Judai had dreamed of this moment more than once.
In fact, even those who seemed closest to Judai didn't really understand him. His constant companions, classmates who spent every day with him, and opponents who often communicated through duels...
Everyone thought they knew him, but they were all wrong.
They had no idea who Yuki Judai truly was.
Judai was actually someone rare; warm on the outside but cold on the inside. He appeared carefree and seemed like a thorough optimist, but that was just the facade he showed others.
He always hid his thoughts deep inside, leaving others with only the illusion of his strongest and most optimistic self.
Just like now.
Ever since he learned about the Overlord, he rarely went a day without thinking about it. The darkness within himself, the tyrant Demon King of the Otherworld, was an opponent he had to defeat, a destiny he had to face.
And now, he had arrived here, at the Overlord's castle, in this deepest room.
Confronting that pitch-black armor, the most terrifying darkness within himself he'd carefully hidden all these years, which he might not have even realized existed.
Judai facing the Overlord, the Overlord facing Judai.
It felt very strange, as if looking into a mirror. He vaguely felt that the reflection was himself, just darker, more terrifying.
The two stood facing each other for a long time without speaking, but the air grew increasingly heavy, making every breath feel more labored.
"You are the Overlord," Judai spoke.
But as soon as he spoke, it felt odd to say something like this to a face identical to his own.
"The darkness within me..." Judai murmured to himself.
"No."
The Overlord also spoke. The same tone of voice, but stripped of all emotional fluctuation, sounded as if it were a different voice altogether.
"You are the weakness within me," he said, "the only weakness. But after today..."
The Overlord activated his unique Duel Disc.
"This weakness will be eradicated."
Judai took a deep breath and gently closed his eyes.
What must come will come, and what must be faced must be faced.
Today, at this moment.
He was going to sever ties with himself.
"Duel!" x2
[Judai, LP4000]
[Overlord, LP4000]
"I'll go first, draw a card."
The Overlord drew a card, and without hesitation, performed a monster summon.
"Defense position summon 'Elemental Hero Clayman'."
The sturdy Clay Hero fell onto the field. The card of Clayman appeared horizontally at his feet, and Clayman crouched defensively on the card, arms crossed in front.
The card was identical to Judai's, but even this Elemental Hero seemed to have darkened, with a dangerous dark red glow in its eyes.
[Elemental Hero Clayman, Defense Power 2000]
"Clayman..." Judai's expression was complex.
A feeling of subtlety when facing an opponent with the same face, using the same Elemental Heroes.
"Set one card face-down, turn end," said the Overlord.
Judai: "My turn, draw a card!"
This duel, no matter what, couldn't be lost.
It was both for himself and for all the worlds he had encountered and seen along the way.
"Activate Field Spell 'Gate of Fusion'!"
Judai raised his hand. A chaotic fusion void opened up in mid-air, as if leading to an unknown world.
"As long as Gate of Fusion is on the field, monster fusion summons do not require Fusion Magic and can be performed by excluding fusion material monsters from the game directly from the hand or field."
He threw out two cards in his hand. The two Monster Cards burst into golden light in mid-air, casting human shapes, transforming into a green-winged hero and a curvaceous blazing lady.
The Model Worker Couple of Elemental Heroes.
"Excluding 'Elemental Hero Wingman' and 'Elemental Hero Blazing Lady' from the hand from the game," Judai said, "Fusion Summon! My beloved hero—
—Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!"
Wingman and Blazing Lady were both swept into the black vortex in the air, disappearing from sight. Then a powerful energy burst from that black hole, a torrent of green tornado mixed with flames, fell to the ground. A single white wing brushed aside the flames, conjuring the image of a hero from the burning storm.
[Elemental Hero Flame Wingman, Attack Power 2100]
"If you symbolize the deepest darkness within me, then let me burn it away with the most scorching flames!" Judai shouted, "Elemental Hero Flame Wingman, attack 'Elemental Hero Clayman'!
Flame Shot!"
Flame Wingman soared into the air, as if riding a whirlwind. Then the wind ignited, enveloping him completely, flying high before delivering a sky-diving kick, transforming into a burning cannonball!
Clayman was pierced through, shattered into pieces with a loud bang.
"Flame Wingman's effect, when a monster is destroyed in battle, inflicts damage to the opponent equal to the destroyed monster's Attack Power," Judai said, "Clayman's Attack Power is 800, so 800 damage is inflicted!"
Flame Wingman landed in front of the Overlord, raising the dragon head component on his arm, the flames from its mouth forming a spiral impact blasting toward the Overlord.
The Overlord closed his eyes lightly, expressionless as he withstood the scorching flames.
[Overlord, LP4000 → LP3200]
"Activate face-down card," said the Overlord, "Trap Card 'Hero Mark'.
When your own monster is battle destroyed and sent to the graveyard, Special Summon a Level Four or below 'Elemental Hero' from the hand or Card Deck."
A spotlight shot out from the revealed trap, projecting the mark that summons a hero into the air.
The Overlord spread his Card Deck, his fingers lightly flicked to push out a card from within.
"From the Card Deck, Special Summon 'Elemental Hero Wingman'.
A green tornado also swirled on the Overlord's field, but darker and deeper in tone. The colors on this Wingman, compared to Judai's, were also darker, with a faint ominous gleam in his eyes.
[Elemental Hero Wingman, Defense Power 1000]
Judai: "Set one card, turn end."
"My turn, draw a card."
The Overlord drew a card, but did not glance at it, looking instead at the Flame Wingman on Judai's field.
"Beloved hero, huh? You are indeed my weakest part."
"What are you talking about?" Judai frowned.
"Only those with power can be called heroes," the Overlord said darkly, "Justice without power can accomplish nothing; power is justice itself.
And this card is a symbol of power, representing the decisive gap between you and me!
Activate Magic Card 'Dark Fusion'!
Transform Elemental Heroes into Demons, a card of dark fusion!