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# Chapter 838: Avoiding the Edge, Temporarily Enduring
"Shada?" Hayato looked at Shadi, who had suddenly appeared, mistaking him for Priest Shada from three thousand years ago because of their identical faces. However, upon noticing the other party's unfocused eyes, he recognized his identity. "No, it's Shadi after all."
"Why are you here?"
"Hello, Hayato Kobayashi." Shadi nodded at Hayato and said seriously, "Similar to the Ishtar Family, I, Shadi Sin, as the last descendant of another branch of the Tomb Keepers, have always stood on the Pharaoh's side from beginning to end. My appearance here is naturally to help the Pharaoh's Soul still residing within the Millennium Puzzle."
"The mission of the Ishtar Family is to await the Pharaoh's Soul's return to the human world three thousand years later, in the present, and help him recover his lost memories and name. In contrast, the mission of my family is the opposite: to help the Pharaoh Seal the Millennium Items and return his soul to the Underworld—"
"What kind of nonsense are you suddenly spouting, bald guy!"
Shadi's words were cut off halfway by Joey Wheeler, who was extremely impatient. Joey Wheeler glared fiercely at Shadi with an annoyed expression. "Saying 'return his soul to the Underworld' and all that, if you speak plainly, aren't you just telling Atem, who finally found his name, to go die!"
"Don't think that just because you helped us before, we won't take action against you, Shadi."
Honda also stood beside Joey Wheeler, cracking the knuckles of his clenched fist. Although the two, who styled themselves the Invincible "Domino City Fighting King," had been beaten more than once in fights, they weren't afraid at all when it came time to fight.
After Atem and Hayato were brought into the Tablet World within the World of the King's Memory by Dark Bakura and dragged into a Dark Game, Yugi, Joey Wheeler, Téa, and Tristan, who remained in the Outside World, were brought into the World of the King's Memory because the Millennium Items suddenly glowed and resonated together amidst the light. The Millennium Key, which was the first to glow, was the one Shadi had given to Hayato beforehand.
So while it was true that Shadi had indeed helped them before, that alone wasn't enough for Joey Wheeler and the others to forgive Shadi for saying Atem should "go die." Even Téa looked at Shadi with an unfriendly expression.
"Although I haven't been to the Underworld, that kind of place can't be good at all. Even counting the time from three thousand years ago, The Other Me is still only twenty years old," Yugi take a deep breath and looked at Shadi, saying, "And during all this time, he hasn't even had enough time to live for himself. Having finally recovered his name, he shouldn't have to leave again so soon!"
"But this is the Pharaoh's Destiny, Mutou Yuugi, the Vessel of the Pharaoh's Soul." Shadi's unfocused eyes stared at Yugi. "He is not a soul that belongs to this era. The era he belongs to, the people he knew, have all disappeared into time. This era does not have a vessel that can hold his soul, not even you."
But facing Shadi's gaze, Yugi said without backing down, "My name is Mutou Yuugi! And The Other Me also has his own name now, he is called Atem!"
Pegasus didn't interrupt, but glanced at Marik, who was also not involved and was standing aside watching the drama, and asked, "The world where the Tomb Keepers existed should have ended three thousand years ago, right, Marik boy? Even ancient Egypt has disappeared. What makes you Tomb Keepers so dedicated to your mission?"
"I don't know, I've never thought about that question." Marik said indifferently; he was always indifferent about matters in this aspect. "Although I am indeed from the Tomb Keepers, and even my father, Geb Ishtar, was the former clan head of the Ishtar Family, don't forget, I separated from the Ishtar Family long ago. I am Marik, simply just Marik."
"Matters concerning the Tomb Keepers have nothing to do with me. Even before separated from the Ishtar Family, I was always a rebellious person who didn't want to be bound by a mere family, unlike my older sister. Even Rishid is more like a Tomb Keeper than I am."
