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Chapter 715: Memory World, Activated
After leaving Marik's house, everyone finally noticed that while they had been in the Underground Secret Room, all the Tomb Keepers who had been perfectly fine before were now lying on the ground with pained expressions. Although they didn't check each one carefully, as they passed by the fallen Tomb Keepers, everyone could clearly feel the aura of dark magic power clinging to them.
There was no need to guess; they knew it must have been Bakura. To perfectly infiltrate the Tomb Keepers, he had eliminated all witnesses, showing a style reminiscent of a certain man whose name couldn't be spoken.
"Don't worry about these guys. I just subdued them; I didn't hurt anyone. After all, if I killed someone here, you definitely wouldn't continue our cooperation, right?"
Bakura, who was walking ahead, didn't even frown and stepped over the body of a collapsed Tomb Keeper without a second glance—Hayato even recognized that person; he was the most eager among the Guards who had tried to curry favor with him earlier—and said without turning his head, "They will naturally wake up once we leave."
Hearing this, Hayato wore an annoyed expression: "That had better be the case."
If he could, Hayato truly wanted to take care of Bakura right here, but he couldn't.
This wasn't just because Bakura was holding Ishizu as a Hostage, but also because even using the power of spirits to kill Bakura on a physical level would only kill the human "Bakura Ryo". It would be of no use whatsoever against the evil will currently controlling Bakura's body, not even if Hayato used the power of his strongest "Three Egyptian Gods".
After all, the Nameless Pharaoh had already made that attempt three thousand years ago.
As for duel rituals and dark games, it wasn't as if Hayato hadn't used them during the Duelist Kingdom. He had thought that defeating Dark Bakura once back then might keep him quiet for a while, but less than five days after being absorbed by the rules of the Dark Game, Dark Bakura had secretly returned to Bakura Ryo's body and subsequently attacked Pegasus to seize the Millennium Eye.
Without absolute confidence in defeating the opponent, and with the opponent holding an important Hostage, Hayato truly had no way to deal with Bakura.
But it didn't matter. Although Hayato had forgotten many parts of the plot due to the passage of time, he hadn't forgotten the plot of the "Memory World" arc, which was the most memorable part of the Yu-Gi-Oh! plot.
As long as he followed the plot, Dark Bakura, this evil will, would embody his persona—a "99% loss rate"—and lose to Dark Yugi in the final Dark Game, being defeated in the Memory World. At the same time, Dark Yugi would also be able to retrieve his name and memory.
Although there was the risk that Yugi would also be absorbed by darkness if he lost, this was a necessary sacrifice for the final victory. In Hayato's heart, he convinced himself of this, telling himself not to interfere with Bakura.
And just as Hayato had expected, sure enough, after Bakura led everyone out of the Tomb Keepers' Clan Territory and walked a considerable distance, they arrived before a grotto leading Underground. Bakura, who had been leading the way, stopped and turned around to face everyone: "First stop, the Stone Tablet leading to the Memory World has arrived. I told you I wasn't lying, right?"
"It would have been perfectly fine if this Stone Tablet had been specifically sent to Domino City, but it was sent back because of that exhibition. If it were still in Domino City, we wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble to come to Egypt to find this Stone Tablet," Bakura grumbled with a look of disgust. "Fortunately, that woman knew where this Stone Tablet was placed after it was transported back to Egypt, otherwise even I might not have found it."
"Also, I have to mention, the Millennium Eye is really easy to use, but I'd be even happier if it were the Millennium Ring."
"Heh, no can do. The Millennium Ring is mine. Why don't you call out to it and see if it answers you?" Hayato glanced at Bakura and sneered.
"You stole it from me back at that time, and you still have the face to say it so self-righteous?" Bakura rolled his eyes, which was his reply to Hayato, then turned to look at Dark Yugi and chuckled, "Alright, Yugi—no, Nameless Pharaoh. You who have been yearning for your lost memory and vanished name have finally assembled the necessary conditions and arrived before the Stone Tablet where you can retrieve your memory and name."
"Go in, Nameless Pharaoh. That is the destiny that has waited for you three thousand years."
