Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

"Yes, thank you for the compliment, Anzu-neechan."

Bekas was delighted to have found a user for the card he was still making ahead of schedule. This was partly because he could now leave the difficult decision to John, explaining to John the reasons that were currently troubling him in making the card and that he could only choose one to make.

"Hey John boy, make your choice! Pick your long-term companion for yourself. No matter which you choose, I'll do my best to make the perfect card!"

Looking at the possibilities of the [Gem Knight] and [Jewel Beast] cards that Pegasus showed him, John looked troubled: "I have to make a choice? Nobody told me this before?"

"If I choose one of them, wouldn't I be erasing the possibility of another card coming into the world?"

"teacher……"

Noticing John looking at him for help, Rafael shook his head: "I can't help you with this, Johnny. Don't have any expectations of me. This is your own partner, so you should make your own decisions, not based on other people's words."

"Besides, although Pegasus said that once one type of card is made, it's impossible to make another type, don't feel guilty about it. After all, although Pegasus is a despicable card printer, he's still very talented in card making, and he wouldn't let an idea go unfulfilled," Hayato reassured John.

Hearing that Rafael and Hayato had already said so, John tentatively believed them, put aside his concerns, and began to carefully examine the two sketches in Pegasus's notes.

The Jewel Knight is designed based on, but more accurately, "reproduced" from, Shadowdancer. Although it is still just a sketch, John can vaguely feel a certain sense of destiny in it, as if it is a hero figure arranged by a grand destiny in a legendary epic.

John subconsciously felt that if he chose the [Gem Knight] path, even someone as weak as himself (compared to Hayato and Rafael) might be able to embark on a glorious heroic path and become a great savior or something similar, driven by fate.

In contrast, the only completed sketch of the [Jade Beasts], the [Azure Pegasus], is already quite advanced, allowing John to better understand the strength of the [Jade Beasts]. They should possess great perseverance, and though individually weak, their bond allows them to unleash remarkable power.

However, compared to the Jewel Knights, even if a certain number of Jewel Beasts are gathered, it would probably be difficult to unleash power that surpasses the former, unless there is another being that can fully unleash the power of many Jewel Beasts and integrate their power.

Even without any cards actually completed, John believed his judgment shouldn't be too far off; this was perhaps what Rafael had always mentioned to him as "the duelist's intuition."

The strength of [Gem Knight] should be higher than that of [Crystal Beast]. John made the same judgment as Hayato, who knew the complete structure of these two decks, based on his simple intuition. However, from a rational point of view, John should undoubtedly choose [Gem Knight].

"If I had to use an analogy, the Jewel Knight is like a sturdy sword, while the Crystal Beast is like a rainbow bridge. If I wanted to become the duelist at the top, I would undoubtedly choose the former."

John reached out his hand to Pegasus's manuscript and pointed to one of the pages without hesitation. "However, I may disappoint you, my teacher and Mr. Pegasus, but I never actually wanted to become a duelist at the top."

"And perhaps it was just my imagination, but I thought I heard a voice, right here, I heard someone calling me—"

As John reached out and touched the completion mark on Pegasus's manuscript, a magical scene unfolded: seven-colored, rainbow-like light burst forth from the ordinary paper, converging and enveloping John's palm.

As the light faded, a card appeared out of thin air in John's hand. The card depicted a red jade stone that emitted a faint glow, and its name was "The Jade Contract".

As the card appeared, John heard the voice calling his name again, clearer than before: "Hello, John, it's nice to meet you..."

"Uh, hello?" John subconsciously turned his head to look at the direction from which the voice came, but could only see a phantom of a Pegasus disappearing into a blue light, and the voice did not respond to John.

John almost thought he was seeing things, but then he noticed that Rafael and the others were also looking at the spot next to him.

"Was that an elf just now?"

Upon hearing Jonouchi's words, Atum nodded, indicating that he had also just seen it: "That elf seems to be connected to the card in John's hand, and its appearance is extremely similar to the [Jade Beast - Jade Pegasus] designed by Pegasus."

"A card that hasn't even been finished yet already has an awakened spirit? That's such a perfect match for John."

