"Unbeknownst to me, several years have already passed since I awoke from the Millennium Puzzle."
Fireworks bloomed in the night sky behind him, under the cover of darkness. Atem, having exchanged bodies with Yugi to appear in the outside world, looked at his companions with a nostalgic expression. "I'm truly happy to have met you all and to have experienced so many things together."
Before Atem, Joey, Tristan, Téa, and Chumley watched as Atem seriously began to recall the past. Because of their encounter with Shadi earlier today, even without hearing the important decision Atem was about to announce, they had already guessed what he was going to say.
"Pegasus of Duelist Kingdom, Marik of Battle City, Dartz of Doma, and Dark Bakura within the Memory Stone Tablet — so many formidable foes could never have been defeated by me alone." Atem looked at them. "It was our bonds that helped me advance all the way to this point."
Inside a rented hotel room, Bakura, who was on the phone with his family, Marik, busy playing a game, and Pegasus, who wasn't creating cards but was slacking off watching TV anime, inexplicably sneezed simultaneously. Chumley, standing before Atem, also felt his nose itch slightly and instinctively wanted to sneeze, but he suppressed it.
"Yugi... no, Atem..." Joey, still unaccustomed to Atem's true name, instinctively called him by his usual name while looking at him. "Me too, we all feel the same! We're glad to have met you."
"Before we could help you, you helped us a lot too, Atem," Tristan said, scratching the back of his head, a rare hint of shyness in his voice. "If it weren't for you, Joey and I would never have escaped the school gangs long ago. We'd still just be two aimless delinquents."
"Actually, you even saved us from that Tetsu Ushio," Joey added with a laugh. "That guy actually managed to defeat me and Tristan, who together were known as the 'Domino City Fighting Kings.' Who knew he'd end up going crazy and have to take a leave of absence for treatment?"
The Tetsu Ushio Joey mentioned was originally the disciplinary committee chairman of Domino High School, possessing fighting skills that surpassed Joey and Tristan, arguably the strongest in that world. However, before Chumley's transmigration, Tetsu Ushio had provoked Yugi and Atem and was driven insane by a Shadow Game.
Téa also recalled the events she had experienced with Atem over the past two years. Although he shared the same appearance as her childhood friend, Yugi, Atem evoked an entirely different feeling within her. That fluttering sensation in her heart was, without a doubt, an inexpressible love she harbored for Atem.
However, Téa, who had already guessed what Atem was about to say, found herself completely unable to voice her feelings to him at that moment.
Chumley didn't say anything sentimental. He simply met Atem's gaze, and they exchanged a smile. The bond between them had long since been woven into every part of their memories through countless duels, too numerous to count.
"We really have been through so much. I'm truly grateful to all of you, Téa, Tristan, Joey, Chumley." Atem looked up at the fireworks blooming again in the night sky, raising his hand as if to cup them, and smiled. "What magnificent fireworks! Three thousand years ago, such a grand spectacle was entirely unimaginable. So dazzling, yet so fleeting and brief."
It wasn't Atem's first time seeing fireworks since Yugi completed the Millennium Puzzle, but this was the first time he'd seen them after reclaiming his true name and his lost memories.
It's been said that a different state of mind allows one to see different things. For Atem, who was not so much 'newly born' but 'reborn,' even fireworks he had seen countless times brought him new experiences and feelings.
He opened his clasped hand, moving his raised arm away, but the fireworks in the night sky weren't caught; they had already vanished.
"I'm leaving," Atem said with a smile, speaking the words everyone had already anticipated. "It's not because of Shadi's influence earlier today; this decision comes entirely from my own consideration."
"This era is beautiful, but ultimately, it is not my era. The time ruled by Pharaoh Atem vanished three thousand years ago, so Pharaoh Atem naturally should not linger in this world, refusing to depart."
Hearing Atem's words, Joey clenched his fist and opened his mouth. He wanted to plead with Atem not to leave, but he couldn't think of any reason. Unable to say anything, he felt a bit deflated, but then he looked up again and gave Atem a thumbs-up. "Yeah, if that's what you've decided, then do it, Atem."
"As your partner, we'll always support you." Tristan placed a hand on Joey's shoulder, and despite his heart being full of sorrow, he mimicked Joey's gesture, giving a thumbs-up. "Because no matter where you are, our hearts are connected by our bonds, aren't they?"
Chumley looked at Atem, also giving a thumbs-up. "If this is your decision, then go without regrets. We will offer you our blessings."
"Atem..." After much internal struggle, Téa looked into Atem's eyes. All the emotions in her heart, when finally spoken, became incredibly concise: "...Mm, we'll always be watching your back."
Likewise, she extended her thumb, showing Atem a genuine smile.
"Everyone..." Looking at his companions, Atem smiled, raising his hand to gently touch his chest, feeling his heartbeat, and Yugi within the Millennium Puzzle. "And, Aibo."
Between Atem and Yugi, their connection of the mind, more than words, made farewells unnecessary.
"Oh, oh, oh, what truly moving emotions! My inspiration is practically gushing out, making me so excited I want to sing a song!" Pegasus, who had appeared at the window at some point, watched Atem and the others outside, exclaiming excitedly.
Next to 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 an artist's work be called slacking off?" Pegasus said reasonably. The moment his gaze returned from outside the window, it landed back on the TV anime that had finished its commercial break. The notebook, which had been open during the day, remained pressed beneath his bag, unturned.
