spell cards like Fiend Sanctuary have a temporary trap effect that will not be seen again in the myriad worlds. Thanks to the spell effect of Fiend Sanctuary, a metal-like token is summoned to Atem's field.

The effect of the token summoned by Fiend Sanctuary allows Atem to transfer any damage to the token back to Marik's LP.

According to the rules the duel is following in the DM world at this time, Marik does not have the ability to roll back and stop his Winged Dragon of Ra's attack. His body unconditionally lurches as The Winged Dragon of Ra forms a massive fireball to send at the metal token.

Marik's eye reflected in the token widens in fear at The Winged Dragon of Ra's attack.

The smoke settles and Atem is shocked to see Marik still laughing. Using the odd logic that Marik and The Winged Dragon of Ra are merged entities, Marik used his stolen spell card De-Fusion to separate himself from his Egyptian God card. This means any amount of The Winged Dragon of Ra's ATK can be taken by Marik to be added to his LP.

Marik: [4700 LP]

The Winged Dragon of Ra: [0 ATK]

Goes to show that there is no one who knows The Winged Dragon of Ra more than Marik.

Since The Winged Dragon of Ra has finished its attack, it returns to the graveyard. Marik sets a card and ends his turn.

The turn comes around to Atem and he has a choice to make. The cost to keep the metal token on the field is 1000 LP during every one of his standby phases. Drawing his card, Atem decides to pay the cost.

Atem: [2300 LP]

More of Yugi's body turns into shadows as he watches Atem continue playing. Atem activates the spell card Multiply to change his token from one to three. Let the third Egyptian God card enter the field!

Tributing the three tokens, Atem calls down fierce lighting as a gigantic blue titan comes onto the field.

Obelisk the Tormentor: [4000 ATK]

With Marik defenseless, Obelisk makes a direct attack on his LP. An intense shockwave sends Marik spinning as he takes a blow from Atem's Egyptian God card.

Marik: [700 LP]

Since Marik took 4000 points of damage, his other self started to be turned nearly entirely to shadows. Some fate for the descendant of a long line of tomb keepers who served fealty to Atem.

Elsewhere, (DM) Marik and his family gritted their teeth at their family lineage being used to berate the Pharoah. An act that had some effect in the video and in real-life as Atem worriedly frowns inside of his Millenium Puzzle.

Since the good Marik is now practically one with the shadows, he used what is left of his spirit to send a message of farewell to his faithful servant Odion. His memories help to inform the audience and the comatose Odion that he is still a good man inside.

With his message over, Marik's spirit fades and returns back to the shadows.

The evil Marik activates his set trap card Metal Reflect Slime to summon a metallic token to his side of the field. Since he took damage from Obelisk, it will become a new replica of Obelisk formed out of elastic slime.

Egyptian God Slime: [3000 DEF]

The slime's DEF is equal to 3/4 of the damage Marik took. Atem sets a card and ends his turn.

During the many encounters between Marik and Atem, Marik once used a mindless host and Slifer the Sky Dragon to duel the Pharoah. In that duel, his slime monsters worked to support and protect him from Atem's strategies.

Marik summons his classic Revival Jam and activates the spell card Polymerization. Both Revival Jam and the slime token merge together in order to give his token the properties of Revival Jam.

"Is there that kind of operation?" (GX) Bastion asks.

"The DM world is full of inexplicable things," (5DS) Lester guffaws.

"What part of this is real dueling?" (ARC-V) Yugo complains.

With an unknown Egyptian God Slime on Marik's board, Atem takes it safe by summoning Big Shield Gardna in defense mode.

Big Shield Gardna: [2600 DEF]

Obelisk then tries to smash the Egyptian God Slime into smithereens but the properties of Revival Jam reform the monster back together again. With this, Marik's LP is well protected in this world with little card destruction.

Marik sets a spell or trap card and summons in defense mode his Bowganian.

Bowganian: [1000 DEF]

With Bowganian, the longer the stalemate lasts, the more damage Atem will take as its monster effect deals 300 points of damage on every one of Marik's standby phases.