Looking carelessly towards the group confronting Shadi, Marik said casually, "However, if I had to say, it's probably what's called 'destiny.' Most people only have the ability to drift with the current, following the guidance of destiny. Even if their ability increases, they can only stir up bigger waves in the current of destiny, yet they still cannot overcome it. This is the same even if it's my Older Sister, Ishizu."
"Isn't it ridiculous? Even though she has the Millennium Necklace which can reveal the future and almost surpass destiny, Ishizu, with the strongest talent in history, could only see a fixed future from the Millennium Necklace. She is still a slave of destiny, only able to move forward along with the family's destiny and unable to control her own direction."
"Destiny... me also tried to find a way to change it. As a result, I encountered Mr. Shadi in Egypt many years ago, and instead got lost in the current of destiny," Pegasus said with a smile upon hearing Marik's words, his gaze turning towards Hayato and Yugi. "However, when my destiny was just a hair's breadth away from reaching its end, I was dragged out of the vortex."
"Hayato Kobayashi is the man who can become my Brother-in-law. Unlike most people, he is the sun on the sea of destiny. Even the current that sweeps countless people forward cannot force him to change his trajectory. Furthermore, I, Rishid, and Older Sister have all separated from our own destinies because of his sun-like attraction."
Marik exclaimed, then showed an expression of watching the drama again. "As for the Pharaoh's Soul returning to the Underworld, if Brother-in-law wasn't here, that guy Shadi might have succeeded, but now he fundamentally has no possibility of convincing the Pharaoh's Soul."
"My soul, return to the Underworld?" Since Shadi's goal involved him, Atem also exchanged bodies with Yugi and came to the Outside World, looking at Shadi before him and speaking. Looking at the other party's face, Atem felt the same as Hayato; the other party was very similar to Shada.
However, it was only that appearance. Shadi always gave Atem a feeling that he was somehow a "controller" who was outside of this world, looking down on the entire world from above, always having a feeling of attempting to arrange certain matters, which made him very uncomfortable. This was completely different from the Shada he knew.
"Precisely so, my Pharaoh." Shadi also noticed the change in Yugi's body and knew that Atem had appeared, saying respectfully, "Firstly, I, Shadi Sin, as the last descendant of the Tomb Keepers loyal to you, Pharaoh, hereby congratulate you on finally recovering your lost and important name."
"Then, I also need to inform you that as long as the Millennium Items still exist in the human world, they will inevitably continuously issue a fatal temptation to humanity because of the powerful dark power they possess. This heart of greed will only cause humanity to gradually deviate from the path forward and step onto the wrong path."
Shadi paused, then slightly moved aside and pointed towards where Funny Valentine had disappeared. "Such an end, over the three thousand years that the Millennium Items have existed, is actually not the first instance. And as long as the Millennium Items don't disappear, the same destiny will repeat countless times."
Hayato crossed his arms over his chest, looking at Shadi and saying, "The Millennium Items are products of dark alchemy, so they are difficult to destroy. So, do you mean that if Atem doesn't seal them, the blood and hatred they bring will all be blamed on him?"
"I absolutely did not mean that."
Shadi also quickly denied it. His goal was to guide the Pharaoh's Soul onto the path of returning to the Underworld, not to put a big hat on the Pharaoh's Soul. He didn't think that moral blackmail tactics would be useful against a soul from three thousand years ago, and moreover, he disdained using it.
"Pharaoh, you should have already experienced enough matters in these modern years. The best example is none other than the Emperor of Atlantis, Dartz, who was just recently defeated by you, Hayato Kobayashi, Kaiba Seto, and others working together."
Shadi didn't pay attention to Joey Wheeler, who was being held back by Tristan behind him and angrily shouting, "Who are you calling 'and others,' hey, you bald guy!" He said seriously to Atem, "The Atlanteans lost their path forward and deviated under the temptation of the Orichalcos's power. The Millennium Items now serve the purpose of the Orichalcos. Pursuing its power will only make humanity step onto the path of destruction."
"Humanity's darkness is still expanding to this day. It must be curbed before it reaches the edge of bursting. This is for the salvation of the world, my Pharaoh."
Saying this, Shadi also pointed to Pegasus, making Atem look towards his side.