Saying this, Bakura made a respectful gesture and stepped aside, indicating that Dark Yugi could enter the grotto leading to the Stone Tablet of Memories.
"You don't need to tell me that!"
Hearing Bakura's words, the usually steady Dark Yugi showed an annoyed expression.
On one hand, although Hayato had decided to temporarily cooperate with Bakura, Yugi couldn't get past the inner hurdle in his heart. After arriving in Egypt and meeting Bakura again, Yugi couldn't understand why a unique sense of revulsion rose in his heart towards Bakura; he found him displeasing no matter how he looked at him.
On the other hand, although he had been seeking his memory, when it came to the moment he could truly retrieve it, it was false to say there wasn't even a trace of hesitation and confusion in his heart.
Dartz's words, which were meant to mislead people, still echoed in Dark Yugi's ears. He didn't know what kind of person his past self, the Pharaoh three thousand years ago who used the Millennium Items with such a bloody truth behind them, truly was. What reason had caused him to lose his memory and name and return to the human world three thousand years later?
And, would the self who recovered his memory become a completely different person from his present self, and so on.
However, now was not the time to think about those things. Although Dark Yugi also had human flaws, he would hesitate, feel pity, and regret, but he could suppress these emotions with reason. Now that he had arrived just one step away from the Stone Tablet, it was indeed time to retrieve his memory.
Thinking this, Yugi looked at the people beside him, his gaze sweeping over Téa , Joey Wheeler , Tristan , Hayato, and others (Marik, Pegasus: Hey!). He nodded lightly and walked into the grotto that extended downwards.
Following the long stairs downwards, in just a moment, everyone arrived Underground. In the Cave, which was only the size of a single room, the Stone Tablet of Memories that had once been exhibited in Domino City was mounted on the wall. It depicted the Nameless Pharaoh from three thousand years ago, an Ancient Egyptian remarkably similar to Kaiba, **Dark Magician** and **Blue-Eyes White Dragon**, as well as the Three Egyptian Gods, recording the Memory World.
"The Stone Tablet of Memories has once again come before me," Dark Yugi muttered to himself, looking up at the "himself" depicted on the Stone Tablet. Behind Dark Yugi, Téa looked at Dark Yugi's back, her thoughts racing.
*'Yugi... Although I always call him 'Yugi' casually, there's another person's personality inside Yugi's body, but I've never known his true name...'* Her hand reached into her pocket, her fingertips touching a hard object, bringing a cold sensation. Téa made up her mind and took out that thing from her pocket.
"Yugi," she called out to Dark Yugi, who was looking at the Stone Tablet and about to retrieve his memory. Téa held out a necklace with a metal plaque attached, offering it to Dark Yugi, "Please, accept this."
Dark Yugi turned around and looked at the thing in Téa's hand. Because he had no memory, he didn't know what was in Téa's hand: "What is this?"
"It's a nameplate that can be engraved with a name. I heard at the airport that it's used to engrave the names of ancient Egyptian pharaohs, so I specifically bought it," Téa explained, watching Dark Yugi reach out and take it.
Picking up the metal plaque and looking at it, Dark Yugi said with some confusion: "But, there's no name engraved on it?"
"In that case, when your memory recovers, Yugi, and you remember your true name, I hope you can engrave the name on this," Téa showed a smile, trying hard to sound relaxed, but she couldn't hide the bitterness. "That way, no matter what happens next time, you won't forget it again."
Following Téa's gaze to the side, everyone noticed that on the weather-beaten Stone Tablet, ravaged by time, some damage was particularly obvious. The location of those openings seemed to be precisely where the pharaoh's name was recorded.
"The pharaoh's name on that Stone Tablet was completely scratched out, wasn't it? I want you to at least let me know your true name."
Meeting Téa's gaze, Dark Yugi smiled: "Thank you, Téa. I will cherish this gift."
Saying this, Dark Yugi unclasped the necklace and put it around his neck, then turned back to face the Stone Tablet.