"Not only that, that card is called 'The Contract of the Jewel,' right? Does it represent the formation of a contract between them?" Malik, a spirit who also saw the 'Jade Beast - Jade Pegasus,' said. "They've already started printing cards. From all angles, this kid is definitely going to be something special in the future."

“Grandma said that children are the world’s greatest treasure, and children’s wishes are the reality of the future. In other words, the future of the world is children.” Hayato said, pointing to the sky in a gesture that was ambiguous but cool.

"While what you said makes a lot of sense, I still want to ask you, are you sure that's what your grandma said, brother-in-law?"

"Don't worry about the details; only three-year-olds worry about the details."

"What you've said makes me even more concerned!"

The speaker meant no harm, but the listener took it to heart. Atum looked at Hayato, who still hadn't given up correcting Malik for calling him "brother-in-law," and muttered to himself, "The future of the world belongs to the children... It certainly does."

'Another me?'

The game within the Millennium Puzzle was connected to Atem's thoughts, instantly sensing the ideas surfacing in Atem's mind. Atem, however, smiled and returned his body to the game, rejoining the Millennium Puzzle.

'Well, let's keep it from everyone for now and tell you later, Aibo.'

John also noticed the subtle changes in Yugi: "Ah, Mr. Yugi has gotten shorter—wait, he doesn't seem to have gotten shorter? But his demeanor has changed, and there's a strange feeling that he's gotten shorter."

"You don't need to know so much about duelists, Johnny. The Millennium Item, isn't it amazing?" Rafael said casually. Although he appeared calm on the surface, having witnessed this scene before, he still felt that the power of the Millennium Item was indeed an incomprehensible and wondrous artifact.

John nodded, seemingly understanding, then looked down at the [Jewel Contract] card in his hand and asked Rafael, "Teacher, was that really the spirit of the card? Do I really have a partner now?"

"But why did he disappear as soon as he appeared?"

“John boy, the card in your hand is a symbol of your connection with the elf, so there’s no need to doubt that you’re dreaming,” Pegasus said with a smile. “As for the elf appearing and then disappearing, that’s inevitable, after all, I haven’t finished making the card that allows the elf to reside within itself yet.”

Although he was speaking to John, Pegasus's eyes never left the card in John's hand, remaining fixed on the [Jade Contract]: "But, John boy, if you lend me the data from that card as a reference, it will definitely speed up the card's completion—hmm!"

"You're being far too ambitious. I can hear you from 114514 kilometers away, Pegasus. Why is there a map of Yan wrapped around your dagger?" Hayato interrupted Pegasus's obvious intentions by tapping him on the back of the neck. "That kid just found a partner. Even if we can't contact him for now, he's still someone we care about. How can you even bring yourself to take his card?"

Upon hearing this, John chuckled foolishly, looking down at the card in his hand with a smile on his face and a gleam in his eyes, as if he had obtained a precious treasure.

——————The dividing line for group visits to scenic spots——————

The pleasant day passed quickly, and as evening fell, Rafael and John bid farewell to Hayato and his group. Their trip to Egypt was initially based on Rafael's belief that they might find a suitable card for John there. Now that Pegasus had decided to give the [Jade Beast] to John, there was no longer any need for them to continue their journey in Egypt.

After all, compared to the game crew who had Pegasus to cover their expenses, Rafael, who was already an adult, still had to continue earning money. However, he was skilled at Duel Monsters and didn't want to use the cards he considered family as a tool to make money by participating in dueling tournaments. The reason he had a certain reputation in America was because Dartz had asked him to hunt the American Duel Champion.

Pegasus also left them a way to contact him so that he could inform them whenever he finished the [Jewel Beast] card.

Although Pegasus said that after deciding to make cards in the direction of "Jewel Beast", he already had a creative idea and would soon finish the cards, he looked at a lot of things throughout the day but did not make a single change to the manuscript. Even when others urged him, he would only say, "I'm drawing, I'm drawing. Did your Uncle Pegasus ever lie to you?"

Given his tendency to slack off, it's highly doubtful that he'll be able to finish making the set of cards he has on hand, even next year.

Yes, another year has passed in the blink of an eye, and it's New Year's Eve again. However, this time it's the first time that Hayato and his friends are spending the New Year abroad instead of in Domino City.