Upon hearing Shadi's words, Pegasus also subconsciously raised his hand, his finger passing through the silver hair hanging down covering half his face, and touched his left eye. That was where he had created an artificial eye with the same appearance as the Millennium Eye to fill the blank in his left eye. Because of the characteristic of the metal itself, Pegasus, who wasn't lacking money, chose gold to create it.
He once thought that the impact of losing his left eye and the dark power of the Millennium Eye was perhaps the greatest test he had undergone. But looking at it now, was it actually incredibly lucky that he didn't die like Funny Valentine back then?
Seeing that Shadi still wanted to continue convincing Atem, Hayato spoke up and interrupted him. "Let those words stop here, Shadi Sin. Although you say you won't use moral blackmail, aren't you still trying to tempt Atem?"
"Because the yearning for power is harmful, you want to erase the existence of power? If Kaiba were here and heard what you said, his head would fall off from laughing. If you said something like that in a gym, you'd be held down on a dumbbell and beaten."
Slowly walking towards Shadi, Hayato said as he walked, "I'm too lazy to say big words to you. The ultimate fate of humanity isn't something you can change just because you want to. Arrogantly wanting to control the future, do you think you're some kind of god?"
"What's wrong with yearning for power? Those who step onto the wrong path are merely isolated cases lacking sufficient resolve in themselves. You, who don't believe this and generalize from isolated cases, otherwise, try to defeat me, who has also been 'lost' by power!"
The spirit suddenly rushed out from the Gaia Card that Hayato had thrown out but not yet retrieved. Gaia, holding a lance, attacked towards Shadi, scaring him into quickly retreating two steps to dodge. The lance pierced the wall, missing Shadi's head by mere inches.
"Hayato Kobayashi, what are you doing!" Shadi said, looking nervously at Hayato.
Shadi originally intended to say this, but facing the imposing Hayato, Shadi couldn't help but recall that experience when he attempted to use the Millennium Key to probe Hayato's inner thoughts back during Battle City. Even if it's today, recalling that time, Shadi's heart was still filled with fear.
It was also after that time that the Millennium Key, one of the two Millennium Items he could use, also became unable to respond to him anymore. After multiple failed attempts, he simply handed it over to Hayato, but found that Hayato could actually still use its power.
Ever since he lost his body several years ago and was between the boundary between death and life, the power he could exert was far less than before. He was fundamentally not Hayato's opponent now, moreover, besides Hayato, there are also Marik, Pegasus, and the Pharaoh's Soul here, so many people.
It seems he won't be able to convince the Pharaoh's Soul to embark on the journey of returning to the Underworld today. In that case, he can only retreat first.
"If you are still in the joy of recovering your memory, I, who specifically came here to give a warning, have indeed disturbed the Pharaoh's celebration. But one day, the Pharaoh will realize I am correct, and by then, I will still offer my power to seal the Millennium Items for you, Pharaoh." Even if it was obvious he was running away, Shadi still spoke some fine words. Saying this, he turned around and left without hesitation.
Bakura, who had been watching Shadi for a long time, hearing Shadi say this, also finally mustered up the courage to speak. "Um, are you called Shadi? I'd like to ask, have we met somewhere before?"
However, after Shadi heard Bakura's words, he only paused his steps slightly and continued walking silently towards a corner. After stepping into that corner, he instantly disappeared.
"That guy finally left." Joey Wheeler didn't hide his rejection of Shadi at all. After all, that guy said he wanted Atem to leave them and go to the Underworld. He looked at Atem and said, "Don't take that guy's words to heart, Yugi. Putting other things aside, look at us, is there anyone who would develop desire for the Millennium Items?"
"Idiot, Atem has already recovered his name, why are you still calling him Yugi?" "Ehe, wasn't I just worried he'd overthink things and accidentally said the wrong name?"
Atem looked at Tristan and Joey Wheeler and also noticed Téa's worried line of sight from beside him. He smiled and shook his head, telling them not to worry, and didn't say anything else, returning to the Millennium Puzzle.