Unbeknownst to them, the New Year's fireworks display was nearing its end. The dense fireworks gradually became sparse. Having finished watching, the group no longer lingered outside, intending to return to the hotel, as it was naturally much warmer and more comfortable indoors compared to the cold wind outside.
Chumley, Joey, and Tristan walked ahead, while Téa stood still. Seeing Atem about to leave with them, she felt an impulse well up inside her and spoke, "Um, Atem..."
Hearing Téa's words, Atem, who was about to move, paused and stopped, turning his head to glance at her. "Hmm? Is something wrong, Téa?"
Striving to overcome her internal struggle, Téa hesitated, then finally mustered her courage. Looking into Atem's clear eyes, her face flushed with shyness, she began, "Although I was really hesitant and conflicted about whether I should say this, if I don't say it now, I feel like I'll never get another chance to convey these feelings to you."
"Atem, I... I lo—"
"Screeeech~~~ BOOM!!!"
Just as Téa was about to speak, the last and largest firework of the night's display launched into the sky, exploding suddenly. Its magnificent burst, nearly encompassing the entire sky, simultaneously produced a tremendous sound that drew everyone's attention and drowned out Téa's words.
Watching the fireworks dissipate, Atem looked back at Téa, a confused expression on his face. "Hmm? I'm sorry, Téa, I didn't quite catch what you said. Could you say it again?"
However, Téa had only managed to voice her feelings earlier after a long internal struggle and exhausting her courage. To ask her to say it again—she simply couldn't muster enough bravery. Her face flushed, she hastily denied, "No, it's nothing. Just forget what I said, Atem."
As she spoke, she quickly ran away from Atem and walked back.
However, while she was somewhat annoyed that her hard-won confession of courage had been interrupted by the beautiful yet ill-timed fireworks, at the same time, a part of Téa's heart felt a measure of relief, grateful that Atem hadn't heard her spoken confession.
Watching Téa's retreating back, Atem thought to himself, 'This is fine, Téa, just like this is fine. I've received your feelings, but I'm sorry.'
'As a wandering soul from the past, I lack the ability to reciprocate your feelings. So, this is for the best.'
And Yugi, within the Millennium Puzzle, heard Atem's thoughts: 'Yami Yugi.'
Returning to his hotel room, Chumley looked out the window, watching Atem, who stood alone on the rooftop, return his body to Yugi and retreat into the Millennium Puzzle. He sighed.
Ultimately, Atem chose to return to the Underworld, just as Chumley knew the path of destiny dictated. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with this; after all, while Joey and Chumley were Atem's friends and companions in the real world, Mana and Shimon awaited their Pharaoh Atem in the Underworld.
Wait? That's not right, is it?
Chumley suddenly remembered something. If he wasn't mistaken, a few years in the future, hadn't a Pharaoh who had been dead for a long time actually come to the real world?
He recalled it was someone named Abidos the Third, who appeared as a member of the Shadow Riders organization, using a Shadow Game Duel to obtain the Sacred Beasts' cards. Although his title sounded grand, he was actually just a beginner-level duelist. Because of this contrast, Chumley still had some impression of this character who only appeared Once per Turn.
Undoubtedly, that guy wasn't a solitary wandering soul from the past, aimlessly wandering the real world like Atem before. Instead, he was someone whose soul had truly returned to the Underworld but then came back from the Underworld to the real world. After dueling with the future Jaden Yuki, he even took a liking to him, inviting him to duel together in the Underworld after death – he was, in a way, another version of Kaiba.
While he didn't know how Abidos the Third managed to travel between the real world and the Underworld, this undoubtedly opened up a new line of thought for Chumley. Perhaps even if Atem returned to the Underworld, if Abidos the Third's method of coming to the real world was reproducible, Atem might also be able to return occasionally to reunite with them.
This wasn't impossible. At least, as far as Chumley knew, in The Dark Side of Dimensions story, which developed later in the manga timeline rather than the anime timeline, there was a case of Atem returning to the real world when Yugi was in despair.
On the other hand, Chumley 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 wandering souls clinging to reality.
Rather than telling Atem and the others now only for them to be disappointed later, Chumley decided it was better to keep it secret for a while, and then give everyone a surprise once it was confirmed to be feasible.
As Chumley was thinking this, the open room door was suddenly flung open. A pale-faced Marik rushed in frantically. "B-Big trouble, brother-in-law!"
"Sigh, the beacon fires on the city walls, they always die down and then reignite," Chumley said with a helpless expression, turning to look at Marik with his hands clasped behind his back. "And who's your brother-in-law?"
"Stop dwelling on such an unimportant title, brother-in-law! There's a huge problem, brother-in-law! I just remembered something, brother-in-law!" Marik paused, then said in a terrified voice, "Do you remember Dark Bakura, who took us to the Pharaoh's Memory Stone Tablet? He collected several Millennium Items before, including my sister's Millennium Necklace."
"Just now, while playing a game, I conquered a 'big sister' character, and it suddenly reminded me that we haven't called my sister to check on her situation until now!"
Marik's words fell, but he couldn't detect even a trace of surprise on Chumley's face. Chumley, unperturbed, calmly said, "Oh, you mean Ishizu? But I already called her when I just got back from the Memory World. Didn't you?"
"Jashin-chan didn't lie; Ishizu is perfectly fine. But she did tell me that if you kept forgetting about her, you'd be the one in trouble."
"Then why didn't you remind me, brother-in-law?!" Marik could already envision the tragic fate awaiting him upon seeing Ishizu again, and he cried out in despair:
"Fu-kotsu-da (Misfortune)!"
(end of chapter)