Meanwhile, seeing that Dark Yugi and Téa's farewell had ended, Hayato held out his hand to Dark Yugi. **Obelisk the Tormentor**, **Slifer the Sky Dragon**, and **The Winged Dragon of Ra**—the three God Cards—were offered to Dark Yugi. This time, the Spirit of Ra had also specifically returned from Sphere Mode to The Winged Dragon of Ra's main card.
"Alright, let's begin, Yugi. Go retrieve your memory."
"Okay, thank you, Hayato." Taking the three cards Hayato offered, Dark Yugi nodded solemnly and looked gravely at the Stone Tablet.
With the three God Cards, I have come before the Stone Tablet. What will happen at this moment? The answer is here!
"Start!" Saying this, Dark Yugi raised his hand, pointing the three God Cards towards the Stone Tablet and raising them all above his head.
In an instant, the underground was enveloped by the radiance bursting from the Stone Tablet, and the source of the light was the Millennium Puzzle-shaped carving in the center of the Stone Tablet. The Stone Tablet that sealed the Memory World officially opened under the power of the Soul of the Nameless Pharaoh and the three God Cards!
In this instant, Dark Yugi felt his body was so light, as if his body was no longer bound by gravity and was floating up. His gaze shifted away from the shining Stone Tablet to avoid the light, and he subconsciously looked down and saw "himself".
No, not himself, but Aibo, Mutou Yuugi's body. His soul had left Aibo's body and seemed to be floating towards the glowing Stone Tablet!
His soul, which had always been bound within the Millennium Puzzle, had its restraint dispelled!
He didn't have time to think further. In the very next instant, Dark Yugi, the Soul of the Nameless Pharaoh, merged into the shining Stone Tablet. And the moment he entered the Stone Tablet, the Nameless Pharaoh instantly knew that this Stone Tablet was opening the gate to his lost memories!
A tunnel-like space appeared before the Nameless Pharaoh's eyes. With an uneasy heart, he closed his eyes and waited for memories to flood his mind.
But what he didn't know was that in the Outside World at this moment, seeing Dark Yugi use the three God Cards to open the Stone Tablet of Memories, Bakura, who had led them here, sat down on the stairs and suddenly collapsed.
From a perspective others couldn't witness, a soul separated from Bakura's body and burst out laughing: "Hahahaha, you fell for it, Hayato Kobayashi, Mutou Yuugi! This is my offensive strategy!"
Following the shining Stone Tablet, Dark Bakura's soul almost immediately followed behind Dark Yugi and merged into the Stone Tablet together.
"I've waited a long time for this day. My avatar hidden within the Millennium Puzzle was my coordinate. The moment the gate to the Memory World opens, I will also enter the Memory World together! This Ultimate Dark Game will—"
Entering the tunnel-like space, Bakura saw the Nameless Pharaoh floating not far in front of him, who hadn't gone far. Bakura laughed proudly, about to make a move on the unprepared Nameless Pharaoh, but suddenly felt his body sink.
Bakura twisted his head sharply and saw that where he had just entered, his legs, which hadn't gone far, were grabbed by an arm.
Immediately after, the owner of the arm also drilled in, sticking out a head. Wasn't it Hayato?
"You guy, how did you get in here?! Don't get in my way!" Dark Bakura said angrily, looking at Hayato.
"If I don't interfere, nothing will change. That's what I thought before, but it's not my style to take a loss and not get revenge."
The moment Dark Yugi opened the Memory World, Hayato, who had been prepared and used the power of a few Millennium Items on his body to merge his soul into the Stone Tablet together, looked at Bakura, whom he was dragging, and sneered, "So, don't think about messing with Yugi. Your opponent is me, Bakura!"
"D-Damn you!" Seeing his body getting further and further from the Nameless Pharaoh because of Hayato's interference, Dark Bakura glared at Hayato. "Anyway, I can't lose. In that case, it's fine to have one more player. You join this Dark Game too, Hayato Kobayashi!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a surge of power suddenly spread from Dark Bakura, enveloping everything within the tunnel space in darkness. Hayato lost consciousness in an instant.
The next moment, Hayato heard someone calling out something in his ear.