"Shada?" Hayato looked at Shadi, who had suddenly appeared, mistaking him for Priest Shada from three thousand years ago because of their identical faces. However, upon noticing the other party's unfocused eyes, he recognized his identity. "No, it's Shadi after all."
"Why are you here?"
"Hello, Hayato Kobayashi." Shadi nodded at Hayato and said seriously, "Similar to the Ishtar Family, I, Shadi Sin, as the last descendant of another branch of the Tomb Keepers, have always stood on the Pharaoh's side from beginning to end. My appearance here is naturally to help the Pharaoh's Soul still residing within the Millennium Puzzle."
"The mission of the Ishtar Family is to await the Pharaoh's Soul's return to the human world three thousand years later, in the present, and help him recover his lost memories and name. In contrast, the mission of my family is the opposite: to help the Pharaoh Seal the Millennium Items and return his soul to the Underworld—"
"What kind of nonsense are you suddenly spouting, bald guy!"
Shadi's words were cut off halfway by Joey Wheeler, who was extremely impatient. Joey Wheeler glared fiercely at Shadi with an annoyed expression. "Saying 'return his soul to the Underworld' and all that, if you speak plainly, aren't you just telling Atem, who finally found his name, to go die!"
"Don't think that just because you helped us before, we won't take action against you, Shadi."
Honda also stood beside Joey Wheeler, cracking the knuckles of his clenched fist. Although the two, who styled themselves the Invincible "Domino City Fighting King," had been beaten more than once in fights, they weren't afraid at all when it came time to fight.
After Atem and Hayato were brought into the Tablet World within the World of the King's Memory by Dark Bakura and dragged into a Dark Game, Yugi, Joey Wheeler, Téa, and Tristan, who remained in the Outside World, were brought into the World of the King's Memory because the Millennium Items suddenly glowed and resonated together amidst the light. The Millennium Key, which was the first to glow, was the one Shadi had given to Hayato beforehand.
So while it was true that Shadi had indeed helped them before, that alone wasn't enough for Joey Wheeler and the others to forgive Shadi for saying Atem should "go die." Even Téa looked at Shadi with an unfriendly expression.
"Although I haven't been to the Underworld, that kind of place can't be good at all. Even counting the time from three thousand years ago, The Other Me is still only twenty years old," Yugi take a deep breath and looked at Shadi, saying, "And during all this time, he hasn't even had enough time to live for himself. Having finally recovered his name, he shouldn't have to leave again so soon!"
"But this is the Pharaoh's Destiny, Mutou Yuugi, the Vessel of the Pharaoh's Soul." Shadi's unfocused eyes stared at Yugi. "He is not a soul that belongs to this era. The era he belongs to, the people he knew, have all disappeared into time. This era does not have a vessel that can hold his soul, not even you."
But facing Shadi's gaze, Yugi said without backing down, "My name is Mutou Yuugi! And The Other Me also has his own name now, he is called Atem!"
Pegasus didn't interrupt, but glanced at Marik, who was also not involved and was standing aside watching the drama, and asked, "The world where the Tomb Keepers existed should have ended three thousand years ago, right, Marik boy? Even ancient Egypt has disappeared. What makes you Tomb Keepers so dedicated to your mission?"
"I don't know, I've never thought about that question." Marik said indifferently; he was always indifferent about matters in this aspect. "Although I am indeed from the Tomb Keepers, and even my father, Geb Ishtar, was the former clan head of the Ishtar Family, don't forget, I separated from the Ishtar Family long ago. I am Marik, simply just Marik."
"Matters concerning the Tomb Keepers have nothing to do with me. Even before separated from the Ishtar Family, I was always a rebellious person who didn't want to be bound by a mere family, unlike my older sister. Even Rishid is more like a Tomb Keeper than I am."
Looking carelessly towards the group confronting Shadi, Marik said casually, "However, if I had to say, it's probably what's called 'destiny.' Most people only have the ability to drift with the current, following the guidance of destiny. Even if their ability increases, they can only stir up bigger waves in the current of destiny, yet they still cannot overcome it. This is the same even if it's my Older Sister, Ishizu."