Atem sets a card and tributes his Big Shield Gardna to tribute summon Dark Magician Girl.

Dark Magician Girl: [2000 ATK]

Cries of enjoyment ring around the myriad worlds as countless viewers are happy to see the beautiful magician girl on the scene. The magical girl does not shy away from the action as she attacks Marik's Bowganian.

Marik activates the continuous trap card Jam Defender to redirect Atem's attacks to the Egyptian God Slime. Dark Magician Girl's attack is blown back at her and she slides down the dueling platform.

Atem: [1300 LP]

With Atem's turn over, Marik's turn starts and a piercing arrow flies out of Bowganian's crossbow. Atem joins Yugi in the disastrous effects of the Shadow Game as pain jolts through his body.

Atem: [1000 LP]

With Atem falling into a losing position during the duel, the good side of Marik decides to take some matters into his own hands. Using his mystical abilities as the good side of Marik, he possessed Tea's body in the spectator group.

In one final bid, the good Marik tries to convince Atem to destroy his other half even if he is lost in the crossfire. If he must do one good deed in all of the evil he has done, it would be sacrificing himself to rid the world of his evil half.

"Marik," (DM) Ishizu tearfully cries at the sight of her brother on the screen.

"Is there no other way to defeat that creepy evil half?" (GX) Jaden gritted his teeth.

"Between letting him live and killing his good half, it is better to sacrifice Marik's good side," (ZEXAL) Nash recommended.

The evil Marik activates the spell card Mining for Magical Stones to discard two cards and retrieve his spell card Monster Reborn from his graveyard to his hand. Unfortunately, the selected card cannot be activated until the following turn.

Marik sets a card and summons Swallowtail Spike Lizard in defense mode.

Swallowtail Spike Lizard: [700 DEF]

During each of his standby phases, if Swallowtail Spike Lizard is in defense mode Marik will regain 1000 LP.

Seeing Atem's struggle on the field, a small argument occurs in the spectator group about Marik's life and death. Before splitting into his good and evil halves, Marik did a lot of wicked stuff that earns him no favors. Seeing that he is doing no good while in Tea's body, Marik relinquishes control and returns to the shadows of his captive body.

Meanwhile, Yugi and Atem have come up with a new solution to free Marik's good side. After all, the evil side is a twisted individual who takes great delight in fusing with his Winged Dragon of Ra. If he does that again, then he will be the same as The Winged Dragon of Ra. A monster card that can be removed from the field.

Atem sets two spell and trap cards. He then summons Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts in defense mode.

Gazelle: [1200 DEF]

With the turn changing, Bowganian takes another shot at Atem. The blow takes Yugi's eye into the shadows.

Atem: [700 LP]

With his turn starting, Swallowtail Spike Lizard gives Marik another 1000 LP.

Marik: [1700 LP]

Marik activates the spell card Monster Reborn and revives The Winged Dragon of Ra as an ethereal phoenix. Using its monster effect, Marik pays 1000 LP to destroy Obelisk the Tormentor.

Marik: [700 LP]

As The Winged Dragon of Ra flies towards Obelisk the Tormentor, the phantom body of Slifer the Sky Dragon comes into being coiled around Obelisk and Atem's side of the field.

When The Winged Dragon of Ra tried to take out Obelisk the Tormentor, Atem used the spell card Monster Reborn to revive Slifer the Sky Dragon and redirect Ra's effect to Slifer.

This kind of operation also exists?

Both Egyptian God cards fade into the darkness. Marik isn't finished though, he activates the spell card Surprise Attack from Beyond. Surprise Attack from Beyond's effect revives The Winged Dragon of Ra in order to declare one last attack.

The Winged Dragon of Ra's spherical form hovers over the battlefield as Marik recites the ancient chant to free it from its confines. Using The Winged Dragon of Ra's monster effect, Marik adds all of the life force he can to its power.