After leaving Marik's house, everyone finally noticed that while they had been in the Underground Secret Room, all the Tomb Keepers who had been perfectly fine before were now lying on the ground with pained expressions. Although they didn't check each one carefully, as they passed by the fallen Tomb Keepers, everyone could clearly feel the aura of dark magic power clinging to them.
There was no need to guess; they knew it must have been Bakura. To perfectly infiltrate the Tomb Keepers, he had eliminated all witnesses, showing a style reminiscent of a certain man whose name couldn't be spoken.
"Don't worry about these guys. I just subdued them; I didn't hurt anyone. After all, if I killed someone here, you definitely wouldn't continue our cooperation, right?"
Bakura, who was walking ahead, didn't even frown and stepped over the body of a collapsed Tomb Keeper without a second glance—Hayato even recognized that person; he was the most eager among the Guards who had tried to curry favor with him earlier—and said without turning his head, "They will naturally wake up once we leave."
Hearing this, Hayato wore an annoyed expression: "That had better be the case."
If he could, Hayato truly wanted to take care of Bakura right here, but he couldn't.
This wasn't just because Bakura was holding Ishizu as a Hostage, but also because even using the power of spirits to kill Bakura on a physical level would only kill the human "Bakura Ryo". It would be of no use whatsoever against the evil will currently controlling Bakura's body, not even if Hayato used the power of his strongest "Three Egyptian Gods".
After all, the Nameless Pharaoh had already made that attempt three thousand years ago.
As for duel rituals and dark games, it wasn't as if Hayato hadn't used them during the Duelist Kingdom. He had thought that defeating Dark Bakura once back then might keep him quiet for a while, but less than five days after being absorbed by the rules of the Dark Game, Dark Bakura had secretly returned to Bakura Ryo's body and subsequently attacked Pegasus to seize the Millennium Eye.
Without absolute confidence in defeating the opponent, and with the opponent holding an important Hostage, Hayato truly had no way to deal with Bakura.
But it didn't matter. Although Hayato had forgotten many parts of the plot due to the passage of time, he hadn't forgotten the plot of the "Memory World" arc, which was the most memorable part of the Yu-Gi-Oh! plot.
As long as he followed the plot, Dark Bakura, this evil will, would embody his persona—a "99% loss rate"—and lose to Dark Yugi in the final Dark Game, being defeated in the Memory World. At the same time, Dark Yugi would also be able to retrieve his name and memory.
Although there was the risk that Yugi would also be absorbed by darkness if he lost, this was a necessary sacrifice for the final victory. In Hayato's heart, he convinced himself of this, telling himself not to interfere with Bakura.
And just as Hayato had expected, sure enough, after Bakura led everyone out of the Tomb Keepers' Clan Territory and walked a considerable distance, they arrived before a grotto leading Underground. Bakura, who had been leading the way, stopped and turned around to face everyone: "First stop, the Stone Tablet leading to the Memory World has arrived. I told you I wasn't lying, right?"
"It would have been perfectly fine if this Stone Tablet had been specifically sent to Domino City, but it was sent back because of that exhibition. If it were still in Domino City, we wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble to come to Egypt to find this Stone Tablet," Bakura grumbled with a look of disgust. "Fortunately, that woman knew where this Stone Tablet was placed after it was transported back to Egypt, otherwise even I might not have found it."
"Also, I have to mention, the Millennium Eye is really easy to use, but I'd be even happier if it were the Millennium Ring."
"Heh, no can do. The Millennium Ring is mine. Why don't you call out to it and see if it answers you?" Hayato glanced at Bakura and sneered.
"You stole it from me back at that time, and you still have the face to say it so self-righteous?" Bakura rolled his eyes, which was his reply to Hayato, then turned to look at Dark Yugi and chuckled, "Alright, Yugi—no, Nameless Pharaoh. You who have been yearning for your lost memory and vanished name have finally assembled the necessary conditions and arrived before the Stone Tablet where you can retrieve your memory and name."
"Go in, Nameless Pharaoh. That is the destiny that has waited for you three thousand years."