"Isn't it ridiculous? Even though she has the Millennium Necklace which can reveal the future and almost surpass destiny, Ishizu, with the strongest talent in history, could only see a fixed future from the Millennium Necklace. She is still a slave of destiny, only able to move forward along with the family's destiny and unable to control her own direction."
"Destiny... me also tried to find a way to change it. As a result, I encountered Mr. Shadi in Egypt many years ago, and instead got lost in the current of destiny," Pegasus said with a smile upon hearing Marik's words, his gaze turning towards Hayato and Yugi. "However, when my destiny was just a hair's breadth away from reaching its end, I was dragged out of the vortex."
"Hayato Kobayashi is the man who can become my Brother-in-law. Unlike most people, he is the sun on the sea of destiny. Even the current that sweeps countless people forward cannot force him to change his trajectory. Furthermore, I, Rishid, and Older Sister have all separated from our own destinies because of his sun-like attraction."
Marik exclaimed, then showed an expression of watching the drama again. "As for the Pharaoh's Soul returning to the Underworld, if Brother-in-law wasn't here, that guy Shadi might have succeeded, but now he fundamentally has no possibility of convincing the Pharaoh's Soul."
"My soul, return to the Underworld?" Since Shadi's goal involved him, Atem also exchanged bodies with Yugi and came to the Outside World, looking at Shadi before him and speaking. Looking at the other party's face, Atem felt the same as Hayato; the other party was very similar to Shada.
However, it was only that appearance. Shadi always gave Atem a feeling that he was somehow a "controller" who was outside of this world, looking down on the entire world from above, always having a feeling of attempting to arrange certain matters, which made him very uncomfortable. This was completely different from the Shada he knew.
"Precisely so, my Pharaoh." Shadi also noticed the change in Yugi's body and knew that Atem had appeared, saying respectfully, "Firstly, I, Shadi Sin, as the last descendant of the Tomb Keepers loyal to you, Pharaoh, hereby congratulate you on finally recovering your lost and important name."
"Then, I also need to inform you that as long as the Millennium Items still exist in the human world, they will inevitably continuously issue a fatal temptation to humanity because of the powerful dark power they possess. This heart of greed will only cause humanity to gradually deviate from the path forward and step onto the wrong path."
Shadi paused, then slightly moved aside and pointed towards where Funny Valentine had disappeared. "Such an end, over the three thousand years that the Millennium Items have existed, is actually not the first instance. And as long as the Millennium Items don't disappear, the same destiny will repeat countless times."
Hayato crossed his arms over his chest, looking at Shadi and saying, "The Millennium Items are products of dark alchemy, so they are difficult to destroy. So, do you mean that if Atem doesn't seal them, the blood and hatred they bring will all be blamed on him?"
"I absolutely did not mean that."
Shadi also quickly denied it. His goal was to guide the Pharaoh's Soul onto the path of returning to the Underworld, not to put a big hat on the Pharaoh's Soul. He didn't think that moral blackmail tactics would be useful against a soul from three thousand years ago, and moreover, he disdained using it.
"Pharaoh, you should have already experienced enough matters in these modern years. The best example is none other than the Emperor of Atlantis, Dartz, who was just recently defeated by you, Hayato Kobayashi, Kaiba Seto, and others working together."
Shadi didn't pay attention to Joey Wheeler, who was being held back by Tristan behind him and angrily shouting, "Who are you calling 'and others,' hey, you bald guy!" He said seriously to Atem, "The Atlanteans lost their path forward and deviated under the temptation of the Orichalcos's power. The Millennium Items now serve the purpose of the Orichalcos. Pursuing its power will only make humanity step onto the path of destruction."
"Humanity's darkness is still expanding to this day. It must be curbed before it reaches the edge of bursting. This is for the salvation of the world, my Pharaoh."
Saying this, Shadi also pointed to Pegasus, making Atem look towards his side.