"Squeak~~~Bang!"

"Shizuka, Shizuka, did you see that? There are fireworks here in Egypt too!" Jonouchi excitedly said to Shizuka, who was on the other side of the world, while taking pictures of the fireworks in the night sky with his phone.

During the video call, Mai, who was with Shizuka, complained helplessly, "You idiot Jonouchi, there's a fireworks display in Domino City tonight too!"

"Oh, that's different. This is the first time Shizuka has watched fireworks without me by her side. Mai, you have to keep Shizuka company in my place."

Shizuka's eyesight was restored and she regained her sight around the time of Duel City. Before that, Shizuka had only seen fireworks when she was very young. Although fireworks are dazzling to others, they are just something that can be seen every year during New Year's Eve and festivals. However, Jonouchi knew that her younger sister actually cared a lot about fireworks, which is why she made such a cross-border video call.

In addition, the phone he was using was actually a Honda, so he didn't have to pay the phone bill.

After exchanging a few words and best wishes, Jonouchi returned the phone to Honda, who looked regretful for not being able to chat with Shizuka because of Jonouchi's intervention, but felt that something was off.

"Huh? Did I just dial Shizuka's number? Why does it feel like Honda has Shizuka's contact information?"

Listening to Jonouchi's mutterings, Honda abruptly interrupted him: "What are you thinking about? Look, look, the fireworks are on again!"

"Oh, oh, oh, oh." Jonouchi's attention was easily diverted as he watched the fireworks rise from the ground and explode into a giant flower of light.

"Squeak~~~Bang!"

"So beautiful..."

Looking up at the sky, Kyoko smiled and said to Yugi beside her, "Let's watch the fireworks together next year, Yugi."

Upon hearing this, the game hesitated, "This..."

"There's something I think I should tell everyone..."

Chapter 852 Violating the Ancestors' Decision (Not)

"Unbeknownst to me, several years have passed since I awoke from the Millennium Puzzle."

Fireworks burst in the night sky behind him. Atum, who had swapped bodies with the game and appeared in the outside world, looked at his companions in front of him with a reminiscing expression. "I am really happy to have met you all and experienced so much together."

Standing before Atum, Jonouchi, Honda, Kyoko, and Hayato watched him earnestly reminisce about the past. Because of their encounter with Shadi earlier that day, even though they hadn't yet heard the important decision Atum was about to make, they could already guess what he was going to say.

“Pegasus of the Duel Kingdom, Malik of the Duel City, Dartz of Doma, and Dark Bakura from the Memory Stone—so many formidable enemies that I could not possibly defeat alone.” Atem looked at the group. “It is the bond I share with you that has helped me get to where I am today.”

In the rented hotel room, Bakura, who was on the phone with his family, Malik, who was busy playing games, and Pegasus, who was watching TV anime instead of making cards, all sneezed at the same time for no apparent reason. Hayato, who was standing in front of Atem, also had a slightly itchy nose and subconsciously wanted to sneeze, but he sneezed it off with his Somitsu.

“Game…no, Atum…” Looking at Atum, Jonouchi, who was not yet used to the other’s real name, subconsciously addressed Atum in the way he used to, “Me too, we’re the same, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Before we helped you, you helped us a lot too, Atum.” Honda scratched the back of his head and said with a rare hint of embarrassment, “If it weren’t for you, long ago Jonouchi and I would never have been able to escape the school gang and would still be two aimless thugs.”

"You even saved us once, from that Ushio Tetsuya," Jonouchi said with a smile. "That guy actually managed to defeat me and Honda, who were known as the 'King of Fighting' when we teamed up. Who knew he would go crazy and have to drop out of school for treatment?"

The Ushio Tetsuya mentioned by Jonouchi was the original disciplinary committee chairman of Domino City High School. He possessed fighting skills that surpassed Jonouchi and Honda, making him arguably the strongest in the world. However, before Hayato's time travel, he had already been driven insane by Dark Game after getting involved with Yugi and Atem.

Anzu also recalled what she and Atum had experienced over the past two years. Although it had the same appearance as the game of childhood friends, Atum gave her a completely different feeling. That feeling of being moved was undoubtedly the indescribable love she had for Atum.