Saying this, Bakura made a respectful gesture and stepped aside, indicating that Dark Yugi could enter the grotto leading to the Stone Tablet of Memories.
"You don't need to tell me that!"
Hearing Bakura's words, the usually steady Dark Yugi showed an annoyed expression.
On one hand, although Hayato had decided to temporarily cooperate with Bakura, Yugi couldn't get past the inner hurdle in his heart. After arriving in Egypt and meeting Bakura again, Yugi couldn't understand why a unique sense of revulsion rose in his heart towards Bakura; he found him displeasing no matter how he looked at him.
On the other hand, although he had been seeking his memory, when it came to the moment he could truly retrieve it, it was false to say there wasn't even a trace of hesitation and confusion in his heart.
Dartz's words, which were meant to mislead people, still echoed in Dark Yugi's ears. He didn't know what kind of person his past self, the Pharaoh three thousand years ago who used the Millennium Items with such a bloody truth behind them, truly was. What reason had caused him to lose his memory and name and return to the human world three thousand years later?
And, would the self who recovered his memory become a completely different person from his present self, and so on.
However, now was not the time to think about those things. Although Dark Yugi also had human flaws, he would hesitate, feel pity, and regret, but he could suppress these emotions with reason. Now that he had arrived just one step away from the Stone Tablet, it was indeed time to retrieve his memory.
Thinking this, Yugi looked at the people beside him, his gaze sweeping over Téa , Joey Wheeler , Tristan , Hayato, and others (Marik, Pegasus: Hey!). He nodded lightly and walked into the grotto that extended downwards.
Following the long stairs downwards, in just a moment, everyone arrived Underground. In the Cave, which was only the size of a single room, the Stone Tablet of Memories that had once been exhibited in Domino City was mounted on the wall. It depicted the Nameless Pharaoh from three thousand years ago, an Ancient Egyptian remarkably similar to Kaiba, **Dark Magician** and **Blue-Eyes White Dragon**, as well as the Three Egyptian Gods, recording the Memory World.
"The Stone Tablet of Memories has once again come before me," Dark Yugi muttered to himself, looking up at the "himself" depicted on the Stone Tablet. Behind Dark Yugi, Téa looked at Dark Yugi's back, her thoughts racing.
*'Yugi... Although I always call him 'Yugi' casually, there's another person's personality inside Yugi's body, but I've never known his true name...'* Her hand reached into her pocket, her fingertips touching a hard object, bringing a cold sensation. Téa made up her mind and took out that thing from her pocket.
"Yugi," she called out to Dark Yugi, who was looking at the Stone Tablet and about to retrieve his memory. Téa held out a necklace with a metal plaque attached, offering it to Dark Yugi, "Please, accept this."
Dark Yugi turned around and looked at the thing in Téa's hand. Because he had no memory, he didn't know what was in Téa's hand: "What is this?"
"It's a nameplate that can be engraved with a name. I heard at the airport that it's used to engrave the names of ancient Egyptian pharaohs, so I specifically bought it," Téa explained, watching Dark Yugi reach out and take it.
Picking up the metal plaque and looking at it, Dark Yugi said with some confusion: "But, there's no name engraved on it?"
"In that case, when your memory recovers, Yugi, and you remember your true name, I hope you can engrave the name on this," Téa showed a smile, trying hard to sound relaxed, but she couldn't hide the bitterness. "That way, no matter what happens next time, you won't forget it again."
Following Téa's gaze to the side, everyone noticed that on the weather-beaten Stone Tablet, ravaged by time, some damage was particularly obvious. The location of those openings seemed to be precisely where the pharaoh's name was recorded.
"The pharaoh's name on that Stone Tablet was completely scratched out, wasn't it? I want you to at least let me know your true name."
Meeting Téa's gaze, Dark Yugi smiled: "Thank you, Téa. I will cherish this gift."
Saying this, Dark Yugi unclasped the necklace and put it around his neck, then turned back to face the Stone Tablet.