Upon hearing Shadi's words, Pegasus also subconsciously raised his hand, his finger passing through the silver hair hanging down covering half his face, and touched his left eye. That was where he had created an artificial eye with the same appearance as the Millennium Eye to fill the blank in his left eye. Because of the characteristic of the metal itself, Pegasus, who wasn't lacking money, chose gold to create it.
He once thought that the impact of losing his left eye and the dark power of the Millennium Eye was perhaps the greatest test he had undergone. But looking at it now, was it actually incredibly lucky that he didn't die like Funny Valentine back then?
Seeing that Shadi still wanted to continue convincing Atem, Hayato spoke up and interrupted him. "Let those words stop here, Shadi Sin. Although you say you won't use moral blackmail, aren't you still trying to tempt Atem?"
"Because the yearning for power is harmful, you want to erase the existence of power? If Kaiba were here and heard what you said, his head would fall off from laughing. If you said something like that in a gym, you'd be held down on a dumbbell and beaten."
Slowly walking towards Shadi, Hayato said as he walked, "I'm too lazy to say big words to you. The ultimate fate of humanity isn't something you can change just because you want to. Arrogantly wanting to control the future, do you think you're some kind of god?"
"What's wrong with yearning for power? Those who step onto the wrong path are merely isolated cases lacking sufficient resolve in themselves. You, who don't believe this and generalize from isolated cases, otherwise, try to defeat me, who has also been 'lost' by power!"
The spirit suddenly rushed out from the Gaia Card that Hayato had thrown out but not yet retrieved. Gaia, holding a lance, attacked towards Shadi, scaring him into quickly retreating two steps to dodge. The lance pierced the wall, missing Shadi's head by mere inches.
"Hayato Kobayashi, what are you doing!" Shadi said, looking nervously at Hayato.
Shadi originally intended to say this, but facing the imposing Hayato, Shadi couldn't help but recall that experience when he attempted to use the Millennium Key to probe Hayato's inner thoughts back during Battle City. Even if it's today, recalling that time, Shadi's heart was still filled with fear.
It was also after that time that the Millennium Key, one of the two Millennium Items he could use, also became unable to respond to him anymore. After multiple failed attempts, he simply handed it over to Hayato, but found that Hayato could actually still use its power.
Ever since he lost his body several years ago and was between the boundary between death and life, the power he could exert was far less than before. He was fundamentally not Hayato's opponent now, moreover, besides Hayato, there are also Marik, Pegasus, and the Pharaoh's Soul here, so many people.
It seems he won't be able to convince the Pharaoh's Soul to embark on the journey of returning to the Underworld today. In that case, he can only retreat first.
"If you are still in the joy of recovering your memory, I, who specifically came here to give a warning, have indeed disturbed the Pharaoh's celebration. But one day, the Pharaoh will realize I am correct, and by then, I will still offer my power to seal the Millennium Items for you, Pharaoh." Even if it was obvious he was running away, Shadi still spoke some fine words. Saying this, he turned around and left without hesitation.
Bakura, who had been watching Shadi for a long time, hearing Shadi say this, also finally mustered up the courage to speak. "Um, are you called Shadi? I'd like to ask, have we met somewhere before?"
However, after Shadi heard Bakura's words, he only paused his steps slightly and continued walking silently towards a corner. After stepping into that corner, he instantly disappeared.
"That guy finally left." Joey Wheeler didn't hide his rejection of Shadi at all. After all, that guy said he wanted Atem to leave them and go to the Underworld. He looked at Atem and said, "Don't take that guy's words to heart, Yugi. Putting other things aside, look at us, is there anyone who would develop desire for the Millennium Items?"
"Idiot, Atem has already recovered his name, why are you still calling him Yugi?" "Ehe, wasn't I just worried he'd overthink things and accidentally said the wrong name?"
Atem looked at Tristan and Joey Wheeler and also noticed Téa's worried line of sight from beside him. He smiled and shook his head, telling them not to worry, and didn't say anything else, returning to the Millennium Puzzle.