However, looking at Atum and already guessing what he was about to say, Kyoko was completely unable to express her feelings to him at this moment.

Hayato didn't say anything sentimental. He simply looked at Atum and smiled at each other. The bond between them had been etched into their memories through countless duels, and it was impossible to count how many times they had fought.

“Really, we’ve been through so much. I’m so grateful to you all, Anzu, Honda, Jonouchi, and Hayato.” Atum looked up at the fireworks that burst into bloom again in the night sky, raised his hand to catch them, and said with a smile, “What magnificent fireworks! We couldn’t have witnessed such a spectacle three thousand years ago. So dazzling, yet so fleeting.”

This wasn't the first time Atum had seen fireworks since completing the Millennium Puzzle in the game, but it was the first time he had seen them since regaining his name and his lost memories.

It has been said that different states of mind can make people see different things. For Atum, who is now more of a "rebirth" than a "new life," even fireworks he has seen countless times can bring him different experiences and feelings.

Atum released his grip on the hand and moved his raised hand away, but the fireworks in the night sky had already vanished without him noticing.

"I'm leaving." With a smile, Atum said to the group what they had all expected, "It's not because of Shadi's influence during the day; it's entirely my own decision."

"This era is wonderful, but it is not my era. The era ruled by Pharaoh Atum ended three thousand years ago, so Pharaoh Atum should not remain in this world any longer."

Hearing Atum's words, Jonouchi clenched his fists and opened his mouth. He wanted to say something to persuade Atum not to leave, but he couldn't come up with any reason. Unable to say anything, he felt a little discouraged, but he still raised his head again and gave Atum a thumbs up: "Yeah, if you think of something, just do it, Atum."

"As your partner, we will always support you." With a hand on Jonouchi's shoulder, Honda, despite being filled with sadness, gave the same thumbs-up as Jonouchi. "Because no matter where we are, our hearts are always connected by a bond, aren't we?"

Hayato looked at Atum and gave him a thumbs up, saying, "If this is your decision, then do it without regrets, and we will offer our blessings."

“Atum…” After struggling with her feelings for a long time, Kyoko looked at Atum and met his gaze. When the myriad emotions in her heart finally came out, they became unusually simple: “…Yes, we will always be watching over you from behind.”

Similarly, she gave Atum a thumbs-up and a genuine smile.

"Everyone..." Atum smiled as he looked at his companions, raising his hand to gently touch his chest, feeling his heartbeat and the game within the Millennium Puzzle. "And Aibo."

The connection between Atum and the game was so strong that they didn't even need to say goodbye, let alone exchange words.

"Oh my god, what an incredibly moving emotion! My inspiration is practically bursting forth, it's so exciting I want to burst into song!" Pegasus, who had somehow gotten up to be leaning out the window, exclaimed excitedly as he looked at Atum and his group outside.

Beside him, Bakura, who was also looking at Atum and the others, said with some doubt, "But Mr. Pegasus, you still haven't started drawing, have you?"

"Hey~ Can an artist's job be called slacking off?" Pegas said logically, his gaze immediately returning from the window to the TV animation that had just finished its commercial break. The notebook that he had only opened during the day was still tucked under his bag and hadn't been opened.

The New Year's fireworks display was drawing to a close before we knew it. The dense fireworks gradually thinned out, and the group who had finished watching decided to return to their hotel. After all, it was much warmer and more comfortable inside than outside in the cold wind.

Hayato, Jonouchi, and Honda walked ahead, while Kyoko stood still. Seeing Atem about to leave, driven by an inner impulse, she spoke up, "Um, Atem..."

Upon hearing Kyoko's words, Atum, who was about to leave, stopped in his tracks, turned around, and looked at her: "Hmm? What's wrong, Kyoko?"

Struggling to overcome her inner turmoil, Kyoko hesitated for a moment before finally mustering the courage to look into Atum's clear eyes. With a blush on her face, she said, "Although I'm hesitant and conflicted about whether or not I should say it, I feel that if I don't say it now, I'll never have the chance to convey these feelings to you again."

"Atum, I... I love—"