Marik: [1 LP]

The Winged Dragon of Ra: [699 ATK]

Atem activates the spell card Soul Taker to tribute the Egyptian God Slime under Marik's control and give Marik 1000 LP. Since the Egyptian God Slime is a fusion monster, according to the rules of the Battle City tournament in the DM world it counts as two monsters for a sacrifice. The two sacrifices serve as fuel for Obelisk the Tormentor's monster effect.

A red destructive energy coats Obelisk the Tormentor as it reaches the strongest state imaginable.

Obelisk the Tormentor: [∞ ATK]

Infinite ATK?!

In the myriad worlds, this is an unheard-of number that even bosses like (ZEXAL) Don Thousand and (GX) Darkness do not hope to reach. Only a handful of monsters in the DM world have the hope of reaching this number.

With this amount of ATK, no monster can hope to win against it in battle.

As Obelisk moves closer to The Winged Dragon of Ra, Marik uses its monster effect to add the lifeforce of his Bowganian, Swallowtail Spike Lizard, and most of his LP to his Winged Dragon of Ra's stats. The act turns his monsters into dust.

The Winged Dragon of Ra: [4899 ATK]

Obelisk's attack strikes against The Winged Dragon of Ra and shakes the dark sphere on Battle City's tower. When the smoke dissipates, a spell card can be seen open on Marik's side of the field.

The spell card Class System negates the effects of battle with a monster whose level does not exceed The Winged Dragon of Ra's. Since both Egyptian God cards share the same level, The Winged Dragon of Ra and Marik escape the battle unscathed.

Since the battle is over, Obelisk the Tormentor's ATK returns to normal. With Obelisk's ability over, Marik is once again free to declare an attack with The Winged Dragon of Ra.

Atem activates the spell card Magical Dimension to commence a tribute summon during Marik's turn since he controls the spellcaster-type monster Dark Magician Girl. Atem tributes Gazelle and Obelisk and tribute summons Dark Magician.

Dark Magician: [2500 ATK]

In one unexpected play, Atem sacrifices one of his most powerful monsters in order to summon his most loyal. With the target of The Winged Dragon of Ra's attack missing, the fireball shoots into the darkness.

Since Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl are on Atem's field, Atem activates the spell card Ragnarok. If Ragnarok succeeds, Marik's evil half will disappear with The Winged Dragon of Ra. If they disappear though, what will become of Marik's good side?

When everyone is worried about the fate of Marik's good half, an unexpected guest arrives on the scene. Hidden from the audience, Odion has woken from his coma and made his way up the tower to help his captive master.

The evil Marik berates the weakened Odion but the battered servant keeps trying to help his better master. The evil Marik uses the power of the Millenium Rod to send Odion flying but the loyal servant keeps getting back up with each fall.

Using the power of their bond, Odion convinces the good Marik to try and take control of his body. On the evil Marik's body, a new confident eye comes into being.

The good Marik calls out to Atem in an attempt to convince him into ending the duel. With the trust that everything will end up okay, Atem carries on with activating the spell card Ragnarok.

Ragnarok is the death of the gods according to mythology and it is the method Atem is using to rid the duel of the most powerful Egyptian God in the DM world.

All of Atem's monsters in his deck, hand, and graveyard are removed from the game and come into being as physical spirits. The monsters cover The Winged Dragon of Ra and pull it into a gigantic seal in the sky.

An intense shockwave blows through the area as The Winged Dragon of Ra ceases to be. All of the people watching the game hold their breath alongside Atem, waiting to see the results of Atem's powerful spell.

The smoke clears and Marik's good half can be seen powerlessly standing on the dueling platform. Marik's evil side is reduced to an eye bathed in shadows.

The evil side tries to convince his better half to try and keep fighting but Marik isn't the rash man he used to be. He is ready to atone for his misdeeds and fulfill his duty as a servant to the Pharoah.

Before Atem can fulfill his destiny, he must have all three Egyptian God cards.

Seeing what he must do, Marik surrenders the duel and his LP drop down to 0.

Marik: [0 LP]

Marik's evil side screams abuse as the true Marik commands it to disappear. The darkness finally lifts from the world.

"(DM World): Marik vs Atem. The winner is Atem."