Meanwhile, seeing that Dark Yugi and Téa's farewell had ended, Hayato held out his hand to Dark Yugi. **Obelisk the Tormentor**, **Slifer the Sky Dragon**, and **The Winged Dragon of Ra**—the three God Cards—were offered to Dark Yugi. This time, the Spirit of Ra had also specifically returned from Sphere Mode to The Winged Dragon of Ra's main card.
"Alright, let's begin, Yugi. Go retrieve your memory."
"Okay, thank you, Hayato." Taking the three cards Hayato offered, Dark Yugi nodded solemnly and looked gravely at the Stone Tablet.
With the three God Cards, I have come before the Stone Tablet. What will happen at this moment? The answer is here!
"Start!" Saying this, Dark Yugi raised his hand, pointing the three God Cards towards the Stone Tablet and raising them all above his head.
In an instant, the underground was enveloped by the radiance bursting from the Stone Tablet, and the source of the light was the Millennium Puzzle-shaped carving in the center of the Stone Tablet. The Stone Tablet that sealed the Memory World officially opened under the power of the Soul of the Nameless Pharaoh and the three God Cards!
In this instant, Dark Yugi felt his body was so light, as if his body was no longer bound by gravity and was floating up. His gaze shifted away from the shining Stone Tablet to avoid the light, and he subconsciously looked down and saw "himself".
No, not himself, but Aibo, Mutou Yuugi's body. His soul had left Aibo's body and seemed to be floating towards the glowing Stone Tablet!
His soul, which had always been bound within the Millennium Puzzle, had its restraint dispelled!
He didn't have time to think further. In the very next instant, Dark Yugi, the Soul of the Nameless Pharaoh, merged into the shining Stone Tablet. And the moment he entered the Stone Tablet, the Nameless Pharaoh instantly knew that this Stone Tablet was opening the gate to his lost memories!
A tunnel-like space appeared before the Nameless Pharaoh's eyes. With an uneasy heart, he closed his eyes and waited for memories to flood his mind.
But what he didn't know was that in the Outside World at this moment, seeing Dark Yugi use the three God Cards to open the Stone Tablet of Memories, Bakura, who had led them here, sat down on the stairs and suddenly collapsed.
From a perspective others couldn't witness, a soul separated from Bakura's body and burst out laughing: "Hahahaha, you fell for it, Hayato Kobayashi, Mutou Yuugi! This is my offensive strategy!"
Following the shining Stone Tablet, Dark Bakura's soul almost immediately followed behind Dark Yugi and merged into the Stone Tablet together.
"I've waited a long time for this day. My avatar hidden within the Millennium Puzzle was my coordinate. The moment the gate to the Memory World opens, I will also enter the Memory World together! This Ultimate Dark Game will—"
Entering the tunnel-like space, Bakura saw the Nameless Pharaoh floating not far in front of him, who hadn't gone far. Bakura laughed proudly, about to make a move on the unprepared Nameless Pharaoh, but suddenly felt his body sink.
Bakura twisted his head sharply and saw that where he had just entered, his legs, which hadn't gone far, were grabbed by an arm.
Immediately after, the owner of the arm also drilled in, sticking out a head. Wasn't it Hayato?
"You guy, how did you get in here?! Don't get in my way!" Dark Bakura said angrily, looking at Hayato.
"If I don't interfere, nothing will change. That's what I thought before, but it's not my style to take a loss and not get revenge."
The moment Dark Yugi opened the Memory World, Hayato, who had been prepared and used the power of a few Millennium Items on his body to merge his soul into the Stone Tablet together, looked at Bakura, whom he was dragging, and sneered, "So, don't think about messing with Yugi. Your opponent is me, Bakura!"
"D-Damn you!" Seeing his body getting further and further from the Nameless Pharaoh because of Hayato's interference, Dark Bakura glared at Hayato. "Anyway, I can't lose. In that case, it's fine to have one more player. You join this Dark Game too, Hayato Kobayashi!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a surge of power suddenly spread from Dark Bakura, enveloping everything within the tunnel space in darkness. Hayato lost consciousness in an instant.
The next moment, Hayato heard someone calling out something in his ear.
